With so many different ways to celebrate your nuptials, it can seem impossible and overwhelming. There is the ceremony, but then there is the wedding reception. How do you plan it all?
How do you pay for it? What kind of food do you eat? Does the venue even allow caterers and vendors that are not on their preferred list to show up for your reception? With so many questions I want to help alleviate some of the stressors. Here are a few of my tips for planning your wedding reception.
The Vibe
How do you want to celebrate your wedding? Are you looking for a party or maybe you want to hike up a mountain or through a forest to get away from the crowds? Maye all you care about is spending time with the people that mean the most to you.
Whatever vibe you’re going for, you can have the wedding of your dreams.
Location
The Stress-Free Couple
Once you know what you want your wedding reception to feel like, start looking at venues! For the laid-back couple, I love Wedgewood Weddings as well as the Wellshire Inn. These wedding locations can give you the party vibe without the party stress. They take care of clean up and set up. Their reception packages also include some of the most basic things like chairs, tables, and linens. How cool is that?! Soooooo many venues don’t include any of your basics, and that can add a lot of unnecessary costs. Wedgwood Weddings and The Wellshire Inn also have a ton of add-ons.
Your wedding reception can truly be A BLAST without the headache!
The Creative Couple
Maybe it’s super important that your wedding is visually jaw-dropping. You’re either planning to spend a ton on decor or you’re going to DIY everything. There are a ton of wedding venues if this is you! One of my favorites is North Star Gatherings in Idaho Springs. North Star features incredible mountain views, and so. much. natural. light. It’s perfect for those who really want to turn their space into a jaw-dropping Spectacle.
The Adventurous Couple
If all the bells and whistles of a traditional wedding aren’t your thing, great! You can celebrate your wedding day and feel like yourself at the same time.
The adventurous couple has so much freedom. They have ZERO restraints when it comes to celebrating their love. A wedding reception looks more like a giant adventure. All they have to do is pick a location that feels exciting. It could be in a specific part of Colorado orrrrrr it could be anywhere in the United States. It could even be in another country! After that plan an adventure! Pick something that feels true to who you are. It could be a multi-day backpacking trip, an afternoon in your favorite mountain town, or a day on the beach.
The beauty of Adventure Weddings is that there are no rules! You can rent out your favorite brewery, eat a picnic lunch in the middle of the forest, or share a joint in a hut at Winter Park. Pick the thing that is going to feel EPIC…
The options are literally endless!
Food and Booze
Most venues have a specific list of caterers that you have to use, but if you are able to pick your own, I love Mountain Crust. Pizza at a wedding reception sounds weird, but it is the best wedding food I’ve ever had. The pizza is unlimited, the appetizers are delicious, and they have options for drink service and dessert! Not to mention, the service is phenomenal. The people working actually like their job. Crazy, right?
Allll The Extras
OK so you know the vibe you’re going for and you picked your wedding venue. The food is going to be delish. Now, you get to start having fun! This is really where you get to create a wedding reception that screams. “Hey, we got married this is OUR party!”
For the stress-free couple, this might look like sticking to what is included in your wedding package. The Creative couple might have to decide if between a DJ or a live band. And, for the adventurous couple, do you want flowers on your adventure? What about the guest count?
Everyone is different, but if you stay true to who you are as a couple, you will have the best day!
And it is going to be the best wedding reception because you listened to what you wanted and what felt like would be the best way to celebrate the beginning of your new married life together.
If you are looking for a photographer, or need help with the planning process… Let’s chat!
