5 Wedding Reception Tips to Make Your Wedding Your Dream Day
The build-up to planning your wedding and getting to the big day is always exciting for you and your partner. So once you’re finally married and you get to celebrate with friends and family at the reception, it’s important that both you and your guests can enjoy this time of relaxation and fun.
As much as you want your friends and family to be there for your special day, it’s also a time to rejoice in the joining of two families. And what better way to celebrate and show your appreciation than having an enjoyable wedding reception?
The good news is, here at Melhorn Manor, we’re here to make sure every aspect of your wedding day goes as planned. Melhorn Manor owners, Allory and Jess, are always at every event to help guide guests, direct traffic, manage vendors, and to make sure your entire day is the dream day you’ve been imagining!
Today we’re going to go over a few wedding reception tips that we think make weddings much more enjoyable for guests. Melhorn Manor is here to help smooth out any hiccups, so you can focus on feeling refreshed while marrying your best friend!
1. Have a Variety of Food Options
It may seem obvious, but a big wedding reception tip that sometimes gets missed is to make sure you have plenty of food options for your guests. Most of the time, you’re likely daydreaming about the delicious dinner you’re about to eat. However, you should also be considering what appetizers you’ll be serving guests during cocktail hour, possible late-night snacks at the reception, and of course, drinks.
Your guests are likely just as hungry as you are by the time dinner comes around, so giving them plenty of drinks, hors d’oeuvre, and delicious cocktail hour options will keep them loving the experience. Also, even after you’ve had dessert, sometimes the party can keep going for a few more hours, so having some late-night munchies available may be something you want to consider.
2. Keep the Flow Going
Sticking to a timeline for your wedding day is essential for several reasons. Most of the time, it ensures that all of your vendors and guests arrive and leave at the scheduled times. Luckily, when you choose Melhorn Manor as your venue, we’ll help you keep that flow going before, during, and after the big event.
But when we say “keep the flow going,” we don’t just mean sticking to your timeline. While Melhorn will help you with linens, vendor management, yard games, and any other details, we also suggest you work with us to plan out events or activities between all of the larger moments of your day. For example, if you have an hour and a half between your ceremony and reception start time, food and drinks may not be enough for your guests. Instead, try adding some yard games or other activities that we can set up in our outdoor patio area to keep everyone entertained between the downtimes of your wedding reception. Amenities, such as yard games and use of fire pit, are complementary in Melhorn Manor’s all-inclusive wedding package.
3. Keep Guests Comfortable
When you’re looking for wedding venues in Lancaster County that fit your wedding vision, you can rest assured knowing that Melhorn Manor has all of the basics and so much more. No matter what season you get married in, Melhorn Manor is prepared to keep your guests comfortable.
You and your guests can experience our historic barn venue and all of the beauty the old wooden beams and stone have to offer in addition to modern amenities like air conditioning and heating! Plus, with ample paved parking space, your guests will not have to walk through the rugged terrain of field or gravel parking that other venues may have in order to get to the ceremony and reception.
4. Perfecting Your Reception Details
Another important tip is to perfect your wedding reception details. Here at Melhorn, we assist our couples with creating unique timelines that suit their individual needs. For example, knowing when to hold toasts, specialty dances, cake cutting, etc. throughout the evening can help keep your guests remain fascinated with each moment of your reception.
One example of a well-planned itinerary is to place your toasts at the end of dinner rather than before dinner is served so your guests are not listening to several speeches on an empty stomach. Or if you plan to hold your specialty dances after dinner to kick off the dance floor, it is a great idea to have the best man and maid of honor give their speeches before the dinner begins. Allory and Jess will help you plan your reception details at your final review meeting held a month prior to your big day so you can rest assured that your guests will have an outstanding experience from start to finish.
5. Have a Lounge Area
During those downtimes in the evening, it’s a good idea to have a “quiet” or relaxing area for guests to socialize. Sometimes the loud music and lights from the reception party can be overwhelming, and having a cozy or quiet area for guests to relax in is nice. This can also be a calming environment for you and your partner to catch your breath if you need to!
Here at Melhorn, we have plenty of space at our wedding venue to let your wedding guests stretch their legs and relax. Our Equestrian Barn is perfect for weddings that range between 30 and 300 people, with plenty of indoor and outdoor space to spare. In addition, the patio and Corn Barn (which are seasonal) can be customized to create the perfect lounge areas for your guests as well.
Looking for More Wedding Reception Tips?
Here at Melhorn Manor, we understand what it takes to make wedding dreams come true. Over the last three years, we’ve helped more than 100 couples and their guests have the most magical wedding experience. We work diligently to understand all of the ins and outs of your special day so that it’s a truly unique and wonderful experience that will bring fond memories for years to come.
Planning your reception doesn’t have to be difficult, and our team will be with you throughout the entire process. We’d love to help you plan your dream wedding, so if you’re ready to learn more about our premier Lancaster-area wedding venue and how we can help, reach out to us today!
