How to Create a Do it Yourself Wedding Reception Meal

In this article you'll learn some quick and easy steps for catering and preparing entertainment for a wedding reception.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Nice table linen.
• Plenty of nice serving-ware.
• Flexible budget for the groceries.
• A DJ or band of your choosing.
• TIME TO PREPARE!!!

1. The first step in planning a wedding reception is getting a feel for what the bride and groom want. Sit down with them, get a feel for what they and dislike, and make this about them not you. This is their wedding after all not yours! :-)

2. 
    

   Your next step will be setting up the entertainment. It's very important to have this done ahead of time. It can always be a mess to wait until the last minute to find your music person. You want to find the best entertainment possible. Many couples are happy with a live band, but to save on budget and on time a good DJ is always highly recommended.

3. 
    

   Food would be next on the list. Depending on what time of the day that the wedding is would be the deciding factor of what food to have. If it is a noon wedding then your guest might be hungrier and a lunch type menu would be more appropriate with sandwiches and fruits and such. But with a later wedding most guest have eaten and you can have more of a snack type menu. Never ever slack on the sweets though. All weddings guests come looking for the dessert table. A chocolate fountain is never a bad choice, but again the food choices are up to the wedding party.

4. The last and most important step is presentation, presentation, presentation. The food might taste good, the music might sound good, but does it all look good? You need to make sure it does. This can be done with a few simple items. Nice table linens that match the bridal colors are helpful. Floral arrangements as centerpieces go well also. Lighting is also important. If it is an early wedding be sure to have lots of day light in the room to keep spirits high. At night keep the lighting warm. With all these steps in place the bride won't be the only one in attendance that will be glowing.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to interview all musicians and DJ's. A reception can become a nightmare with a few squeaky songs.
• Don't overdo the presentation. We want to make the guests feel comfortable when they enter the room.. not violated.

[SpeedRacer]

on 6/25/2007 I just got married and used a DJ at our wedding. It's best to interview at least two DJs to get a sense of what they have to offer and the expected cost. DJs can be a very cost effective option for a wedding. Most of them use iTunes and high-end mixing software, which makes the music just as good as a live band or hip club.