3 Dallas Fort Worth Wedding Catering Reception Considerations:
Posted on Thu, Aug 18, 2011 @ 05:55 AM
When thinking of a wedding venue to host your wedding reception, here are a couple of things to consider:
1. From where are most of your wedding guests arriving?
If they are coming from all over the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex, then probably any location will do. However you should try and keep the ceremony site and reception site no more than 30 minutes from each other. The after-ceremony pictures already delay the newlywed’s arrival by at least 30-45 minutes, so adding 30 more minutes of travel time means the reception really won’t get started for almost an hour! What will your guest do all that time? You should plan something for the guests to be doing while these all-so-important photos are taken and the bride and groom travel to the reception site.
2. How many out of town wedding guests are you expecting?
Show some consideration for those staying in a hotel/motel and the proximity of the actual ceremony site and reception site. Dallas – Fort Worth can be overwhelming to guests that are not familiar with our grand metroplex so try and keep the distances to the ceremony and reception sites reasonable for those new to the area and or those relying on public transportation to get to and from each location. It’s a big city with lots to offer but covering the span from Fort Worth to Dallas will take over an hour alone and probably wouldn’t be a wise choice for your wedding reception nor for your guests.
3. What will your wedding guests do?
Have you been to a catered wedding reception where absolutely nothing was planned for the interim time between the I Do’s and the Let’s Celebrate? It’s painful, awkward and almost rude toward all the guests who are sharing in your special day. Provide some appetizers, food stations or some sort of refreshments upon their arrival. Remember, they’ve had nothing to eat or drink for hours from the time they entered the ceremony to the arrival at the wedding reception site. Have at least beverages immediate available as they arrive.
Some newlyweds want no catered food offered until they arrive so they can enjoy and see all their wedding planning and hard work all in action. Rethink this. Cater to your guests as if you were one of them.
Typically, your guests know either the bride or the groom and they have nothing in common other than knowing the wedding party – the party that isn’t there upon the arrival to the wedding reception. Once your guests have signed the guest book, toured the reception venue, and taken a look the wedding cake and decorations you’ve provided, they have nothing else to do.
Consider having your reception at a museum or art center! This provides some built in entertainment and subjects of conversation to a group of people that don't know each other. The MADI Geometric Museum in Dallas and the Irving Art Center in Irving are two such places that will not only entertain your guests, but will help create reasons to strike up conversation for all those waiting for the wedding reception to begin.
