Wedding Reception Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   Cheap wedding reception ideas for a small wedding with mainly family?
   We are having a small wedding with mainly family. About 25 people total. What's the best way to have the reception? We looked at a small restaurant that mainly does functions, but it seems a bit much for just family. Any other ideas of where/how we could do it? For a dinner. Thanks.

   • ANSWER:
     this article helped me come up with cheap ideas. I love the idea about the wedding cake (don't tell the bakery it's for a wedding and you can special order it like it's for a party at half the cost)

     http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5411100/my_cheap_wedding.html?cat=23

2. QUESTION:
   What are some great wedding reception ideas?
   My friend is having her wedding at a ceremony and reception hall in May. They want the ceremony to be kind of tropical. What are some good and unique ideas for the reception?

   • ANSWER:
     They could decorate the hall with fresh strands of orchids, loose orchids, and ti leaves (scatter on the alter area, use in floating centerpieces or punch bowl, decorate tables, accent the wedding cake, food dishes, and bar drinks, etc).

     Fresh loose ti leaves can be used with food as a dish liner, table runners or arrange a bunch of them in a circle and put the wedding cake in the center.

     Use tropical flowers in centerpiece arrangements. Or decorate the reception tables with centerpieces like coconut scented candles in real coconut shells, fresh Hawaiian pineapples or papaya that your guests can take home at the end of the wedding. Use tiki torches to add to the atmosphere. Here are some decorating tips: http://www.alohafriendsluau.com/decoratingtips.html

     Play traditional Hawaaian music in the background while everyone eats at the reception.

     Pass out leis or orchids to guests to wear around their neck or behind their ear as they enter the reception.

     Give out sample size macadamia nut treats as wedding favors. You can also create more traditional wedding favor boxes or little bundles by using macadamia nuts instead of jordan almonds.

     Serve authentic foods provided during Hawaiian luaus for the wedding reception.

     Hire a hula or fire dancer to perform at your reception and also give a hula lesson to you and your guests.

3. QUESTION:
   Anyone have any original wedding reception ideas I could present as a gift?
   I really want to get my sister and her fiance' a great gift for their wedding- something that they will be surprised to find at their reception!
   Just to give you an idea of what i'm looking for--I looked into getting a photo booth because I've been to a wedding that had one and it was sooo fun! But they're too expensive for me. I want something fun and original and reasonably priced.
   Thanks for the help!

   • ANSWER:
     My SIL paid for our DJ. I knew in advance, but I appreciated it so much. It really meant a lot to me that she wanted to contribute in that way and it made our reception so much more fun. Either that, or you could hire someone (a friend maybe?) to sit at the door and take different polaroids of everyone and then make them a scrapbook? Or get a large photo matte, set it up and have all the guests sign it. Then they can use it to frame a picture later.

4. QUESTION:
   Need good wedding reception ideas?
   I need help, i'm getting married next year and need good wedding reception ideas, i have a big family and we are planning to invite about 80 - 90 guests to our wedding.

   How can we have the inexpensive reception, we don't have a lot of money. I would like to do something creative don't want to use a lot of money.

   And where would be a good idea to hold a wedding reception?

   Please help with ideas...

   • ANSWER:
     What I did for my daughters reception recently was rented a nice tent , it had removable sides, so that if the weather turned out bad we could keep them on and if it was sunny we could remove them. It was 20/40 ft in size, and there were more than 100 people, the same agency provided tables, chairs and white table clothes. We decorated them ourselves with things we picked up at a local 'party store' a place one can get decorations, which you might have in your area. I rented chafing dishes (4) for hot food, they are large stainless steel pans with a heating source. also from the party store, they were just a few dollars a piece to rent and they are rented out by the day. My daughter and I made up fruit and vegetable trays, and I cooked ribs and baked macaroni and cheeze and mashed potatos, these went in the heated pans, we made our own fruit punch and mixed in our favourite rum...the cost for it all was minimal, the most expense was the purchasing of the raw materials to cook, preparation of food which we started the previous day took less time than I had expected and once we served everything we had more than enough for everyone, the way I planned it was by piece count, number of people=2 pieces of each item or one large serving spoon of stuff like macaroni etc. When you go to buy meats go to a butcher shop instead of the local store, there you can get deals on quantity of items.
     Alternatively, if you are short of money ask relatives to contribute towards purchasing some of the things you will be needing, And ask for their help in doing the preparation.
     As to the venue, use the back or front yard of one of your family, its 100 times cheaper than a restaurant. Especially if you and your family pitch in and do the catering.

5. QUESTION:
   Cheap, slightly informal wedding reception ideas?
   I will be getting married come spring/summer and it will be a courthouse wedding type deal because a big fancy ceremony isn't something that is important, nor is it something we can afford. However, we do want a nice reception, and I don't want to lose out on all of the traditions of getting married. I want a first dance and a father daughter dance so I don't so much want 'backyard with cheap beer' gettogether that you could have any damn day of the week.
   Do you have any ideas on something that would be affordable, but also seem like a wedding reception?

   • ANSWER:

6. QUESTION:
   unique outdoor fall wedding ideas/reception ideas?
   O.k my best friend is getting married in october outdoors and the reception will be held outdoors I am looking for an unique or amazing ideas for anything involving the wedding/reception including food gift ideas decor wedding theme anything the dresses are navy blue and were planning on using oranges and yellows and red fall colors ..Help!!! I'm decorating and I wnat it to be amazing andtake everyones breathe away

   • ANSWER:
     I got married in Sept and Navy was my color and we did the reception at our family ranch. We had flowers everywhere, planted and in pots all fall colors, i even used old water cans and did arrangements in there. We have a large gazebo big enough for the Dj and dance floor, there was flowers and ivy wrapped around everything...We even put a lot of white little lights so when it got dark it look beautiful. Doing a reception outside there is a lot you can do. Using the ivy helped, we have a lot on the ranch and i cut pieces weaved it where i could and i did this the day before and it held up fine. Oh and i used tulle, many, many yards of white tulle.
     The food we had inside in a very large family room and i hired someone to handle that and we hired wait staff. If your doing the food outside too then you may want to think about putting something up like a large tent or something with a top, sides and back, the front can be open and decorate around that too.

7. QUESTION:
   Do you have any unique wedding reception ideas?
   I'm in Adelaide, South Australia and my fiancee and I are trying to decide what we would like to do for our wedding. We're fairly sporty, busy and active people, so we want a reception that is us. One thought we have is holding it at a Lawn Bowls club up in the Adelaide Hills and having everyone have a roll on the greens...does anyone else have any good ideas for a wedding reception with a difference?

   Thanks!
   Jason

   • ANSWER:
     Jason

     Love your idea! Remember just in case that not all of your guests may be sporty or active like you, lawn bowls is a sport that basically anyone can do. Perhaps the single ladies could have a roll off for the brides bouquet?

     I have been to a wedding where they had a bush band and had square dancing, active got everyone involved and had a really great time!

     If I lived in SA I would be having my wedding in a winery, but thats my cup of tea!

8. QUESTION:
   What are some good wedding reception ideas/activities for a small dinner reception?
   I am having a courthouse wedding and then a small dinner to follow. We will have a private room and 25 adults and 6 children attending. It is a buffet style dinner. I am just looking for suggestions to keep the guest entertained. Thanks!

   • ANSWER:
     You could make up prizes
     and raffle them off such as:
     gift cards, lottery tickets,
     house hold items, etc
     prices of above ranging from
     -

9. QUESTION:
   what are fun wedding reception ideas?
   i need some different ideas for my wedding this fall. what was the main element that made a wedding the most fun?
   looking for different and unique ideas to do for a wedding reception. i have a variety of people coming and i want to keep them happy & entertained for a reasonable price! small details go a looong way to me!

   • ANSWER:
     I went to a wedding last year that had a company that brought in a photo booth with props. During the evening people could go into booth and get their picture taken. Then the people managing the booth would have 2 sets of the pictures made and give one to the people that were in the picture and then immediately put the other photos into a photo album that you could sign and write your own message.

     It was something different and everyone seemed to have a fun time with it. The Bride and Groom also got to have and immediate keepsake.

     Great idea instead of a guest book!

10. QUESTION:
    Anyone know where to find good Midsummer Night's Dream wedding/reception ideas?
    I am getting married in July and am starting to think up decoration ideas/ceremony stuff for a Midsummer Night's Dream themed wedding. It's going to be a very informal wedding where my dress is calf length and the flower girls all wear fairy wings. My fiancee and I were in a production of Midsummer together in high school so it's a really magical theme for us. I'm looking for good, but not overwhelming ideas & have been having a hard time finding a decent website for ideas. Thanks for any info!

    • ANSWER:
      A found a few links for your consideration:

      http://www.wedthemes.com/midsummer-nights-dream-wedding.shtml

      http://www.favorideas.com/wedding-themes/seasonal-themes/midsummer-nights-dream-favor-ideas/

11. QUESTION:
    Need help with fun wedding reception ideas?
    I wed in December in a very small ceremony that included our parents only. We promised everyone we would have a reception in the fall so everyone could celebrate with us.

    My hubby and I want to take a less serious approach to our wedding reception. We are thinking like a scavenger hunt or Amazing Race-type reception, but try to tie in the wedding theme where possible. My husband wants a paintball fight reception lol I told him I didn't think that would go over so well lol

    I'd like some input on ideas.

    • ANSWER:
      caricature, chocolate fountain, wedding buffet, fireworks, those life size cutouts you stick your head in

12. QUESTION:
    What are some fun wedding reception ideas?
    There most likely isn't going to be any dancing (groom and bride don't like to dance) and there are going to kids there, so just curious as to what are some other fun things to do? Never been to a wedding so not sure how they go..

    • ANSWER:
      have dancing for your guests who do like to

13. QUESTION:
    What are some outdoor super casual BBQ wedding reception activity ideas?
    I already had my wedding/ reception in Utah a month ago and am flying to my hometown in Alaska next week. We decided to throw a BBQ so everyone could meet my husband but my mom keeps getting RSVP's to the "reception" some of my friends are traveling quite a ways so I would like to make it fun for them, more of an event. It should be about 100 people, held at a large park pavilion. Any ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      Horse shoes, volley ball, and polo come to mind. We use to do these kinds of things for our family get togethers. We also have table with family pictures. Just some ideas.

14. QUESTION:
    What are some unique wedding reception ideas?
    Rather than the regular, rent a hall, have dinner, speeches and a dance, what are some unique extra things that can be done at a reception, or even really unique locations?

    Seriously, throw anything out there.

    Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      How about having it at a zoo. They usually have beautiful gardens with large grassy areas (for your marquee if they don't have a reception hall) and in the time between your ceremony and reception you guests can wander the grounds and be entertained. Sometimes they can bring out certain animals after the gates have closed as well.
      Why not think of having the reception bedouin/arabian style where these are lots of cushions on the floor and fabulous colours and exotic food. here is a link to give you an idea: http://www.bedouintents.com.au/new_events/syd_events/11.htm

      just do anything that you think will be fun, after all it is your day.

15. QUESTION:
    Wedding Reception Ideas. Intials lite up on the wall. Whats that called and where can i find one?
    Ive seen at other wedding receptions that they have lights with their names or initials on the wall and i want to do something like that because at the place we are having mine we cannot attach anything to the way so a projector would be good ive been searching but cannot find anywhere to get one mainly because i dont know what its called lol.. my colors are pink black white and silver. Any ideas would be great. Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      It's called a gobo and you can get it through your dj.

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16. QUESTION:
    Ideas for wedding reception for 40 people?
    Hi, I was wondering if anyone had cheap or just wedding reception ideas for 40 people. Sit down or Buffet? Open bar or cash bar? A band or no band? And what forms of entertainment would be good for this? I want my reception to be remembered...without having to pay on the credit card bill for years. Please help.

    • ANSWER:
      Sweetheart, there is NO point in going into debt for a one day event that most people forget about after a few months' time, like you said. I have some ideas seen from other peoples' weddings and just common economical sense:

      1.) Morning wedding. A friend of mine got married at 10am. They were both morning people anyway. And you figure by then, most of the guests grabbed breakfast before they came. They had an omelette bar with different cheeses, meats, vegetables, etc. They also had bagels and fruit platters. Some would say it's tacky... I thought it was genius. And really, I don't know of anything cheaper than eggs. Everything could be purchased at Sam's Club for probably 0.

      2.) Hors Deuvres (sp?). That's what my husband and I did. Shrimp cocktails, different quiches, fruit and vegetable platters, chocolate fondue fountain with marshmallows and fruit to dip, punch, coffee, pop. Unfortunately a group of old college friends (uninvited) crashed and ate most of the food, so all we got was a handfull of grapes when we were done with pictures... =(

      3.) Whether you do sit-down or buffet, keep your menu simple. You don't have to have 7 choices of meats and seafood. Do something simple like roasted chicken or roast beef. Then have a few vegetable choices, some rolls, maybe a simple salad, and two dessert choices. Now, most Americans are total gluttons and expect to be served a meal that could feed a family of 4. If you don't fill them up at a sit-down, they'll complain. If you do a buffet, people will pig out. In these cases, I've known people to keep pretty bowls of m&m's or rolls on the tables.

      Someone else beat me to the punch in telling you to look at parks, beaches, etc. They have natural beauty, so you won't need as many decorations. Parks also usually have pavilions you can reserve. The only issue is bathrooms... not many people want to use a port-a-potty at all, let alone in nice clothes.

      Don't serve alcohol at all. That will drastically cut down your costs.

      Don't have a band or DJ. Rent speakers and play pre-chosen songs.

      Don't give out favors... it's not a child's birthday party and I can guarantee that no one wants a candle that has the bride + groom's names engraved on it. One of my friends had a pirated CD of love songs... her husband was in the USMC and they were all really twangy country songs or songs about war... strange favor.

      Good luck. =)

17. QUESTION:
    Inexpensive Wedding Reception Ideas?
    I am planning a 2010 Valentine's Day Wedding. We will fly to Vegas for the ceremony and when we return we will hold a reception for family/friends. I am looking for ideas that are inexpensive. There will be under 50 people and I do want to serve dinner and wedding cake. Any ideas??? I live in MN so in February it is cold!

    Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      I think it would be cute to offer hot coco, or maybe warm adult drinks with the cake since it will be a cold time of year. You could even toast with the Coco, it would be a lot cheaper than champagne and fit the winter warmth theme.

      Also, to save money on the meal, I had a relative ask my mother and her other aunts to cook her small reception. It saved her money having my mom make the chicken and it added a real touch of family to the event. She also asked my mom and Aunts not to give her wedding gifts that there help was the best gift possible. My mom loved being asked.

      I read someone who said cake is not right for the party, and i totally disagree! You should do the cake!

18. QUESTION:
    Does anyone have any cheap wedding reception ideas?
    I'm getting married on August 20th and only have 3000 for the wedding. I have already spent 1000 on the church,Reception hall,DJ, and Photographer. So this leaves me 2000 dollars for ever thing else. I'm looking for any cheap ideas for the reception. Thanks
    My mom bought my dress so that is not included in the 2000 but flowers will be I have a local shop that is going to work with me at a pretty cheap price. I have to meet with them next month.

    • ANSWER:
      You have not said anything about your dress or flowers...do they need to be included in that 2000.00?
      The cheapest FOOD reception is to do a pasta dinner buffet....you have pasta, a tomato sauce and a alfredo sauce, salad, and a bread and a cake. I found a cheap way for my daughters "poor" friends to have a lovely cake CHEAP...Go to the grocery store bakery and have them do a square or rectangle sheet cake and put a round cake on top, decorate with icing flowers in your color and have whatever cake topper you want. It turns out very cute and cost about .00.Also keep you guest list down....under 100 and NO ALCOHOL....that runs the bill up sky high.
      JMHO....Good Luck!

19. QUESTION:
    Coffee house wedding reception ideas?
    My fiance and I are planning an evening wedding with a coffee and desserts reception to follow. We are having a cheesecake wedding cake and a chocolate fountain. We want to have a self-serve coffee bar area where people can choose between international coffees and teas.

    Any ideas or suggestions to contribute? Ideas for fun desserts to go along with our theme? Ideas for themed favours or decorations? I am curious to know if anyone else has done this before? And if so, how did it turn out?
    Answers to some of your questions...

    1) No, we don't expect everyone to drink tea and coffee. We'll also be having barrels (filled with ice) of coke, diet coke, bottled water and juices for the kids.

    2) There will be a few small chocolate fountains scattered through out the room so people won't be crowded in one area.

    3) And yes, we do plan on having entertainment - coffee house style with a small corner of the place as the stage. We have a friend who's an amazing musician (sings/plays guitar) play towards the end of the evening.

    4) The building is small and intimate - seats 75 or 100 standing/mingling. The floor is stone and the rest is woodwork so it will have the rustic coffee house feel to it. There is a kitchen, though we are trying to keep our dessert ideas simple.

    Anyone else ever try a coffee and desserts reception? How did it turn out?
    The biscotti idea is great...I can't believe I overlooked that idea myself!

    • ANSWER:
      Someone was just on here the other day asking how to get the smell out of the coffee beans as they were being used as a filler for a centerpiece with flowers. That was a very pretty idea. Also there are italian coffee "biscuits" called Biscotti that are harder flavored and often chocolate dipped and go really well with coffee.

      As for decorations I would maybe decorate bistro style. With the tables set up to seat a couple or 2, 4 people at most. Keep it simple. It would be fantastic if you could have an outdoor venue .

      Or maybe go with a victorian tea setting. Lots of lace and full "fluffy" roses. I would use fans decorated with flowers and lace for centerpieces or the "granny"boots filled with flowers. As favors maybe put small fans and matchboxes next to each place setting

20. QUESTION:
    I need some unique wedding ideas for the reception, any ideas?
    I'm having my wedding outside at night. I want a wedding and reception where people leaving talking about what a unique wedding it was. I have some ideas like a photo sign in book instead of a normal sign in book but that’s about it so far as I have gotten. I'm hoping to get some ideas on how to change the traditional and conventional things into unique and personal ideas. Please help if you can, thanks. Oh yeah the wedding is late June of 2009 and a have a small but not non existent budget.

    • ANSWER:
      If your budget permits, look to see if anyone rents out Photo-booths in your area.

      I really want to do this, but I just don't have it in my budget.

      The place I was looking at rents photo-booths where the pictures come out on sticker photo paper. This could even go with your photo sign in book idea!

      Good Luck.

21. QUESTION:
    Washington state wedding reception ideas?
    I'm the MOH for my friend, and we are trying to find cheap ways to have this wedding - anyone know of cheap venues in WA state for a wedding reception? We'd like around 1000, or under would be nice.

    • ANSWER:
      I'm from Washington, and there are some great state park buildings that are well-priced. I'm not sure where you're at in Washington but there are lots in Tacoma (like the Point Defiance Pagoda) and many rental places on beaches. There's a chapel on Fox Island on the water. If you go that route and google "washington state parks" or rental places you'll find some great deals!

22. QUESTION:
    wedding reception ideas?
    i am planning a wedding for july this year and am working on a tight budget i am desparate on unique wedding ideas etc etc help what things are fun to do on a wedding reception any ideas on cutting costs etc etc

    • ANSWER:
      Karaoke is always fun. You can go around and take a table photo with your guest. Good luck.

23. QUESTION:
    Art Deco Wedding Reception--ideas for decorations?
    The place we are having our reception is in the Art Deco style. Does anyone have any ideas of how to construct table cards that would reflect this style? Any ideas where I can look for Art Deco photos, postcards, prints, etc. to use that would not be too expensive? Wedding is months away so I am just planning. I will use pewter hurricane lanterns on the tables with some flowers...Thanks for any ideas.

    • ANSWER:
      What a cool theme. Normally I don't like theme weddings, but I love this:Look at http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001cHg for some great ideas

      Also try these links:

      http://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Patterns-CD-ROM-Full-Color-Electronic/dp/0486998401/ref=pd_sim_b_title_4

      Use pearls, bronze, think "Empire State Building"

      Look at:
      http://www.theperfectparty.com/props/site/ART-DECO_40s.html for some things you can use idea-wise.

24. QUESTION:
    Can someone advice me regarding wedding reception ideas for a Christian wedding.?
    I am getting married later this year and we are both Christians and aren't going to have a dance, just the dinner and reception. I am having trouble coming up with ideas for my reception which don't involve a group or DJ.

    • ANSWER:
      First off, don't worry about the people assuring you that your wedding reception is doomed to be boring if you don't have dancing. There's more to a good party than dancing. Wouldn't have missed it at mine, but I already had my wedding. You're having yours and it should reflect your beliefs as well as your tastes.

      As some others have pointed out, it's possible to have quiet background music that isn't for dancing. That's a nice idea. Music is pleasant and enhances the atmosphere. I also loved the idea someone had of having a gospel choir perform.

      Other than that, serve plenty of food, circulate among your guests, smile and be gracious. Many a wedding with lots of 'entertainment' has been made unpleasant by a bridal couple who spend all their time at the head table not talking to their guests.

      Remember a wedding reception is first and foremost a party. Plan it around what you think is fun, and what your circle considers a good time. Karaoke? Certainly possible. Slide show? Only if you think people really enjoy watching the slides of your trip to Yosemite. Trivia games? Yeah, if Trivial Pursuit is your idea of a good time.

      Figure out something that sounds fun to you, and go to it!

25. QUESTION:
    Have you ever been to a wedding in Michigan? Reception ideas for the Detroit-Metro area?
    Have you been to any nice wedding receptions in the Detroit-Metro area that cost under 00? We are planning our wedding from Japan right now, so we can't go around to search for a venue until May but want a head start. Brides.com, Theweddingchannel.com, and TheKnot all have very few venues in detroit to choose from online. I contacted the Roostertail, downtown hotels, a couple boats and a couple golf clubs... but its way too expensive. We need to spend less than 50 per person. Please Please PLEASE send me some indoor reception ideas that will work for a guest list of 100 people... within a budget. If we can't find a reasonable price for a reception we will have to do a destination wedding in Jamaica without family and friends...which isn't bad at all, we just want to figure out if there is a way we could include family and friends by having the wedding in Detroit. We attend a beautiful church, so the actual wedding ceremony will be taken care of at no cost.

    • ANSWER:
      We had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Henry Ford Estate in Dearborn, Michigan. Dearborn is only about 15-20 minutes from downtown Detroit. The estate is the home of Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company and can accommodate up to 200 guests for a seated meal. To save cost, we had a Saturday morning wedding with a brunch reception. There website: http://www.henryfordestate.org/ lists their current packages for weddings and showers. Catering for evening weddings range from -56 per person. Catering for morning weddings range from -45. Because it is a historic landmark, you have to provide your own alcohol, but their bartenders will serve it for you. The catering does include non-alcoholic beverages, mixers, and coffee and tea service.

      The fee for Saturday morning/early afternoon receptions is 0.
      The fee for Friday and Sunday evening receptions is 00.
      The fee for Saturday evening receptions is 00.

      If you have a ceremony along with your reception, the
      ceremony fee is ,000.00 and for a 0.00 fee a one-hour rehearsal can be scheduled prior to your wedding.

      For an additional cost, you can also add a personal tour of the estate grounds for your guests. We opted to provide the tour for our guests to allow us some extra time to take wedding pictures.

26. QUESTION:
    Does anyone have any Wedding Reception Ideas?
    My fiance is Adventist and they are not much into dancing, so I was wondering if anyone could tell me any ideas we can do at the reception so our guests don't get bored. Also, he is thinking about not having food, just cake, because of the cost. I was wondering if anyone could help me find inexpensive food we could serve.

    • ANSWER:
      You could have pasta. Pasta is usually pretty inexpensive, and vege-friendly, because a good number of Adventist are vegetarians. Panera Bread gives tons of bread away on fridays. Go to food banks, there's no shame; thats what they're there for, people who need it. Try making a bar of hours d'oevres, or maybe have a sweets/sundae bar! Go to his church and ask the nice little old ladies to help with food, you're sure to find some nice people willing to help. As far as games are concerned, you could have the guests play a game to see who knows the bride/groom best by asking them questions about you guys (ex. what was Jim's favorite book when he was little?) Then, maybe you could give small prizes. Of course, you have the garder thing, the bauquet toss, the cutting of the cake, the best man's toast (maybe a sister or in-law could say a few words too).You could have a slide show of baby pictures of both of you and of while you were dating. After, you could have someone sing, maybe 'The Prayer' or another nice love/wedding song.If you still want to do something else, you can open presents too. But my best advice would be is to go to an Adventist wedding and see for yourself, or ask couples in the church what they did. You'll see that their weddings can be fun, too!

27. QUESTION:
    Music ideas for wedding reception without hiring a DJ?
    We are already spending so much money on our wedding and reception, we are trying to save money anyway we can. Would it be tacky just to have a bunch of mixed cd's made and play them with big speakers throughout the whole reception? Any ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      Instead of mixed CDs, get an iPod (cheaper than a DJ!) and create a playlist...this way you won't have to worry about changing cd's and you could put songs in any order you want.

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28. QUESTION:
    What are unique or fun wedding reception ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      What makes a wedding unique are the special touches a bride and groom add that mean something to them. It's really difficult to make good recommendations not knowing anything about you, where you live, how you met, etc. Any ideas we know of can't be too unique if we've seen them before!

29. QUESTION:
    I need some music for our wedding party and my fiance and I to walk into at our wedding reception. Ideas?
    Something funny and original!

    • ANSWER:
      Rossini's William Tell Overture (finale only).

      Or if you want to really chance it, go with Pomp and Circumstance (march no. 1). It's that song they play at 99% of US graduations.

      That might get a laugh if you play it dead serious. You also risk raised eyebrows and people taking it too serious and thinking you're confused.

30. QUESTION:
    potentially awkward wedding reception: ideas needed?
    My Italian nam and I are getting married in Sept and we've decided to have a very small do (about 30 of us). The problems are: I'm English and my partner Italian, so already 50% of the guests will have difficulty in understanding each other, and also my parents are divorced and I'm afraid they, or their new partners, may feel a bit uncomfortable. Any ideas of how to make the wedding reception fun and lighthearted (apart from plying everyone with lots of wine?!?)
    Oops, typo. That should have said, my Italian man.

    • ANSWER:
      space between the tables

      seat people together that will enjoy eachothers company and understand the language

      lots of music for dancing

      just focus on your husband and let the guests have fun!

31. QUESTION:
    any wedding reception ideas for table i am going to have Cinderella wedd. theme?
    i want to have purpal and lavender colores lots of gliters and sparkls stuff like a princes. plz need ideas and if u have any pictures they r appritiated thanks

    • ANSWER:
      http://www.wedding-candles.ca/cinderellas-carriage.htm

      http://www.rosemarycompany.com/1870.html

      I think you should get pumpkin shaped glasses, or maybe white pumpkins and put tea candles in them, have purple glitter over it, maybe have flowers coming out of the pumpkin.

      http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bp1.blogger.com/_1K_6JvpH_QE/Rb4H4D-Z0YI/AAAAAAAAACE/T6Iov-L46FQ/s320/pumpkin%2Bcenterpiece.jpg&imgrefurl=http://wendys-bridalaffairs.blogspot.com/2007/01/lets-talk-trends.html&h=320&w=235&sz=19&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=Xe_v8-RO_d2qjM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpumpkin%2Bcenterpieces%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

      http://decorvillage.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/white-pumpkin-centerpiece.jpg

      Definitely use themes from the wedding for place cards. Maybe get little glass slippers and fill them with purple candies for favors.

32. QUESTION:
    Looking for fall wedding reception ideas?
    Any information from ceremony to wedding reception would be great! Thank you!

    • ANSWER:
      At the reception we had a chocolate fountain and put that we were having on in the wedding pamphlet that everyone rec'd at the wedding. It was a hit. We only booked it for 3 hours but everyone kept complimenting us on how wonderful it was.

33. QUESTION:
    Inexpensive wedding reception ideas?
    I'm getting married in August and need some ideas for inexpensive decorations, favors, etc for my reception that incorporate our colors...navy & red.

    • ANSWER:
      Have it at a historical site ... or at the park ....

34. QUESTION:
    El Paso, TX wedding reception ideas?
    Ok, I have the church, now I need some reception ideas...I live in Dallas and am planning a wedding in El Paso. Where are some beautiful reception sites in El Paso? I cannot find anything but Cattleman's and the Camino Real online. Thanks so much for your help!

    • ANSWER:
      those are the two places I would recommend unless you wanna do it by the rio grande : ) But seriously Cattleman's is gorgeous in the evening/night. There should be some awesome places in Dallas though.

35. QUESTION:
    inexpensive wedding reception ideas?
    I will be getting married soon and I am on a tight budget. I am looking for inexpensive wedding reception venue and set up ideas. I wanted to know if it is possible to put on a nice wedding reception on a 00 budget for about 100-150 people. This is for the reception only because i won't really have to worry about the church.....so does anyone have any ideas on venues or what style or set up?...any input would be great thanks!
    I live in miami, fl

    • ANSWER:
      Amanda,

      I don't know what to tell you. Miami is a very expensive city. Just to book a venue may cost the entire 00 (without food!) You can definitely have a reception for 00, but it may not be the "usual type" of reception with dinner, drinking, dancing. Sorry, but I don't think you have enough money for all of that.

      You CAN look at renting "service type" of clubs/buildings, such as VFW halls; Elks Clubs, etc. Those places let you bring your own food in.

      Another option would be....what about your church? Is there a fellowship hall? Most churches have one. This may be the best solution for you. At churches, you are NOT able to have alcohol, but I don't know if you could do that anyway with your budget. Another "plus" is that sometimes you can get the "church ladies" to help with cooking and serving. If you can do that, you most definitely can feed 150 for 00.

      For decorations....just keep it simple. A low bowl with a few floating flowers or candles. Very simple AND elegant.

36. QUESTION:
    Does anyone have any unique wedding ceremony and reception ideas?
    We are looking for different kinds of ideas for ceremony and reception that our guest would truly remember our wonderful wedding day. As many ideas as you can think of would be greatly thought of! It could be from cake, table decorations, anything imaginable. Thank you!

    • ANSWER:
      Our DJ took pictures of our guests and family at the cocktail hour and during the reception and then posted them on a video screen. After the wedding was over we were able to keep the CD he made of all the pictures.

      Before our entrance into the reception the DJ made a video slide show of when we were younger then gradually getting older and then he put pics of our engagement and then we entered.

      "The Hands of the Bride and Groom" poem always gets me
      http://www.maweddingguide.com/planning/Ceremony/poetry.htm

      Hope that helps

37. QUESTION:
    Wedding reception food ideas?
    I am getting married in March and plan on preparing my own food for the reception. I have a few ideas, but wouldd like other recipes, and centerpiece ideas.

    • ANSWER:
      I am getting married next year and am planning to have a Hors D'oeuvres reception menu because I want the food to be fun yet satisfying without weighing down my guests.

      So, we're thinking of foods like: chicken wings, egg rolls & spring rolls, summer rolls, chicken & beef kebabs w/ rice pilaf, samosas & veggie and fruit platters. These foods are very easy to make yourself. I am going to try to make some of them myself and then cater the rest.

      Also, think cash bar instead of open bar for drinks. It will save a lot of money. Good luck!

38. QUESTION:
    What are the BEST BOOKS, MAGAZINES and WEBSITES that would show me WEDDING and RECEPTION DECORATIONS/ IDEAS?
    I already know about theknot.com and weddingchannel.com (searched them over again and again -- The Knot has some great stuff with Real Weddings that has helped me out) and I have been looking at Brides, Elegant Brides, Modern Bride, etc. They all seem to focus more on the dresses and rings and not on decorations or reception ideas.

    We are having an outdoor summertime evening wedding next year and we want it to be in between formal and informal. I was thinking of a country (but not gingham check tablecloths and sunflowers) and sunset theme (idea from a YahooAnswers buddy...Thanks Miss D!!).

    Do you know of any books, magazines, websites that would for sure have ideas for what I am talking about or anything you think might have some ideas?

    If so, I would greatly appreciate any help!

    Thanks!
    

    • ANSWER:
      Search for your local florist, i.e. if your wedding will be in Sacramento, type Sacramento florist. Look for the true local florists., then go to the wedding category. There should be lots of pictures where you can get ideas for your wedding decorations and set-up. Or you can go to the local florist - they have a lots of books that you can browse from - books by John Henry, Teleflora and FTD.
      check this out - www.amfilflorist.com and go to the wedding category.

39. QUESTION:
    Wedding reception ideas?
    I'm getting married in 3wks..I'm having a formal dinner for immediate family after the wedding & reception (about 50 people). I was just going to have a cake, punch and nuts reception immediately following the wedding. However I've been thinking, and I'm wondering if I should serve a little bit more for those who aren't coming to the dinner. It's going to be late afternoon, and over with before dinnertime. Any suggestions?

    • ANSWER:
      I think what you are serving is just fine. HOWEVER, I would really not want the fact that you are having a fancy dinner afterward become a well known fact. It will probably make some guest feel left out. Like they are good enough to attend the wedding and put out for a gift and they get cake, whoppee, they aren't good enough for the real food. I just would keep that part quiet.

40. QUESTION:
    Wedding reception ideas please!?
    We're having a small wedding at our church and the reception will be in the church hall. Our families are complete opposites and won't mingle very well. Because of my family we are forced to have a dry wedding which his family won't be too happy about. For the reception we were planning on having cake only. What are some ideas of things we could do during the reception so it's not a total bore?

    • ANSWER:
      Hi and congratulations!

      Don't worry about it....your groom's family will get over it.

      A couple of suggestions:

      ~ You could make it a little more than just cake...it could be a "dessert" reception. Have CAKE, of course, but maybe also some brownies or other "bars", fruit tray, cheese and crackers, punch, and coffee.

      ~ This is what was done at my sister's wedding:
      We had a table and called it "A Celebration of Marriage"
      She made a display with everyone's wedding picture that she could get her hands on (wedding guests, of course). We put them in cheap frames that you can buy at the dollar store. Next to it, or tucked into the corner of the frame was the name of the couple and their wedding date. This gives your guests something to look at.

      ~ Get a dvd made and show it during the reception. This is so nice and I have been to a reception where it was done. It's basically a "picture show" of you and your groom starting from babies all the way up to your engagement! Look into places that can do this for you....usually there is music playing (on the dvd itself) as the pages are flipping. It's REALLY NICE!

      ~ Have the maid of honor/best man do toasts! It doesn't matter that it's not alcohol that you are toasting with. A toast is simply a "good luck wish"

      ~ Have soft music playing on an ipod for background music!

      ~ Have nice table centerpieces. If you can afford it, get small vases and put 1 or 2 roses in with some greens and place this on a mirror. Then next to it, place some votives or tealight candles....very elegant!

      8 Wedding Pamphlet Sites

      Wedding Programs - Wedding Ceremony Programs - Wedding .
      Wedding Programs - Get ideas and tips for your wedding programs at The Knot. Browse through thousands of wedding

      Wedding Pamphlet 2011-03
      You may arrange for a wedding by calling the church office. Since couples often consider several churches for their

      Alumni House Wedding Pamphlet 2.15.11.indd
      for wedding ceremonies, receptions, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers and to review the rest of this pamphlet. If

      Golden Wedding Anniversary Pamphlet, 1898
      G. Golden Wedding Anniversary Pamphlet, 1898. Next. Golden Wedding Anniversary Pamphlet, 1898

      Wedding pamphlet 2008
      Our experienced wedding planning...

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      ~ You and your groom make a point of going around to all the tables to visit with your guests.

      Personally, I would LOVE to go to a reception like this. Not all stuffy and formal....more laid back.

      Good luck!

41. QUESTION:
    Planning a cinderella wedding need reception centerpiece ideas?
    I am planning my dream cinderella wedding but i am stumped when it comes to my reception center pieces for the tables. I tried finding glass slipper candles but no one has any anywhere! I need some amazing ideas please help!!!!!!

    • ANSWER:
      Use a small cake pedestal and place a small satin decor pillow on top with a silver, white satin, or some other color slipper on it. It would be cheap and easy to do. Good luck.

42. QUESTION:
    Need help trying to find a vacation home for rent on Jekyll Island GA, for a wedding reception. Any ideas?
    I am trying to find a large house with a backyard large enough to put up a tent for a wedding reception. (or an area close by to put up a tent)

    I am essentially wanting to bring my own alcohol & food. Most places that you can rent through jekyll Island make you use their services, which is why I would like to rent a house so I can make my own choices. Thank you in advance!

    • ANSWER:
      try http://vrbo.com

      i have used them several times to find vacation homes, in the keys and in hawaii. they may have something for you

43. QUESTION:
    Nightmare Before Christmas wedding reception ideas?
    my husband and I eloped last month, but are still having a ceremony, and a going away/wedding party the night before...and we are making it nightmare before christmas themed. i already have a cake picked out, but need ideas for decorations/food/etc. i love this movie and i want to be creative with it, any ideas would be much appreciated!! thanks

    • ANSWER:
      Invitations: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2701/4315563410_a5088f2477_m.jpg
      http://emdotzee.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Nightmare-Before-Christmas4-743x1024.jpg

      Bouquet: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=2067362
      http://www.w-weddingflowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/white-roses-and-black-feathers-wedding-bouquet-2.jpg
      http://media.photobucket.com/image/nightmare%20before%20christmas%20wedding%20bouquet/brannaghwoo/wedding/3182827905_004ba7de0c.jpg ( you could have some black or red roses added in along with fabric wrapped around the base - that would be awesome! )

      Centerpieces: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_utp0eWvzGWA/RyY5_HzvAUI/AAAAAAAAAEc/XVsqR9pUUfc/s320/HalloweenTable.jpg

      Here are quite a few things you could buy :]
      http://www.fairytaleweddingstore.com/rcProdmain.asp?id=69
      http://www.creativebridalsolutions.com/category_46/Gothic-Collection.htm

44. QUESTION:
    Cheap reception ideas for wedding ceremonies.?
    I am having my wedding in September and am looking for cheap ideas for a wedding reception probably containing only 40 people if that. Looking mostly for food ideas, and cheap delicous wines.
    I am also going to have hints of italian themes in this, anything that I can do at home the day before or buy cheapily will help out greatly.

    • ANSWER:
      Go for boxed wine. It is the cheapest way to buy it. Then, put it in a beautiful carafe to serve it. People will never know. You can get boxed wine anywhere. Check out places like walmart and http://www.ikea.com for cheap glass carafes. For 40 people, you'd only need a few of them. The carafes allow you to hide the fact that the wine is cheap.

      For food, pasta is very cheap to feed people in bulk, and also very italian. For meat, you can put grilled chicken in the pasta. Serve with italian bread and side salad.

      For starters, you can have tomatoes with basil and fresh mozzerella, with vinegar and oil. this is also very cheap. Bowls of olives. Cheese and bread plate. Fruit trays. Bruschetta. Salami and meat tray.

      For dessert, wedding cake of course! Or, italian ice.

      For decor, you can do candles on the table, because they are so cheap, but beautiful. Or, sprinkle rose petals over the tables and floor. http://www.lookalive.com/

45. QUESTION:
    Wedding reception ideas- No dancing or Alcohol?
    We a looking to have a simple, nice reception without dancing. Just food and some nice, happy background music. But i'm looking for ideas to keep people entertained without dancing or alcohol. Some good, clean entertainment. Any ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      you can still have the traditional stuff like tossing of the bouquet, feeding the cake to each other, best man/maid of honor toasts, but also incorporate some husband/wife "games." My best friend was married and had the cutest game. They had to sit with their backs to each other and take of their shoes. then the handed over one shoe to the other person so the bride had one of her shoes and one of his and vice versa. and then someone said ok now hold one shoe in each hand and they had a list of things on the paper and they said when i read something off, raise the shoe of the person you think that fits. So if the bride thought it fit her she would raise her shoe if the groom thought it fit her he would raise her shoe. (so you get the point) so someone would read, "who has control of the money inthe house?" and they raise the shoe of who they feel does. you can see how it is cute, innocent, and fun. I remember my friends husband rolling his eyes and tossing her shoe in the air to that question. More fun if you have someone else make up the questions. Other questions could be, "who's the more romanic one" "Whos the loud snorer" etc.

      Guess Who?
      This is another wedding game for the reception that aims to place the bride and groom in the spotlight using one very simple prop: a blindfold.

      To test how well the groom knows his new bride, have him blindfolded and seated in a chair facing all the reception guests. Now comes the fun part. Round up as many guests as possible, from the young to the old, men and women.

      The objective: can the groom figure out which one in the line up is his new bride? In the tame version, the groom can shake each guest's hand to find his new wife. Remember to play some fun and upbeat music during this game! You can blindfold the bride as well and have her turn

      Other possibilities: Have each guest kiss the groom on the cheek; the groom must feel each person's leg (particularly fun if there are a lot of men in the lineup!).

      Look up other wedding "games" I'm sure there are many more that may even involve the wedding party or guests. Good Luck!

46. QUESTION:
    Any neat, low-price ideas for wedding reception place?
    I'm in the DFW area in Texas, so if anyone knows of a particular place good for a wedding reception that is not really pricey, that would be great. Otherwise, has anyone had creative ideas for a low-price reception location?

    • ANSWER:
      An option you may want to consider is to rent a very cheap place and then hire a marquee company to hang drape curtains throughout the hall. i have done this for an event of mine and it worked out considerably cheaper ( and nicer!) than renting a proper hall.

      Congratulations and best wishes for your big day.

47. QUESTION:
    Wedding reception?
    What are some off the wall wedding reception ideas? We want it to be fun for all our guests and get them involved. not some sit down snore fest. i have thought of a cotton candy machine vender, maybe a fortune teller table set up just for fun, but what else is there? We are getting married on the beach and the reception will be under a tent on the beach most likely so some things aren't possible. i'm open to all kinds of ideas. What would like to see at a wedding reception as a guest? What would make it fun for you?

    • ANSWER:
      Hmmm beach wedding...

      You could have a saltwater taffy maker. It's so much fun to watch them pull the taffy. And it's super tasty too. Guests could even help pull the taffy and it could be their favor as well.

      A "treasure hunt": Some people lay out cameras at their wedding so people can take pictures. You could attach a treasure hunt list and tell people to take pictures of certain things. Or you could do something else with the treasure hunt theme.

      Provide a basket of different sizes of flip flops for guests to be comfortable on the beach.

      For food, you could have a New England style lobster bake.

      Will you request that everybody wear casual clothes? If so you could have a sand castle building contest. If you do something like this make sure that you have a way for guests to clean up from the sand like scented wipes. Or this could just be an idea to keep the kids entertained.

      A caricature artist would liven up things a bit.

      Hula lessons would be fitting if you had a Hawaiian theme. You could do this very elegantly with giving beautiful lei's to guests and having luau themed food and tropical flowers. Or it could be completely fun and bright with coconut bras and hula skirts.

      A fireworks show over the ocean would be a beautiful way to end the night.

      Whatever you do make sure that the invitations indicate what type of reception you will be having so guests know what to expect.

      You said off the wall, so there ya go!

48. QUESTION:
    Park Wedding and reception ideas?
    So I am planning a park wedding and reception which will be very informal, it will basicly become a cookout. I was wondering if it will be inapporate to have games and things besides a dance floor. I want it to me memorable and everyone to enjoy themselves. I am open to any and all ideas, constructive, easy, and cheap.

    • ANSWER:
      I wish I had done what you're doing. I'm having a park wedding but got talked into a more formal reception. I think for your stlye of wedding anything goes pretty much. Some games would be ok. Something like a golf putting challenge perhaps? You may be able to rent some putters or if you know some golfers borrow some.

      Croquet seems ok. I personally do not know how to play it but I hear it can be fun. A game of catch.. that might be pushing wedding boundries but it all depends on how "cook out" want it to be. Horse shoes is another popular game but again not sure if it pushes wedding bouindries too much.

      If you are having younger children, or even if the people coming are more adventerous maybe a scavenger hunt would be ok.

      Hope this helps!

49. QUESTION:
    We need Help with wedding reception ideas?
    My friend and I were put in charge of hosting a wedding reception. Neither of us has done this before. We would like some ideas ond decore and food arangements. Any comments would be appreciated
    It's a surprise for them, he married her from a different state, and the wedding was there, and this is a reception for here, seprate from the wedding

    • ANSWER:
      I'm not sure that some of the others understood you said it was a surprise for the couple. That mean you can't ask for their approval. That being said, check out Oriental Trading for decorations they have a lot and are reasonably priced. I'm sure you'll see something you like there.

      You can go with simple catering of the usual beef, fried chicken, and salads, or ask family and friends to each bring a dish.

      Click on the link below for more ideas and tips.

50. QUESTION:
    Wedding/Reception ideas?
    What are some cute, quick, creative, cheap wedding ideas. My fiance and I want to move our date up majorly from 02/09 to 08/08/08. We were thinking of maybe having a courthouse wedding and reception? Or if anyone knows of any other cute creative ceremony/reception ideas we would appreciate it.

    Thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      You could have a really nice park wedding and reception. The reception could be a big picnic.