LUXURY Ideas For the Wedding Ceremony & Wedding Reception

Rose Petals,                     
Wine Cave Reception
Photos by Dennis Urbiztondo 

Adding Luxury Ideas to Your Wedding Ceremony Whether it is a beautiful church, cathedral or natural environment in the woods, beach, garden or vineyards, we find it is important to be heard and seen. A raised platform for the ceremony, good microphones, ample lighting, shade (when outdoors) a printed program with names of the presenters, languages, explaining ethnic customs. All allow the guest to feel included. Select a location in a nice section of town with an impressive entry or      drive and top the luxury with valet parking services.         Please add your luxury ideas to our Blog.

Photo by DUphotography.com

 With an outdoor environment, make certain there are no apparent car sounds or flight patterns overhead. Choosing a setting with fountain, waterfall or lovely stream, beach and waterway views can mesmerize your guests. Nature has a way of enriching every part of our soul. Staging and lighting of the ceremony and/or reception are a real trend in luxury weddings. The outer building or interior lighting will excite your guests. Top the luxury with a light show during the reception music and or/ fireworks and sparklers (depends on the fire laws and your event site rules). Outdoor weddings and evening weddings often have wine and cocktail services with canapes’ (hors d’oeurves) served prior to the party guests being seated with one or more instrumentalist to set the mood of the day. As ceremony time nears, the seating or gathering time is announced.

Waiting for newlyweds to arrive prior to serving food and drink is passé! Adding Luxury to Your Wedding Reception Location entry door greeters to direct the guests to their seating adds to the glamour. The male ushers generally take on this task but we see luxury style weddings hire staff to complete this duty so the wedding party is exempt from these duties. Romantic outdoor evening weddings in full moonlight with flickering votives and oil lamps. Aisle decor, an altar cloth or arbor includes the use of the poly tulle that reflects twinkle lighting.

Luxurious Ideas For Your Wedding Reception Venues Most weddings require two or three venues that include; bachelor/bacholorette, the rehearsal dinner and a variety of sites for guest lodging. While proximity may be important, we also see a high-end wedding can be a destination wedding to unique parts of the world. While finding an opulent site with beautiful wall hangings, frescos, crystal chandeliers, gold leaf trim, marble dance floors and velvet curtains rein high on the list, luxury and opulence can include renting a winery, wine cave, skyscraper roof garden with magnificent views, mansion or lovely beach house that has been well cared for. We see historic sites, unique museums, botanical gardens, observatories, aquariums all work allowing you to utilize the backdrop to its fullest while increasing the interest and enjoyment of your guests.

A couple often chooses an event site that reflect their interests. Find these locations in each county of California, the USA and parts of the world on WeddingLinks.com.

 Luxurious Ideas For Your Reception Room Look: Ideas for a luxurious appearance for a wedding are features you can look for prior to booking a location. Entries and ceilings are key to visuals. Room appearance is directly affected by the look of flooring, chairs, full-length tablecloths (or pooling linens) and overlay cloths of unique fabrics. We find larger rooms incorporating a furnished areas near the bar and away from the music Complete dinner service, centerpieces and setting the table with specific folds to napkins for the dinner menu, plus unique favors all enhance the table appearance. Candles, votives and favors enrich the mood.

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Catering Questions For Wedding Receptions & Events

Photo by DUphotography.com Everyone enjoys a wedding reception, party and business event from different viewpoints.  Some guests love the flowers, food presentation and decor, while others comment on the food and service.  While most people host their event with the attitude of having a great and memorable time, we have found the choice for the right caterer comes with hundreds of questions. Would love to have your input and your questions in our Blog. Join us. There are a variety of catering services: Pick-up catering Full Service catering – complete with linens, bar, meal, deserts Location – in-house catering or banquet departments BBQ catering Full Service with a number of reception locations to offer Church or membership halls with food and serving committee Location’s selected vendor list of independent caterers to choose from Lovely locations find themselves dismissed from the bride’s list because the caterer/chef has a poor reputation or same old menu for every wedding. Even a backyard wedding can create space, access and function concerns for food being prepped and served. Photo by DUphotography.com Quick Tips: Tip:  When you choose an event location where all the party rentals, tables and linens, dishes are rented, you will spend as much or more on these items than on the food and catering services. (backyard parties - home events) Tip:  A buffet can be more expensive than a seated dinner Tip:  Saving money – eliminate the canapés (they are labor intensive) Tip:  Request two boxed meals for after the wedding with plastic forks etc. for the bride and groom – include some dessert also. Tip:  When a friends or family gifts you the catering, it may not mean they are also giving you the food nor the services required with staff, please get clear and qualify any charges you will need to cover. Tip:  If you have paid the bartender for services and included a tip in his check, you should not allow a tips jar on their counter Judith's Suggestions: Do not hire a caterer prior to selecting your location.  Many event locations want you to use their selected caterers list or their on-site chef. Couples are challenged by many of the following concerns and ask if the caterer can: provide ethnic style recipes or kosher kitchens health department licensing bring a wait staff to serve the food to seated guests set the buffet display in a quality presentation serve and staff the reception with trained personnel provide adequate food for the number of guests offer extended services such as party rental selection and setup, bartending, cake cutting or valet service Most caterers offer you websites and photo albums, plus printed menus to assist in making your decisions. If there are specific food requests the catering choice may revolve around various ethic foods and menus and service. Circumventing problems is twofold. Knowing the questions to ask  when you interview (sit down with the caterer) and calling their references to make certain their reputation is good. Most important questions to ask their references are: Did the caterer provide the items and menu you requested? Was the food fresh, good and ample? Was the food well presented and displayed? Was the wait staff attentive to the guest needs? Would you hire this person again? Once you have decided you require a caterer, select three. Request interview dates and if you like them during the interview ask for a bid.  Usually they will give you two price points with the option of including items or red-lining them. If a bid comes in higher from your very favorite caterer, then ask them to review the bid with you and see if there are methods where you can lower your costs and still achieve your favored caterer.    Find favorite caterers in your chosen region on WeddingLinks.com  Photo by DUphotography.com With caterers and their staff, the final bill will include tax, tips and often cake cutting charges and corkage fees for opening your wines.  Please ask to see the fees with all items included in the bid.  You don’t want any surprises.  Each catering company has their own policy and contract  to indicate charges and payment structure but generally 50% is requested for the reservation. Most caterers want to know the number of guests attending in the week prior to the wedding day so they may order the food, etc. Most caterers expect the final payment on the quoted price prior to the date of the event/reception. There may be additional charges because of corkage and bar bills. Please place someone in charge of this payment at the end of the event - this can be the wedding planner who reviews the bill, a parent or designated person.  Other questions you may want to ask: Who does the clean up? What happens to the leftover food? What are some lesser priced alternatives? UA-36897602-8