Wedding Organizer

The food newlyweds prepare for their guests on their wedding reception can make or break the whole celebration. If the menu is made up of forgettable cooking which tastes like cheap take-out, it will only ruin the feel of the wedding in general.

It is always wise to venture towards something memorable and contemporary. Use the power of imagination. Don’t be afraid to be daring and feature food that tantalizes the guest list’s senses.

1. Comfort Foods

Who says comfort foods can’t be a wedding reception menu? Clearly, anyone loves macaroni and cheese. You can also have pizza with gruyere and cheese. Hamburgers that are mini sirloin and having blue cheese are also comfort food staple. These can be served family style. It sets a festive and relaxed mood at the reception. Why do you think they’re called ‘comfort foods’ in the first place?

2. Have a Theme

Most of the time, it’s the obsessive compulsive kind of individuals who tie everything together. They base their catering menu on the season and theme of the wedding.

For example, you can have apple-maple glazed chicken and a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert when it’s a wedding in fall. You can have lemon grilled salmon with fresh vegetables if it is a summer wedding. You can also have a menu composed of favorite dishes of the family members.

3. Appetizers and Cocktails

Do you want to be different from the usual five course meal? If yes, your wedding will be different from the traditional kind by basing the reception on appetizers and cocktails. This leads to a variety of presentation ideas.

For example, you can serve the drink of your choice at the drink section and serve it with shrimps. Go for the appetizer you wish will be appropriate for you and your significant other. Soon enough, the stimulation of culinary works are flowing because of the eye-catching appetizers and cocktail section.

Conclusion

Just remember that the catering sets the mood for the entire affair. You should also put into consideration the guests at your wedding. What food do they like? You can make the menu original and tasty by not over-spending. Just be mindful of your budget.

To learn more wedding reception ideas, visit http://www.weddingreceptionideas101.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Albert_Lee

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/534249

Wedding reception table decorations add a great accent to your big day. Since the guests will be sitting around your table decorations, you want them to be memorable, while still being inexpensive, so you don’t spend a fortune on them.

You can find many resources and other ideas to make great decorations that are sure to keep your guests talking for weeks or even years. With a creative mind, your choices are limitless.

One of the most impressive decorations in recent years is the fresh-cut fruit centerpiece. At Fruitstoremember, you can find amazing centerpieces made solely of fruits. More brides are adding these creations to their list of wedding reception centerpiece ideas because they are a great conversation piece at the event.

This is also one of the best wedding reception table decorations because guests can use it as an appetizer while they are waiting for the happy couple to arrive at the reception hall. These decorations come in a variety of arrangements and they are a tasty and attractive addition to any marriage reception.

Balloons are another impressive, but cheap, idea for wedding reception table decorations. You can choose from a variety of colors and easily move this particular centerpiece around.

Balloons are ideal for them because they can be made up ahead of time and they are suspended in the air, so they do not obstruct anybody’s view. Since you can buy a pack of balloons for only a few bucks, these can be included on your list of marriage reception centerpiece ideas when you’re planning inexpensive marriage receptions.

For cheap marriage receptions, many brides can go to local Dollar Stores and find great products and ideas for their marriage reception table decorations. Many of these stores sell stylish glass vases, small mirrors, candles and marbles.

If you’re looking for centerpiece ideas, you can combine marbles, water, and a floating candle in a large vase to create an impressive display. These decorations are elegant but inexpensive, making them ideal choices for receptions on any budget.

Whether you’re trying to plan an inexpensive marriage reception or an elegant one, you can find the decorations to fit your budget. Many marriage-based websites will give you centerpiece ideas, as well as ways to do them yourself to save money.

Wedding reception table decorations can range from something as simple as balloons to something more unique and creative as a fresh-cut fruit arrangement. Either way, your reception will be something you will remember for a lifetime, regardless of which decorations you use.

Visit us for free tips and training to help you make quick easy money and have the financial freedom you deserve.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Selvon

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/606278

There are several ways you can personalize your wedding reception to your individual tastes, and provide some memorable moments for your guests. They have proven to be popular practically everywhere. So whether you have a Chicago DJ, a New York DJ or a London DJ, he’ll be able to guide you and your guests through some of the most memorable moments of your big evening. Here are just a few options for your consideration.

Children’s Activities
If you’re going to have many children at your reception, arrange for a separate room with children’s activities like board games, crafts, coloring books, a clown/balloon/face-painting artist, or even a movie. That way, the children won’t be thrashing around the main dining room, knocking things over and tripping over your adult guests. Be sure to have adult supervision for the kids.

Love Songs to the Bride and Groom
Typically your reception guests will clink their glasses together, to get the two of you to kiss. Instead, some couples ask their DJ to make an announcement that anyone who wants the bride and groom to kiss must sing them a line or two from a song with the word “love” in it. The guest’s entire table rises together and sings. Sometimes, they come up with some very creative songs that give everyone a good laugh.

Karaoke
Karaoke can be a big hit or a big flop at a wedding reception. It depends upon how well you know your guests. It requires a completely separate sound system (and an extra cost), a video screen to display the lyrics of each song, and a separate library of Karaoke instrumentals to back up your guests as they take turns singing popular songs. A DJ who brings a Karaoke setup usually has a library of thousands of songs from which to choose.

But beware. If Karaoke doesn’t work, you’ll get a lot of howls and cackles for the first performer, a few cheers for the second, polite applause for the third, then total boredom and impatience from you guests because your Karaoke performances are cutting into their dancing time.

Disposable Cameras
Set a camera on each table, and let the guests take their own photos. Have someone from the wedding party collect all the cameras at the end of the evening. You’ll end up with some very memorable candid pictures.

Video or Slide Show
Some couples like to produce and show a video of themselves individually as children growing up, then as a couple dating. Another option is a computerized slide show or Power Point presentation. You’ll probably need to rent a video projector. They can be found online by searching “Party Rentals” in your community. Ideally, your banquet room will have light-colored walls, and you can project your presentation onto a wall instead of a small screen, so everyone in the room can see it.

If your presentation includes its own music, you may connect your computer to your DJ’s sound system. Ask about the types of plugs you’ll need, and get a long enough patch cord with a plug at one end for your computer output, and another plug (either 1/8″ mini-plug or dual RCA plugs) to tap into your DJ’s sound system.

Centerpiece Giveaway You can coordinate this with the banquet facility. Put a little sticker on the bottom of one chair at each table. The guest with the sticker gets to take home the centerpiece. Another way to do it, is to have the guests compare birthdays. The one at each table with the birthday closest to your wedding date, gets the centerpiece.

Choreograph Your First Dance If you have the time and the inclination, you may wish to take ballroom dancing lessons together, and dazzle your guests with a rehearsed performance. Be sure the bridal gown is cut to accommodate such a dance. Start your lessons about 3 months before your wedding. Keep the song to 3 minutes or less if you can. Be sure your DJ has the right version of the song; and tell him in advance how you’ll alert him that it’s time to start the song. His cue can be something as simple as a nod of your head.

Dollar Dance
The bride and groom begin a slow dance together, then the guests are invited to cut in and dance briefly with either the bride or groom, for a dollar (though a smart DJ will remind the guests that there’s nothing wrong with 10′s or 20′s). Sometimes it takes two or three songs for everyone to get a chance to dance with the bride or groom. People can either pin their money to the bride’s gown if someone provides straight pins, or the Best Man and Maid of Honor can collect the money. It’s a nice way to give the newlyweds a little slush fund as they head off for their honeymoon.

Anniversary Dance
All married couples are invited to join the bride and groom on the dance floor. A slow song starts. After a few seconds, the DJ asks all couples who’ve been married less than 5 years to leave the dance floor. A few seconds later, all couples married 10 years or less must leave. Eventually, the couple married the longest remains alone on the dance floor, and a big cheer goes up as the DJ tells the newlyweds, “Here are your role models.”

“Soul Train”
Two parallel lines of dancers form at opposite sides of the dance floor, and couples take turns dancing down the middle, just as they did on “Soul Train.” It’s a great way to get everyone involved in the dancing.

Conga Line
The bride and groom lead the way, and the line forms behind them, with each person putting his/her hands on the waist of the person in front of him/her. Popular songs for a Conga line include “Hot Hot Hot,” “Party Train,” “C’mon & Ride It,” and of course, “Conga.” Always a nice photo op.

Line Dances
People love dances that they know. And there are plenty of line dances that we’ve all seen a million times — “Electric Slide,” “Cha Cha Slide,” “Macarena,” “YMCA,” “Chicken Dance,” “Cupid Shuffle,” and so forth. Even if you absolutely hate every one of them, please don’t spoil it for your guests. Even if they don’t normally like to dance, they’ll be on the dance floor for the line dances, and their inhibitions and spirits will be lifted. Remember, your reception is a party you throw for your friends. Let them have a good time, too. You can always tell your DJ not to play any line dances unless someone requests them. But putting them off-limits denies your guests some wonderful bonding moments.

Jay Congdon is President of Fourth Estate Audio, a professional Chicago DJ entertainment company, at http://www.discjockey.org.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Congdon

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6040163



We’ve all been to receptions that are basic – we welcome and celebrate with the new married couple, watch them dance, and enjoy cake with them. But creative couples often enjoy coming up with fun wedding reception games that include the entire guest list.

Including the guests is an excellent way to get people out of their chairs, meeting people they might not otherwise know and feeling like they are truly a part of the celebration, not just observers.

One fun reception game that can be played by all your guests, including grandma as well as the young children as well, is “want it now”.

In this game, you designate a master of ceremonies (if you have a DJ for your wedding reception, this person can serve as the DJ). The master of ceremonies will have a list of “wants” prepared before the wedding reception. Everyone sits at their tables, and waits to hear the command. The master of ceremonies says he wants a person with painted finger nails. All the women with painted finger nails run to the front of the room, toward the master of ceremonies. Each time a table sends someone to the front first, they get a point.

Points should be totaled during the course of this game and prizes awarded at the end of the game. Be sure to have some obvious “wants”, as is the painted finger nails, or a man brown hair or a child with a white dress. But also include some surprises, like “a man with a brown dress” which will require a man to find a woman at his table with the brown dress and run up to the front of the room with that.

Another fun wedding reception game that includes all your guests is musical chairs using men as the chairs. All the men line up and kneel on one knee. The women begin playing the game of musical chairs, but when the music stops, they must find a knee to sit on. No “chairs” are removed during the version of the game, but instead people are eliminated when either the man falls down when the woman finds his knee or when the woman falls down. Both are out either way, and if both fall down, they are also both out then (as well as perhaps a bit bruised). This is a fun wedding reception game that often brings on lots of laughter and adds to a relaxed reception atmosphere.

If many guests are traveling a good distance to the wedding or don’t know many other guests, it’s always fun to include a game that will allow them to now only get to know each other but the bride and groom as well. For this game, you’ll need a master of ceremonies again, which can be a very outgoing member of the wedding party or the DJ. The reception guests are broken into two groups, which can be as simple as having people count off “1, 2, 1, 2″ and so on until the entire guest list is either a “1″ or a “2″. Then the two groups band together for the rest of the game.

The DJ, or master of ceremonies, offers a series of questions relating to the bride and groom. The teams will work together to answer the questions, then as quickly as possible provide the answer. The bride and groom will confirm if the answer is correct or not. This is an excellent way for otherwise “stranger” guests to get to know one another and have some fun in the process. It’s also an excellent way to get to know the bride and groom!

Organizing fun wedding reception game at a wedding reception is a great way to get people involved and make them feel they are truly a part of the grand celebration. It’s also a way to fill time, if the wedding planners know this isn’t a “dancing” group or if you want to loosen people up for a long night of celebrating. Whether a small or large wedding, fun reception games work for just about any group.

In addition, don’t assume wedding reception guests will be offended or upset by these fun wedding reception games. Most people tell wedding planners they truly enjoy being more active and having fun wedding reception games to play during a wedding reception.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1413146

The reception alone will bust your wedding budget if you’re not
careful. Of course, the most obvious way to save money on the
reception is to keep it small. Where you host this grand
occasion could make or break you.

Your low budget wedding remedy? Find a reception location
that’s free or low cost.

A free location may include, your home, or a friend or family
member’s home. A low cost option might include the Church
reception hall, the local fire department’s reception room, and
club hall rentals. Most will have a kitchen area for preparing
and serving food.

Sometimes you will even find a local restaurant that
specializes in low budget wedding receptions. These will likely
offer a package for the reception which may include dinner and
limited beverage with the rental of restaurant space or banquet
rooms. Check hotels in your area for banquet rooms as well. Some
may rent the banquet room alone and/or offer reception packages
as an option.

Leave no stone unturned in your search! You may happen upon a
gem of a deal that will save you alot of money. Ask around. Get
recommendations from friends and family. Do a local search on
the internet. We have several plantations in our area who offer
wedding reception packages. These are elegant locations and are
usually competatively priced; Including options for the low
budget wedding.

Make a list or chart to record all your findings. Record not
only price but services available, and packages available. Then
you can compare where you will get the most for your money.

For instance, you may be able to rent a space for a really
cheap rate and hire outside catering for the dinner. But, if
you find a location that costs more but will offer you a
package that includes the catering, it may be the better deal
in the long run.

The one big exception to this scenario is if you opt for a
potluck reception. Many guests may be pleased, if not relieved,
to be given the choice to bring a reception dish in place of a
wedding gift. You will find that low budget reception packages
usually come with a low budget menu as well. If you choose this
option, you will save greatly on catering expenses. I am certain
your guests will be more pleased with the menu selections. This
would be your best low budget wedding option and will save the
most money.

The Potluck Reception

Don’t be shy to pursue this potluck reception idea. It is truly
the traditional way to celebrate. And, it is truly the number
one low budget wedding option.

Today’s weddings are so commercialized. You will learn that
caterers offer very limited menus to very limited budgets!
Guests will likely be very pleased and welcome the idea of a
potluck reception.

The potluck reception goes well with any wedding theme. If you
are shy about approaching this option you can simply call it an
“Old Time Traditional Wedding Celebration” The potluck dinner
will suit this theme quite naturally and no-one will even
question it!

You may even want to pick an “Old Time” theme for your
decorating and favors. This will further incorporate the idea
of an old time tradition theme. Perhaps a 50′s theme or a 20′s
theme. These are both popular old time themes.

Simply slip an added note with the invite, or on the invite, to
give guests this option. For example the note might read…

~Our reception will be an “Old Time Traditional Celebration”
with a potluck dinner. ____ Please check here if you would like
to bring a dish for the reception in place of a wedding gift.
Call with dish suggestions please.

Have them call to get or offer suggestions on a dish so you
have control over the menu. No one is obligated to
particitpate, but I’m sure you will be surprised at how many
guests will opt for this.

You and your guest will be equally surprised at the great
variety and quality of the dishes provided. Guests will want to
bring only their best recipes to a grand occasion such as a
wedding reception!

Cheryl Johnson is a mother of four helping herself and others become and remain debt free. Publisher of Simple Debt Free Living at http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com – A self-help plan, ideas, and resources for household budget planning, debt elimination, and frugal living tips. Money saving tips for groceries, clothing, monthly bills, medical expenses, home and car buying, weddings, gifts, and much more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Johnson

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/56710

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!