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hether it’s a small celebration for a few close family and friends or a lavish do at the smartest of venues, your wedding day is going to be one of themostmomentous of your life and it pays to take the greatest of care in choosing
a location which will suit your style as well as your budget. Whether you choose to marry in church or at a register office, with a reception afterwards, or at a stately home or licensed venue where you can have both ceremony and reception under one roof, you need to book well in advance, especially if your wedding date is on a Saturday between May and September. Do alsomake sure you confirmall the details with your venue in writing, paying particular attention to what is included in the price. Depending on your budget, you can have anything from a buffet, catered for at home by family and friends, to hiring outside caterers for a marquee or church or village hall, to a formal sit-down meal at a hotel evening dance.
sit-down meal is obviously the most expensive option, but there are all sorts of alternatives from drinks and canapés to a buffet or even a barbecue.
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Whichever you choose, do make sure there are plenty of chairs for people to sit down while they’re eating - standing up balancing a drink and a plate while trying to eat is virtually never comfortable for guests. If you choose a hotel, do try to eat there and sample the food beforemaking your booking. Check such details as corkage, parking space and whether the hotel will offer a cake stand and knife and a room for the bride and groom to change into their going away outfits. Many hotels offer a package which includes the services of a toastmaster and a complimentary roomfor the first night of the honeymoon. Once you have chosen your venue, confirm in writing what you understand is included in the price. Drinks for your guestswill take up a large
part of your budget. It’s reasonable to assume each guestwill drink one or two glasses on arrival at the reception, three or four glasses with their meal and another glass with the toasts. Though champagne is the traditional wedding drink, you can offer sherry, Pimms or Bucks Fizz on arrival and wine with themeal, saving the champagne - or, indeed a good sparkling wine - for the toasts. For reference, youwill get between 10 and 12 glasses of sherry to each bottle and between six and eight glasses ofwine or
champagneperbottle.Doremember to provide plenty of soft drinks for children and adults who prefer them or who may
bedriving.Allowbetweenhalfandonelitre per person. There can be a long break between ceremony and reception while photographs are being taken and some couples are now offering a glass of sherry outside the church and perhaps live music to entertain guests as they arrive at the reception.
hatever the size of your reception, it’s always nice to have a formal or semi-formal
receiving line to welcome your guests. This ensures you get the chance to meet everybody and accept their congratulations. The bride’s parents, as the hosts, are usually first in the receiving line, followed by the groom’s parents, the bride and groom and then the
bridesmaids and best man. The usual order of events at the reception is: • The receiving line • The meal • Speeches and toasts • Cutting the cake (although some couples prefer to do this before the speeches to allow it to be cut and served)
• Departure of the bride and groom
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