The Care and Feeding of Reception Guests
by: Michael Kabel

Your guests come to your wedding ready to eat. They’ve put on their best clothes and come at their own expense. But keep something in mind: the wedding ceremony is for you and your true love. The reception is held for the guests.

Guests do a lot and put up with a lot of inconvenience and sacrifice to share your special day with you, and they deserve some kind of honorarium. This usually takes the form of the wedding feast, more commonly known as the reception dinner. It doesn’t necessarily have to be steak and potatoes or pheasant under glass, but guests attend a wedding sort of expecting to leave with full stomachs.

Many reception facilities now offer catering as well as floor space. These meals are prepared on-site, and you can pick and choose your meal from a list of options. Make sure the food is served fresh, though. Many facilities control their overhead by recycling unused food or stretching food between multiple receptions. Make sure the facility you choose isn’t involved in this often-illegal practice.

When anticipating the amount of beverages necessary, consider each guest will realistically consume between three and four drinks. If you’re expecting a hard-partying crowd, you might possibly allow for even more. If you’re buying your booze from a local liquor vendor, be careful he doesn’t pad your invoice with unnecessary supplies such as bottles of Vermouth or sherry, claiming that guests will expect it. An ounce of prevention saves you money and protects your guests, too.

My Wedding Favors has a complete selection of wedding gifts and favors to please your guests, as well as bridesmaids’ gifts, groomsmen gifts, unique wedding favors, trendy wedding favors, and gifts for the ring bearer and flower girl. Visit us online at www.myweddingfavors.com.