Kid Friendly Receptions

If you choose to invite children to your reception, here’s some ideas to make the event fun for them too.

Milk and cookie bar. Milk and cookies make everyone smile. Consider having a milk and cookie bar for your dessert. You can have white, chocolate and strawberry milk and a variety of cookies for dunking.

Signature “kid” drinks. Remember when you thought a “shirley temple” was a special treat. Ask your venue to offer kid friendly drinks, but be sure they are presented in a different glass to avoid confusion!

Coloring books and crayons. Any family friendly restaurant knows that occupied children make for more enjoyable dining. Consider presenting your younger guests with coloring books and crayons as a guest favor. Mom and Dad will thank you for your thoughtfulness!

“Kid” table. Conversation at the adult table during long dinner service can get pretty boring for a nine-year-old. When creating your seating arrangement, consider putting older children at a table in the middle of their parents. They’ll have a fun time interacting with kids their age while mom and dad talk to adults.

Finger food. While the audits will appreciate filet for dinner, children would be just as happy with chicken fingers. See if your caterer has kid friendly options – this could also be budget friendly.

What You Need To Know: The First Dance

There is nothing that strikes fear in the heart of most grooms and some brides than the very thought of the first dance. All eyes are on the two of you alone in the middle of a big room. You don’t have to be worthy of “Dancing With the Stars” to nail the first dance! So, what can you do to take the pressure off? Here are a few ideas:

Keep it simple. Do something that both of you feel comfortable with. If its just a slow shuffle around so be it. Or…..

Take a couple of dance lessons. Group lessons can be intimidating, but private lessons remove the pressure of dancing for an audience. Your instructor will teach you according to your ability level. With private instruction, beginners can quickly master the basics with confidence. Dancing, like music, lifts the spirit and is so much more enjoyable when shared with your significant other.

Keep it short. Select a song you both love and one that keeps an easy beat, especially if you’re beginning dancers. When your song lasts longer than the usual three minutes, ask your DJ to fade the ending. Remember: frazzled dancers don’t dazzle.

Learn a couple of exciting steps. A pre-planned (choreographed) dip or a twirl makes a splashy statement without the tricky toe work of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. These moves are not only easy, but they offer impressive photo opportunities for still shots and videographers. When you look at them in the future, your photos will take you back to these moments with pride and a satisfied chuckle.

Plan your entrance and your exit. Will you clasp hands and kiss before you begin your dance? Will you sashay in from the left and leave to the right? Whatever you decide, be sure to tell your camera operators where and in what direction you will start and finish your dance, as well as any choreographed moves you plan to make. That way, they can prepare to capture the moment in its best light and with the correct angle.

Decide who leads and who follows. Gender no longer has anything to do with your decision. Choose the pattern that makes you comfortable. There’s nothing wrong with following a simple lead. The object of dancing is to enjoy the dance! Being able to follow the leader creates confidence in the follower and makes a more pleasurable dance for the leader, too. If you’re feeling brave and brassy, create a dance that switches leads once or twice during the routine.

Practice, practice, practice. Practice on a busy dance floor in a public place. You can also practice at home, of course, (preferably in front of a large, floor-length mirror), but you also need the experience of dancing in front of an audience. Practice your routine at least a couple of times per week, for several weeks, until your feet seem to move without much help from your mind. Concentrate on having fun during your first dance, and your guests will jump to join you on the dance floor.

Relax! The people watching are on your side even if they kid you.

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Wedding Reception Exit Strategy

You’ve had a beautiful ceremony and an amazing wedding reception, but the night is over. Enjoy your wedding day a little longer by leaving the end of the night activities to someone else. Too many brides make the mistake of forgetting to hand these tasks off to a trusting friend. (Want to know the other mistakes brides make? Click here)

Gifts

This is a job that you can give to your most trusted friend. At the conclusion of the reception, someone should be tasked with collecting the boxes, bags and envelope holder. Decide in advance who this person will be and where they will place the items. Often the gifts are placed in the couples hotel room if at the same venue or given to the parents of the couple. This is particularly important to decide if you are departing in the morning for your honeymoon.

Decor

If you have rented any items for your decorations, you may need someone to not only collect them at the end of the evening, but also to return them to the vendor. Some companies will pickup the rental items, but there may be a fee for doing so.

Floral arrangements may be given to guests as they part, donated to a hospital or nursing home or disposed of by the venue. Be sure to check with the venue to see what items can be left on site at the conclusion of the evening.

Fees and Gratuities

Typically, most fees are paid prior to the wedding day, but it is possible you will have some due that evening. One of the best man’s duties is to handle any fees or gratuities for the couple. Prepare and label envelopes in advance so he can handle those tasks for you.

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Wedding Planning Schedule

Wedding planning can seem like a huge task, but not when you do it in small, manageable pieces. Unfortunately, waiting until the last minute to complete tasks is a mistake too many brides make. (Want to know the others? Click here)

The first thing a bride should do is get organized! Block out time for planning and prioritize what you will do when. For a copy of Metro Detroit’s ultimate wedding planner, click here.

Depending upon how long of an engagement you will have, the following schedule can keep you organized.

Shortly After the Big Announcement

1. As you begin to have ideas about the wedding, sit down with both families to formulate a budget. Remember, parents who planned their wedding twenty or thirty years ago can be surprised by today’s costs. Expect to be flexible.
2. Decide on a date that works for both families and your work schedules. Be aware of family birthdays, anniversaries or annual events that may cause a conflict.

12 to 18 Months Prior to the Wedding

1. Begin visiting venues! Peak dates go quickly, so if you have your heart set on a Saturday in June, lock in your venue early.
2. If you are using a wedding planner, begin interviewing now. They can help you with the decisions to follow.
3. Visit bridal shows, the Internet, and look in current magazines or directories for ideas for your wedding day.

9 to 18 Months Prior

1. Hire the photographer, caterer, videographer, officiant, and DJ. Prime dates book quickly, as do good vendors. The earlier you book, the better chance you’ll secure your first choice vendors.
2. Begin looking at wedding dresses. If you are considering a custom designed dress, you’ll want to leave plenty of time for it to be prepared.
3. Schedule your engagement session with your photographer.

6 to 9 Months Prior

1. Bridal party dresses should be ordered, save-the-dates mailed, overnight accommodations reserved for wedding guests.
2. Order your wedding cake, flowers and transportation for the wedding and reception.

4 to 6 Months Prior

1. Reserve rehearsal dinner location, establish bridal registries, rent tuxedos, order wedding invitations, reserve necessary rental equipment.

2 to 4 Months Prior

1. Book your honeymoon and secure arrangements for wedding night accommodations.
2. Schedule appointments for hair, makeup, facials, massages and spa treatments
3. Order reception favors
4. Begin dance lessons if you want a choreographed first dance

2 Months Prior

1. Mail wedding invitations
2. Verify requirement for marriage license
3. Purchase bridal party gifts
4. Create ceremony program

Final 6 Weeks

1. Confirm all vendors, finalize food and beverage choices with your caterer or reception site. Schedule a final dress fitting (tuxes for the gentlemen) and plan seating arrangements for your reception.
2. Establish a timeline for the wedding day.
3. Select songs for your ceremony and special dances
4. Schedule a consultation for your hair and makeup. Many brides do a “dress rehearsal” to make sure they like the look.

Week of Your Wedding

1. Confirm timeline and desired shot list with your photographer and videographer
2. Discuss song selections with your DJ
3. Get plenty of sleep and practice good nutrition
4. Relax! It’s almost time for the big day!

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