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Your Wedding Reception
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The single largest expense of your wedding is your
reception. This can account for as much as 65% of your
total budget. Your reception can be small and intimate
with less than 50 guests or a large family affair with
more than 400. Before selecting a reception location,
it is best to get advice from your wedding planner,
florist or photographer. They will be able to inform
you of the positives and negatives of any location. New
Orleans has the largest varieties of reception venues of
anywhere in the country. These range from 150 year-old
antebellum plantations, Greco-Roman decorated venues,
castles and everything in-between. |
Magnolia Mansion
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KNOW ALL THE DETAILS
When reviewing a venue, the first question to ask is if
the location is large enough to comfortably accommodate
the number of guests you intend to invite. Comfortable
is the key word. Many venues will hold 500 or more
people; but how much breathing room do you wish to leave
for your guests? If you opt to have a smaller number of
guests, you may want to increase the quality and
quantity of the food that will be served.
Once you determine a venue has sufficient space for
your guests, you must decide if the venue fits the theme
of your wedding. If you are looking for a classic New
Orleans themed wedding, you may opt for a plantation or
to have the wedding in a historic hotel or mansion. For
couples looking for a truly unique wedding experience,
venues like the Louisiana Castle will give your wedding
its own original ambience.
Couples usually book venues where they have previous
attended a wedding. But even if you have never attended
a wedding at a particular location, this should not
exclude that location. Your final decisions should not
be based solely on visual appearance. The quality of
the food and friendliness of the service are vitally
important. Venues should be clean, decorated in a style
that fits your wedding, and the hosts and servers should
be courteous and helpful. Inquire if the venue provides
a coordinator or wedding assistant. This is not
necessary if you are hiring a wedding planner or
coordinator to assisting with the wedding reception.
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The Louisiana Castle |
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CHILDREN
You must also decide whether the wedding and reception
will be an adult only affair. As much as people love
children, you must take great care to have them properly
supervised at the reception. Children can be injured
and you are responsible for any damage they may cause.
Most receptions are adults only and the only children
present are in the wedding party itself.
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THE FINE PRINT
The cost of a wedding reception in the New Orleans area
can range from as low as $25 to as high as $75 per
person. Factors such as the date and time of the
wedding, quality and quantity of the food being served,
open bar, and other amenities will affect the price.
Require that a detailed contract be signed with the
venue. The contract should list all the services that
will be provided by the venue including: a breakdown of
all costs and fees, receipts for all monies paid, a
payment schedule specifying when balances are due, and
what services you are allowed to bring into the venue.
Use the list below as a guideline when questioning any
prospective reception venues. |
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For more
information, a reception FAQ, a detailed planning timeline and budgeting
information, please visit one of our distribution
vendors for your copy of Original Bride. |
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