From Proposal to Wedding Day: a different kind of a wedding-cocktail reception

If you are opting out of a sit down dinner for your wedding reception, you might want to consider an extended cocktail reception. Here are a few tips on how to throw a sophisticated and successful cocktail wedding.

Choose an excellent caterer. Since you will be serving small portions and a lot of different foods, you want to make sure that your caterer is up to par with it and willing to work with you on different tastes and flavors.

Go for bite-size, finger foods that are not messy and easy to serve, but present itself well and look intriguing.

Present different “theme” selections, e.i. Mexican trays, sushi trays, Mediterranean trays etc. to create a culinary and cultural feast for your guests.

The key to a successful cocktail party is a variety of food served and a large quantity of it. So make sure you have a sufficient number of waiters and a large number of platters circulating at any time.  You want your guests satisfied just as if they were having a sit down dinner and not looking for the trays, but being served continuously. That’s why choosing the right caterer is a must!

Make certain that there is at least one server per 15 guests and that the trays are extra large, so there’s plenty of food passed around at each serving.

Even though you are not serving traditional sit down courses, you still want to distinguish between them and create a similar effect. Start with light fare (crudités, vegetable tempuras, next soup shooters, followed by heavier appetizers like steak tips, chicken sates and canapés. Finish with trays of fruit, cheeses and bite size desserts.

Avoid buffet stations, they are not appetizing looking and create unnecessary congestion. You want your guests to mingle, talk and dance, not to stand on line.

Cocktail receptions are a perfect setting for live music and performance. So think about hiring a string quartet to play some classical music as well as instrumental versions of modern music. Also think of hiring an acrobatic duo or if space permits – a silk aerialist to enhance the atmosphere.

Make sure you have lounge areas designated for your guests, so they can sit and relax while enjoying all the special aspects of your wedding.

You can also add special “action” stations like cigar rolling, strolling saxophone artist, steel drum player.

In my next blog, let’s talk about tented and outdoor receptions and how to best prepare for them. In the meantime – happy wedding planning!