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EVENING WEDDING RECEPTION – PLANNING YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

Our experts have compiled this handy check list, to make planning your evening entertainment that little bit easier.

On your wedding day, after you’ve said your vows, enjoyed a delicious banquet and listened to some heart-warming speeches, it will be time for an evening celebration to remember. There are plenty of exciting decisions to make, but the pressure to create the “best day of your life” and wanting to deliver an unforgettable night for your guests too, can be a little daunting. At Harper Weddings, however, we know that to deliver a fantastic wedding celebration, from day to night, is all down to careful and considered planning. So, to ensure your planning goes smoothly, we’ve created the following list of questions that you might want to think about during the run up to your big day in order to achieve great evening entertainment for your wedding guests.

Music

Whether you want a band or a DJ to create a perfect party atmosphere, be sure you know the answers to all the following questions before committing to anything:
•    Does your wedding venue have any regulations in regards to bands and DJs? They may only allow their own in-house suppliers, or have a limit on how big they allow a band to be. Fnd this out before you start your search.
•    Found a great band? Now it’s time to check if they have PAT certificates and PLI insurance. Most venues will require your band or DJ to have these, so make sure they can provide them.
•    Does your wedding venue have any noise limitations? Make sure you know the situation and discuss it with your chosen entertainers before committing to anything. Does the venue have a noise limiter, and if so, what is it set to? Does your venue require bands to plug into their sound system and will your band do so? Are your chosen band happy to use electronic drums or hot rods if required?
•    If you want the ultimate disco, ask your chosen DJ if they bring their own disco lights. If not, find out if your venue can provide some and how much these will cost.

Food and Drink

There are so many trends at the moment when it comes to fun and quirky food and drink ideas for your evening reception; sweetie carts, chocolate fountains, cocktail bars – the list is endless. If you’ve got your heart set on an idea, make sure you have the answers to the following questions so that you can turn your dream into reality.

Does your venue allow you to provide any food yourself?

Some wedding venues have certain policies put in place when it comes to serving food and drink. If there’s something specific that you’d like featured at your wedding, like a sweetie cart, ask if you can hire one – with the sweets included, directly from the venue. The same goes for edible wedding favours – before you set your heart on anything, check with your venue to ensure it will be allowed.

Planning on bringing in your own drink?

Your wedding venue might allow it, but at the cost of a corkage charge. Weigh up whether or not it’s worth spending the time, effort and budget on bringing in your own drink, compared to having your wedding venue provide it for you. A mixologist for example could be a great way to entertain your guest, but be sure to check with your venue in terms of corkage and additional costs, before you book one.

Impress Your Wedding Guests

Always check with your venue before booking extra evening reception highlights such as fireworks. Not all venues will allow a fireworks display, and those that do will require the fireworks company to get permission from the local council first; they’ll need to provide public liability insurance. If you want to keep the party indoors, light-up, sparkly dance floors are becoming increasingly popular as they provide such a beautiful background to first dance photos. Check if, and where, your venue would allow one of these.

The End of the Night

With all these extra ideas, it’s even more important to know how long your party can last! Find out from your venue when their license ends, and if this can be extended. A venue’s “license” means how long they can play music until, and when the bar has to shut. Once you know your finish time, you can then plan the rest of your evening reception entertainment accordingly.

Need More Evening Entertainment Ideas?

Below is a list of additional suggestions to incorporate at your evening wedding reception:

  • String Quartet
  • Harpist
  • Wedding Singers
  • Professional Dancers
  • Pianist
  • Choir
  • Piper
  • Band
  • Magician
  • Caricaturist
  • Singing Waiters
  • Band
  • Photo Booth
  • Casino
  • Interactive, shoot your own wedding video

Top Tip:

If you’re thinking about booking, or you have recently booked a Harper Wedding Venue for your wedding, browse through our list of dedicated Harper Partners in order to help bring your wedding together perfectly.