When you’re preparing for your wedding day, you want everything to reflect your personality and unique relationship with your soon-to-be spouse! That includes the details for the reception! So what are reception details? It’s things like the table centerpieces, the little items of significance, and even the chairs! 

So how do you plan for reception details that express that uniqueness, but also look good for the pictures? Well, we’re here to help! 

Larger Focal Points versus Spread Out

Reception halls at any venue are usually pretty large, so filling them up with details and decorations can be quite the task! Instead of working your rear off decorating the whole thing, might we suggest a few large focal points instead? If you choose a few larger objects to focus the guests and the pictures then you have less to do at the edges of the room. Consider some larger items, like personalized banners with your initials stitched into them instead of a bunch of little things spread around!

Here’s an example: If you love floral things and you put up a flower chandelier, that focuses the detail in one place versus spreading out M&M’s with your photos on every table! You have to weigh the details you want with the amount of work and stress you might have in getting them all ready. 

Centerpieces and Their Importance

Centerpieces are often the most difficult of reception details to plan, usually because there are so many of them! Since these details can take so much time to set up, consider using a mixture of simpler centerpieces among the more elaborate ones.

Think of this, if your centerpieces were a clear glass vase filled with little crystals and wrapped in fairy lights, those would take forever to set up for every table, and require a lot of resources! So simplify it! On every other table, put just a votive candle wrapped in the fairy lights. Same feel, but simpler execution! 

The Reception Details are Moveable

When planning the reception, don’t think about it as a separate thing from the wedding ceremony. Both are parts of the same day, flowing into each other! Some details and decorations from the ceremony can be moved to the reception hall to give it an extra sentimental feel. 

If possible, we recommend planning some details from your ceremony to be easily moveable, like a photo album of you and your new spouse! That way, when the rings are on and you walk back down the aisle together, that album (or other items) can be moved to the reception hall for an extra detail that gives a personal and emotional touch to the other decorations! 

Don’t Forget the Chairs

When planning their reception details, we find that many brides forget one of the things that ninety-nine percent of reception halls will have: chairs! You may ask, “how can chairs be a reception detail”? We’ll explain!

When setting up for the big party, using unique or fancier chairs (versus just folding chairs) can give a whole new feeling to the room! If you want the ease of using folding chairs, worry not! Just use some pretty chair covers to get the same effect. 

Since chairs will be set up at every table, they give away a lot about the overall vibe of the reception, and can often make or break it depending on your choices for the other details. Tulle is a great choice for making your chairs pretty without breaking the bank! 

We hope that these tips give you some ideas for making your reception totally “you”! And if you ever need any ideas, we’re here to help, so contact us for more information on how we can capture your wedding day and reception! 

Happy Planning!
Nicole & Ryan

If you liked this post, check out:
Wedding Reception Coverage Explained
Joining Cocktail Hour: A Guide
Prepping Your Wedding Details for Photos
Stone Valley Meadows: An October Wedding for Olivia + Tyler
Devou Park Engagement Session: Stacy + Joseph