Planning a Wedding Menu

Custom Search

Wedding Menu Reception Table

Your wedding menu doesn't have to be complicated.

A simple pretty wedding reception at home, with family and close friends, is often a more successful party and more enjoyable to all than a lavish affair at ballroom or country club.

Your guests will know you and one another well and since you can only invite a manageable number of people, you should save a considerable amount of money.

This type of wedding menu has become known as a dessert reception, since you are basically serving cake and punch. You can add other desserts if you feel like you want a little more variety. On your invitations I would suggest putting something like "dessert reception to follow", that way your guest should get the hint that they should not be expecting a full course meal.

With a little wedding menu planning and a nominal amount of work, a reception can be given on a very limited budget, without sacrificing good taste. I believe you will find that despite the work involved, you will be more rested than if you planned the wedding on a more lavish scale, which always involves so many meetings and vendors and planners.

This reception is suitable following an afternoon or evening wedding, and will be equally effective indoors, on a terrace or porch, or in the garden.

For this wedding menu on a budget you will need:

Wedding cake
(can be made or purchased)
Sparkling punch
Rainbow petit fours
Pastel mints
Salted nuts
Coffee
Tablecloth
Plates and napkins
Candles
Flowers and greens for cake and room decorations
Paid helper

SAMPLE SCHEDULE

4:00 Wedding ceremony.

4:30 to 5.00 Receive the guests.

5:00 to 5:30 Cake-cutting ceremony and toasts to the bridal couple.

5:30 to 6:00 Circulate among guests. View gifts on display in spare room.

6:00 to 6:45 Bride throws bridal bouquet, then changes clothes if desired.

6:45 to 7:00 Kisses and good-byes. It's time to duck the confetti and rice
as bridal couple races to car.

Pre wedding Preparations

A wedding is such an exciting affair that your family and friends want to have an active part in it and are flattered if you ask them. Your reception will go more smoothly if you arrange beforehand to have:

l. One person to decorate cake with fresh flowers.

2. One or two to keep buffet table replenished (in addition to paid helper).

3. One to direct guests to room set aside for coats and jackets.

4. Two or three persons to circulate among guests to make sure that no one is neglected.

5. One person to man the ipod

6. Someone to help facilitate serving of drinks.

Now, all of these are suggestions. You may not need a family member or a paid server to help in all these areas. Its up to you to decide what your needs are.

If you do decide to hire a server, they will do wonders for your peace of mind. That person should be on duty during the wedding, taking care of any last minute preparations. Then it is their responsibility to keep the buffet table replenished and room cleared of any dirty dishes.

They should wash the dishes and put things away later. If the bride is arranging the reception, and doing some of the work herself, it is doubly important to have as much done as possible well ahead of time, so that her mind will be at rest.

Budget Wedding Menu Reception Table

For this wedding menu, push the dining table against a back wall or a window overlooking the garden or back yard. See the diagram below.

You can get more diagrams by entering your name and email in the box to the right at the top of this page. A Table Setting Diagram ebook with over a dozen different diagrams is my gift to you.

Need more details for this wedding menu?

Click here for recipes and more.

Do you have any other ideas for possible wedding menus? Share them below.