There are a variety of post-ceremony celebration options available to the newlyweds. The most popular choice is a lunch or dinner reception, the sites for which are virtually unlimited. It is important to keep in mind that this is your day . . . plan the reception to satisfy your own style. There are no absolutes about the kind of reception a bride and groom may elect to have, or about the location where it will be held. Here are some traditions that you may want to consider:

• A morning wedding can include a breakfast a more formal one may include a sit-down luncheon.

• For an early afternoon wedding, you might consider a buffet luncheon.

• An after-five wedding may have either a sit-down dinner or a buffet.

If you are planning a large reception, it is important that you start the planning process early, since there are a limited number of sites that can accommodate such a gathering. Investigate the available locations and arrange appointments to explore all of the sites that appear intriguing. Make your reservations well in advance of your wedding date. If you plan to be married during the wedding busy season, it is suggested that you book your location as early as one year or more in advance of the intended date of the celebration.
 

A private catering service can provide reception services at a variety of locations, including vineyards, boats, golf courses, hotels or at your home. You can either locate a reception site which does not provide catering services, and then employ an off-site catering service, or you can first choose an off-site caterer and then seek the caterer's recommendation with regard to a suitable site.
As with the other wedding related services, do not allow for any surprises on the day of the event. Make sure that the terms of the package purchased by you are set out in writing which clearly sets out the menu, the maximum seating, the room decorations, any catered services, number of waiters and bartenders, entertainment, quality of silverware and chinaware, dance facilities, parking, after event janitorial services, etc.
 

The events and procedures at the reception are matters of your preference and choice. There are no hard and fast rules. Usually, following the ceremony a receiving line is set up at the reception site, at which time the bride and groom are allowed an opportunity to meet and speak with their wedding guests. The newlyweds are commonly joined in the reception line by their parents, the best man and maid of honor, and any special guests who attended the proceedings. Either before or after the wedding guests are received, the bride and groom should retire to an adjoining room, together with the wedding party, family members and special guests, for the formal wedding portraits. Plan on 15 minutes to an hour for the formal portraits and approximately 20 to 30 minutes for the receiving line.
 

Typical proceedings thereafter include:
 

• Introduction of the new couple by the entertainer or best man;

• Informal visits by the bride and groom to the guests' tables, if they are seated, or intermingling with the guests, if they are not;

• Service of the buffet or sit down lunch or dinner:

  • If a sit down, the bridal party's table is situated where it can best be viewed by the guests with the bridal couple in the middle, maid of honor to the groom's left, best man to the bride's right, and the other attendants alternating man/woman as space permits. Tapping of a crystal glass announces that the bride and groom should kiss.

  • If a buffet, the food line should start with the bride, followed by the groom, the maid of honor, best man, attendants, parents and guests.

• Toast by the best man shortly before the first course is served.

• Reply by the groom and bride, if they so choose.

• Any other toasts by persons present.

• Service of the meal [background music during meal.

• First dance by bride and groom followed by dance of bride with groom's father and groom with       bride's mother, later joined by wedding party, later joined by guests.

• Cake cutting.

• More dancing if time allows.

• Bouquet toss followed by garter toss.

• More dancing if time allows.

• Departure of the bride and groom.

RECEPTION FACILITIES

Timing
  For more than 200 guests, you may have to book more than a year in advance; for smaller weddings, book eight months to a year before the day.

Reception Facilities - What they do
  There are several different types of reception facilities available: banquet rooms (located in restaurants, banquet halls, galleries, conservation centers, resorts, conference centers, etc.), clubs, halls, and hotels. Those places with in-house catering or contract catering may have several wedding packages and menus available, and may allow you to customize your menu. Wedding packages at reception facilities could include: the cake, flowers, decoration of the reception space, photographer, music, limousine service, table settings, linens, tableware, barware, and tables and chairs.
  Serving staff and bartenders will be provided by the caterer, whether in-house or hired. Hotels, inns, and resorts may offer complimentary changing room(s) for the bride and/or groom on the wedding day, a wedding-night honeymoon suite, and discounted room rates for out-of-town guests. Some places may have settings for wedding photos, and some may have facilities for the ceremony.

Catering Companies - What they do
  The catering company will have one or more set wedding menus or packages available. If there are no menus that suit your taste, most caterers will create a custom menu. The caterer provides all food, serving staff, bartenders, and usually all rentals (dinnerware, linens, etc.) for your reception. The caterer may help you design your table settings and choose the layout of the tables. If you are renting tables and chairs from another company, the caterer will most likely set them up, and then take them down after the reception. Some catering companies offer a wide range of services that could include: finding or providing a reception site; supplying the wedding cake, flowers, limousine service, and photographer; getting liquor at cost; and providing music for the reception.

Rental Companies - What they do
  Rental companies can supply you with tables, chairs, dinnerware, cutlery, table linens, and bar supplies, and for outdoor weddings and receptions, barbecues, tents, canopies, and dance floors. Most companies have a policy that they drop off all equipment on a Friday and pick it up the following Monday; there may be a surcharge for other arrangements.

How to work with them
  Make an appointment to view the space and to discuss your plans. For unlicensed facilities, you'll have to provide a special-event permit and/or liquor license. You will need to find out if the reception space has a public address system (for speeches and toasts); if not, you'll have to rent one (unless you're hiring a DJ or band who will let you use theirs). Find out if there are any restrictions about hiring DJs or live bands. If you are contracting outside rentals, caterers, musicians, or decorators, make arrangements with someone at your reception site to allow these people access to set up their equipment. You should provide a good estimate of the number of guests that will be at the reception, giving a final number about two weeks before the wedding date.

When hiring or working with any wedding professionals, keep the following points in mind:

Have your budget set before meeting with anyone.

Find out all costs before finalizing any plans or signing a contract.

Read all contracts carefully before signing them.

You'll have to leave a deposit when booking many of these services.

Give all companies concerned a complete itinerary of your wedding day's events - including addresses, contact names, and phone numbers - at least one month prior to your wedding.

Start planning early: some of these services may be booked more than a year in advance for popular wedding dates, especially in urban centers.