Cocktail Party Wedding Reception

by Jerry
(Detroit, MI)

Can you have a cocktail reception with non-alcohol drinks or champagne only with hors d' oeuvres?

Our Thoughts

Totally! You can choose to have your cocktail wedding event any way your heart desires.

Many people today are choosing to have their weddings alcohol-free. It is very popular right now to have an amazing selection of mocktails on the menu.

Just ask your wedding venue's/caterer's advice and see if they can provide you with a tasting of the mocktails, as well as, the ingredient make-up of what goes into their mocktails too.

You can have some fun with it and choose one for your signature drink, and even throw in a champagne toast as well.

There are many other variations, including offering only a signature alcoholic drink at the bar, or just offering wine and beer.

Cheers!

To Your Wedding!
Danielle & Stephen

Cocktail Wedding Budget

by Coryanne
(LA, CA)

I am planning a cocktail wedding because I think it will be fun, a little different and more appropriate as we have both been married before. I think our friends will enjoy a cocktail reception as much as we will.

I also thought it would be less expensive than a sit down wedding. I have read that in several locations, but I am not finding that to be true. In fact I have found that after I pay the venue, the table and chair rentals and the linen rentals it is very close in price as the venues "wedding package" price.

Has anybody had a cocktail wedding that wouldn’t mind giving me a quick snapshot of where the budget was spent and if you were able to pull it off for less that a traditional sit down reception?

Our Thoughts

A cocktail wedding reception can be the perfect option for a second wedding. There are a few things that you can do to try to reduce food costs.

The main thing that will typically increase costs is the amount of staff needed for your reception. So, limiting or eliminating the number of staff is one approach to trying to lower costs.

Any type of station that requires having catering staff there to serve you and your guests will increase your budget. This includes carving, pasta and any other stations that require staff to serve the food.

You can still have a pasta station, for example, but just eliminate the option of having someone there making individual servings for your guests.

You can also try lightening up on passed hors d'oeuvres to eliminate additional staff.

Lastly, you can shorten your reception time. Instead of the typical five hour reception, try shortening it to 3 ½ hours.

Sit down dinners take up a lot of time. That wasted time is mostly avoided with a cocktail reception, so guests have more time for mingling and dancing.

To Your Wedding!
Danielle & Stephen

Cocktail Wedding Reception Entertainment

What do people do at a wedding cocktail reception?

Our Thoughts

During a cocktail wedding reception guests typically have more time to socialize with other guests that are not seated at their table. Instead of blocking off a long period of time for a formal sit down meal service, cocktail receptions tend to be a little more relaxed.

Entertainment options are just about unlimited. Have a DJ and/or a band to entertain your guests. It can often be easier to get guests involved and dancing because they will most likely already be up and mingling.

Your wedding reception timeline can be similar to any other type of reception. When it is time to cut the cake or have the father/daughter dance, for example, guests can just take their seats.

Take advantage of the less formal atmosphere that a cocktail wedding reception offers, and hire some great entertainment to keep your guests up, moving, mingling and dancing.

To Your Wedding!
Danielle & Stephen

Cocktail Wedding Reception Invitation

by Pat
(St. Louis, MO)

My daughter is having a small wedding ceremony with immediate family followed by a cocktail wedding reception. We are doing our own invitations.

We are unsure of wording on invitations since this is not the traditional wedding and wedding reception. Can you offer any suggestions?

Our Thoughts

Dear Pat,

Congratulations on your daughter’s engagement. I am sure you are both so excited to plan the wedding, regardless of its size.

Even though you may think that the wedding is not traditional because it is a more intimate gathering, the wording for the wedding can still be traditional in regards to the wedding invitation itself.

I would suggest finding traditional wording for the wedding ceremony itself that your daughter, her fiancé and you like. Then add a closing line a few spaces down for the last line of the invitation that states that there will be a cocktail wedding reception immediately following the ceremony.

Have a grand time with the wedding plans!

Regards,
Danielle

Cocktail Wedding Reception Seating

by Kiesha
(UT)

I am having hors doeuvres only cocktail wedding reception with 100 guests, but I'm not sure about seating. The venue allows us to rent 60 inch round tables and chairs.

How many should I rent? Does every guest need a seat? Or because it is not a seated meal, can I get away with less seating? I also have the option of renting taller cabaret (cocktail) tables that people can stand at.

Our Thoughts

A general rule is to plan on 70% of your guests being seated at any one time during a cocktail wedding reception. So, if the 60 inch tables hold ten people, go with seven larger tables.

Since many guests will be up and mingling, add in seven or eight cocktail tables as well. Having a combination of both tables works well for everyone.

Those that want to sit can, and those who want to walk around and mingle can do so as well.

To Your Wedding!
Danielle & Stephen

Cocktail Wedding Reception Timeline

by Sherri
(Ontario, Canada)

We are having a cocktail wedding reception, with our ceremony beginning at 7pm at the same venue as our reception. We will have all our pictures done before the ceremony.

How/when should we bring the food out? There is no formal sit down meal, just appetizers.

Our Thoughts

Cocktail wedding receptions are one of our favorites. There is nothing more fun than small plates and dancing the night away.

Begin your evening's timeline as you would for a sit down wedding reception. Start the evening with announcing the wedding party and you and your new husband, followed by toasts and a blessing if desired.

You can then continue with your dances if you want, and then open up your food stations for everyone to enjoy and start the passed Hors d’Oeuvres.

As you can see, you really don’t have to treat your reception timeline differently for a cocktail wedding reception. The biggest difference is that your guests will not be sitting and waiting to be served. They can get up and enjoy their time eating, mingling and dancing.

Regards,
Danielle

Cocktail Reception Seating

by Jayne
(Miamisburg)

Is it necessary to have a seat for every person if you are not having a sit down dinner? We are planning an appetizer cocktail wedding reception with some high tables for guests to stand, and then some tables with seats. Is this acceptable?



Our Thoughts


The quick answers are no, you don’t need to provide a seat for every guest at a cocktail wedding reception, and yes, this is acceptable.

You are planning your reception correctly. You always want to have tables with chairs for elderly guests or those guests that might want to take a break from standing or dancing.

One of the many advantages of reception like this is that guests will be up and about talking, mingling and dancing. Providing a place to set a plate or drink down along with some tables for a quick rest is all that is needed.

Enjoy your big day!

Regards,
Danielle

Cocktail Wedding Reception Timing

We'd like to have a "tapas and dancing wedding reception". Our wedding ceremony is over at 2:30PM.

What is a good time for the reception to start?

Our Thoughts

A tapas and dancing reception sounds very much like a cocktail wedding reception, with smaller plated dining and a festive, dancing atmosphere. Most clients of mine that host this type of wedding event do so when a normal full dinner reception would typically take place.

Think about giving yourself some time for photographs after your wedding ceremony, and also factor in any travel time (if any). It sounds like 4:00PM or 4:30PM would be a great time to start your wedding reception.

With the time in between, some of your guests may change into evening wear, lie down for a short nap or just take time to catch up with friends and family they may not have seen in some time.

Regards,
Danielle