Tips for creating the perfect wedding reception

• Plan your reception around what people would normally be doing at a given time and replicate it.
• Draw up a 'Wedding Reception Wish List'  to help plan the structure of your wedding day.
• If creating an adventurous theme, ensure you and your venue can pull it off or hire professionals.
• Assessyour venue's potential and accentuate the good.
• Consider what was good and bad at other people's weddings.
• Serve delicious food!
• In addition to alcohol, ensure a plentiful supply of water and soft drinks.
• If organizing a pay bar, top venues charge top euros and guests may be shockes at their prices. Could you afford to offer free drinks all day by limiting the choice to wine, beer and soft drinks?
• Be realistic about what can be achieved in a temporary kitchen. Consider dishes that do not require preplating, but which can be served at the table.
• When hiring crockery and glassware ensure it can be returned dirty.
• Provide refreshments for photographers, entertainers, musicians and suppliers present at the event. Arrange in advance with your venue staff or caterer - avoid sandwiches if you want to be appreciated!
• Hire a Toastmaster (or appoint the best man or a friend as Master of Ceremonies).
• If available, consider a side room for the Receiving Line, where guests can avoid queing in line.
• If there will not be a Receiving Line ensure you make the effort to speak to everyone.
• Stick together! If you seperate it will be difficult to break free and find one another again.
• Consider a round or oval top table positioned in the centre of the room.
• Invite estranged parents to host their own tables if they'll be uncomfortable placed together.
• Seek inspiration from bridal magazines for alternatives to traditional reception stationery and favours.
• Do not interrupt the wedding dinner with speeches.
• Limit speeches to ten minutes each and ensure the availibility of a microphone.
• Ensure entertainment is in harmony with the surroundings and the style of the celebration.
• Consider hiring a child minder or children's entertainer and purchasing activity packs to keep younger guests occupied.
• Let the day build momentum - move seamlessly through events avoiding a lull between the speeches, the cutting of the cake and the first dance. Never stop the music once it has started and plan how you'll cover between live musicians' sets.
• A blast of confetti for the first dance is very romantic!
• Always leave on a high and give your guests a fantastic last image of you.