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From
beautiful brunches to
exquisite desserts, there
are different types of
receptions for every style
and budget.
A Wedding Brunch
If you
can’t get enough of a
beautiful day, a brunch
reception may be the perfect
choice. Morning receptions
usually begin after 11 am,
closely following a morning
ceremony.
Traditional menus include
morning favorites like Eggs
Benedict, sausage patties,
French toast, pancakes and
waffles, fresh fruits,
assorted pastries and
breakfast breads.
Since
guests are less likely to
expect wine and spirits in
the morning, couples can
offer less or no alcohol
choices without anyone
really noticing. If you want
to provide alcohol, you can
always keep it simple by
serving champagne and
mimosas. Just be sure to
serve a variety of fresh
juices, sparkling waters,
soft drinks, and of course,
coffee and tea.
With costs
generally falling somewhere
between $20 to $40 a person,
brunches offer brides and
grooms a way to host a full
meal on what might otherwise
be a limited budget.
A Luncheon Reception
Dreaming
of a sunlight-filled wedding
day? A wedding luncheon may
be right for you. Luncheon
receptions usually commence
between 12 pm and 2 pm, and
like all hosted meals, can
either be buffet-style or
seated events.
Traditional luncheon menus
include an array of
mouth-watering salads, hot
and cold pastas, gourmet
sandwiches, chilled
shellfish, carved meats, and
artisan breads and cheeses.
As with
brunch receptions, guests
don’t necessarily expect
alcohol to play a major role
in the celebration. A soft
bar that offers wine and
champagne, as well as
non-alcoholic selections is
an elegant choice, though
you may choose to offer
beer, hard liquors, and
mixers.
A luncheon
reception is generally less
costly than a dinner
reception and presents a
great choice for couples
with mid-sized budgets,
falling somewhere in the
range of $30 to $60 per
guest.
An Afternoon Tea
Following
an afternoon ceremony, a tea
wedding reception usually
begins no later than 3:30 pm
and ends in the early
evening, giving guests ample
time to rouse their
appetites for dinner.
Traditional menus include
classic tea sandwiches with
a variety of delectable
fillings, bakery-fresh
scones with preserves and
clotted cream, fresh fruit,
pastries, assorted hors
d’oeuvres, and, of course,
wedding cake. In addition to
an assortment of fine loose
teas and coffee, couples may
choose to offer their guests
wine and champagne.
Depending
on the menu and whether or
not alcohol is served, tea
receptions usually cost
anywhere from $15 to $40 a
guest.
Champagne and Cake/Dessert
Reception
Thoughtfully timed
between meals, champagne and
cake and dessert receptions
presume that guests will not
come—or leave—hungry. For
that reason, these
celebrations generally take
place immediately after a
late afternoon or late
evening ceremony and are
almost always served buffet
style.
One of the most
economical of wedding
receptions, the champagne
and cake reception is
exactly what it sounds like.
The main culinary attraction
is the wedding cake, which
can be accompanied by fresh
fruits and assorted
pastries. Beverages are
usually limited to champagne
(for toasting), soft drinks,
sparkling waters, coffee and
tea. The cost for this type
of reception generally falls
between $8 and $20 per
guest, depending on the
details of your wedding cake
and your selection of
champagne.
At a dessert reception,
offerings tend to be
slightly more expanded.
Traditionally, couples serve
wedding cake, as well as an
array of petit fours, cakes,
tarts, pastries and other
delicacies. Additionally,
brides and grooms may offer
their guests cordials and
other spirits, as well as
champagne, wine, and
non-alcoholic drinks.
Dessert receptions are
typically buffet-style
events that cost between $15
and $35 per guest.
A Cocktail Reception
A cocktail
event can begin as early as
4pm, but no later than 6
pm. Hors d’oeuvres are
passed by tray, served
buffet-style or some
combination of both.
Typically, the event wraps
up around 7:30, when most
guests begin to think about
dinner.
Traditional menus include
a variety of delicious hot
and cold appetizers, as well
as fine cheeses, breads,
fruits and crudités.
Couples may offer a
traditional bar, with an
assortment of hard liquor,
mixers, wine, champagne and
soft drinks, serve a
signature cocktail—like Blue
Moon or cosmopolitan—or
choose a favorite drink like
a martini or margarita, and
give guests their choice of
sweet or savory variations.
The cost of a cocktail
reception depends primarily
on selection of liquors
offered, but generally falls
between $20 to $40 a person.
A Wedding Dinner
Usually
beginning after 6pm, the
dinner reception is perhaps
the most classic of
reception events, and is
certainly the most
expensive.
Most dinner receptions
begin with a cocktail hour,
where everything from beer
and wine to a full bar is
served along with a
selection of hors d’oeuvres.
Traditional dinner menus
are usually three course
affairs, beginning with a
choice of soup or salad,
followed by an entrée and
side dish or two, and
finishing with the dessert
course—usually the wedding
cake and other small sweets.
Trendy dinner menus
include a variety of
ethnic-inspired food
stations, like a Mexican
station; a Middle Eastern
station; or a mash potato
bar.
Dinner receptions
generally start at a minimum
of $40 per guest and go
upwards from there,
depending on the number or
courses served.
~
photo courtesy of Tonesha
Housen
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Types
of Receptions
