Okay Girls, choosing your site and caterer is a big decision. This should not be taken lightly. You need to start looking for your perfect spot right away. Some of you may already have it picked out but you still need to go ahead and book it ASAP. Most of the popular spots are booked up to a year in advance. Shopping for a site is a lot like finding a mate, a test you’ve obviously aced. You should be looking for the same sorts of things- - charm, personality, depth, more that just a pretty face (although looks do count!). These next few tips that I found on theknot.com are excellent to take with you as you begin to look for the perfect reception site.

• Make sure the room or location is big enough to accommodate the number of people on your guest list. Don’t forget that tables, chairs, band or DJ setup takes up a lot of space.
• Privacy varies widely from place to place, as does the importance couples place on it. If you are having a daytime event in a public spot, like a botanical garden or park, be prepared for strangers to trek past your party. If you prefer more privacy then you might opt for a lovely lawn on a private estate. And don’t think that if you are indoors that you are safe from uninvited guests. Banquet halls and hotels often hold more than one affair at a time. An option to that is find a site that is not hosting any other events at that time. Or one where you will have the entire floor to yourself. We were blessed to find a great location that allows us to have the entire upstairs to ourselves.
• Lighting is important. If it’s a wedding that takes place during the day then you will want to make sure your location has lots of windows. Who wants to spend four hours in a dark room when the sun is shining? If it’s an evening affair make sure the room’s not too dim and that if you want to have candles check with your caterer to see if this is an option. Our location is right on the water and we deliberately went to the site at dusk to see the sun set and that is what ultimately helped us decide on this beautiful location. We want all of our guests to see that so we planned our reception time around the time of sunset.
• Parking, Parking, Parking! This is very important. You don’t want to inconvenience your guests by making them park five blocks from the site. Make sure you check out the parking situation. Most places will offer Valet, which is nice. Make sure to find out what the cost is and is it something that the guests are responsible for or is it included in your reception package.

Finding a Good Caterer 

So you’ve found your perfect reception site now it’s time to find out who is going to cook up the feast of your dreams. If your reception site doesn’t require you to use their caterer than your choices are endless. But you might ask, how do I find this diamond in the ruff caterer? It’s easier than you think but don’t haste to tackle this as soon as possible because the really good ones can be booked up to a year in advance. If you find a caterer and reception site that you just must have and they are booked up on Sat. you may consider a Friday or Sunday wedding. They are becoming more popular and you will be more likely to get what you want at a cheaper cost because they aren’t as in demand as they would be on a Saturday. I found this out when I was helping my sister plan her wedding. And found that my choice to have a Friday evening wedding is saving my family a ton of money. Okay, back to finding that special caterer.

1. Ask recently married friends or family for referrals.

2. Ask your favorite restaurant to cater the affair. If they don’t do weddings, they might be able to point you towards a trustworthy joint that does.

3. Ask any vendor that you go use, photographers, bridal shops, DJ’s for reputable caterers they’ve heard through the industry grapevine or know personally. That’s how I found my caterer and every vender that I’m using has had nothing but great things to say about my caterer at the Lesner Inn where we are having our reception in Virginia Beach, VA.

• Make appointments and ask your caterer to draw up a rough outline including the cost per person, menu options, service presentation style, and less expensive alternatives. Another way to save money is find a caterer that takes care of the entire reception from food to decorating. This also helps alleviate some of the stress.
• Finally, be sure to get the 411 on a particular catering firm through the better business bureau before you make any moves to hire them.

Just remember your reception is a way to say thank you to all of your guests for sharing in your special day. You just said your vows and now it’s time to live it up. All eyes will be on you so just step back and take it all in. It will be one of if not the best party you will every throw. So enjoy the food, music, guests, and most of all enjoy that first dance with your new husband!