Avoid these 10 reception planning mistakes for a refined Winston-Salem wedding

Planning an elegant wedding in Winston-Salem? These 10 reception planning mistakes can derail your day. Learn what they are and how to avoid them.

10 wedding reception planning mistakes to avoid

When it comes to planning a wedding, you’ve probably never before spent so much money, in such a short amount of time, on products and services you’ve never really thought of. And your wedding budget doesn’t exist in a bubble. Economic factors from tariffs to bird flu (remember all those eggs that go into a wedding cake?), can impact prices and delivery of products. But here are 10 planning pitfalls you can have some control over.

Table of contents

• Underestimating your wedding reception budget
• Skimping on the wedding timeline
• Not having a weather backup plan
• Ignoring guest comfort
• DIY overload
• Not feeding your vendors
• Disregarding venue capacity and rules
• Hiring too many or too few vendors
• Forgetting flow and layout
• Not having a “reception captain”

Underestimating your wedding reception budget

This is probably the most common pitfall for couples. Wedding planners, venue managers, and catering professionals see this constantly. Food, bar service, rentals, entertainment, and gratuities add up quickly. 

According to Heart of NC Weddings, the average cost for a wedding in North Carolina is around $30,000. Remember, that’s just an average. Once you’ve constructed your budget, do yourself a favor and build in a 10% “just in case” buffer.

Skimping on the wedding timeline

Your wedding reception is built around a carefully considered timeline that accounts for lots of moving parts. But caterers get delayed, DJs need setup time, photographers want to get those perfect golden hour photos. And if you are holding your ceremony in one place and reception in another, you need to factor in transportation time.

This is where a day-of wedding coordinator is your best friend – and well worth the investment. This event pro will create a timeline to take you through the entire day with some wiggle room for transition and will make sure all your vendors are in the loop. And your DOC will be there to work with your other wedding pros to keep things running smoothly and stress free.

Not having a weather backup plan

Couples fall in love with outdoor weddings but don’t plan for rain, wind, or extreme heat. And even if you’re marrying indoors, the weather can still play havoc with your photo ops – and your carefully put together wedding day look.

Work on a Plan B early if you’re considering an outdoor ceremony. Keep comfort in mind for you, your wedding party, and your guests. Think cozy wraps for crisp fall days or fans for summer heat. Clear umbrellas are great to have on hand. And talk with your photographer about how to use Mother Nature’s mischief to create amazing wedding photos. 

Ignoring guest comfort

Yes, it’s your day. But you also want to be gracious hosts, ensuring that your guests are comfortable and engaged. Overly ambitious or under-planned receptions can leave guests overheated, hungry, or even bored.

Picture yourself as a guest at your wedding. Walk through the experience from arrival to send-off. Note important details like parking, handicap accessibility, restroom access, seating, even room acoustics and lighting.

DIY overload

Yes, there are things you can do personally that will save you money. But your time also has value. Also, if you are focusing on personal decor and there’s no one to execute the vision before the reception, count on chaos. And other than those truly personal items, like family photos, what are you going to do with your DIY after the wedding?

Focus on what you are comfortable committing to, schedule the time to work on it, and make sure all those materials are part of your budget. A day-of coordinator will be more than happy to set up your DIY and pack it up at the end of the night.

More mistakes and how to avoid them

These next reception planning mistakes revolve around your venue and vendors. Remember, you are entering into legally binding contracts with these event professionals, so do your homework, ask questions – and read everything.

Not feeding your vendors

Some of your wedding vendors are going to be with you for long periods of time. Couples often forget that they need to have a meal (typically during your reception dinner) and a couple of breaks.

Review your contracts to see if there are any specific meal requirements. Go over meal options with your catering sales manager. Be sure to include those vendor meals in your budget and those breaks into your timeline.

Disregarding venue capacity and rules

While it’s important to love your venue, you also need to respect the house rules. Pushing the guest count is a big no-no. Remember, you’re contracting for service for a specific guest count, so make sure you select a location that works for your maximum. Venues also have specific rules for decor and alcohol.

Read that fine print! Carefully review your contract with your venue manager. Then stick to the rules. After your wedding, your refundable damage deposit will come in handy.

Hiring too many or too few vendors

Multiple sources of entertainment can really take a reception over the top, but you don’t want them to compete with time or space. But for every couple who over hires, there’s one that under hires, either by choosing a vendor who doesn’t have enough support or trying to wing it themselves on the coordination front.

Your guest count, space, and vision should be in balance. Make those things crystal clear with your vendors so they can put together the right teams for your reception style.

Forgetting flow and layout

Poorly laid out space means long lines to the bar, no clear path to the dance floor, or crowded seating. Remember flow is how your guests can comfortably maneuver in your venue. A good floor plan is a must.

Work with your venue manager to design a layout meant for movement – especially around food stations, restrooms, bars, and entertainment areas like the dance floor and photo booth.

Not having a reception captain

Venue managers are a great resource for the things that are their responsibility. But there are so many parts to a wedding reception, especially when it comes to managing the timeline. Couples sometimes try to do it themselves (usually with a lot of stress). Or worse, they’ll turn one of their guests into a de facto day-of-coordinator.

Do yourself a favor and be a guest at your own wedding. Hire a day-of coordinator so you can enjoy all the wonderful moments. Your DOC will work seamlessly with your banquet captain, photographer, and DJ – and handle any unexpected circumstances while you savor the day.

Avoid these 10 mistakes with a Millennium Center wedding reception

When you trust your wedding day to our seasoned event staff, you’ll avoid reception planning mistakes. Count on an exquisite event space with plenty of room for entertaining, stellar food, and incomparable service. Customize an incredible menu and choose from a host of enhancements, from specialty rentals to lighting, sound, and entertainment. 

Begin your dream Winston-Salem wedding reception with a tour and consultation. You’ll find reception planning easy and even enjoyable. And when you feel good about your venue and reception, it makes everything else so much better!