Where your reception will be held is another huge decision that has to be made early on in the wedding planning stage.  If you want to opt for a traditional reception hall, you’ll have to book early to be sure you can get the venue of your choice. 

 

If you or someone in your family is the member of a benevolent association (The Elks, The Moose, The American Legion), consider these as viable options.  They often give discounts to members and you will probably have access to a huge area for your wedding reception as opposed to Aunt Emily’s backyard!  Just remember to book early!

 

With my first wedding, we married on a Saturday and held our reception in the church parish hall.  It was a Catholic church and they graciously allowed us the ultimate leniency with liquor, food, etc.  Since we were members of the church, we only paid $50 to rent it for the afternoon.

 

My second husband and I chose to be married on a Saturday at our local church and held the reception at the local American Legion where both my (future) husband and my father were members.  We saved a ton by booking the Legion the day after my husband and I decided to marry.  Plus, we saved on the headache of trying to find a reception hall!

 

We’ll have much more on the dream reception later in this book, but remember to book early.  Having that out of the way will free up more of your time to concentrate on the little details that can mean so much!

 

You can also look to find a free place to hold your reception such as a friend’s home, a church’s reception hall, or even the local fire department’s reception hall!  You could look into a local park, art gallery, and even your own home.