Why an article on for how long should I hire the venue for my wedding reception? “Oh, it goes by so quickly”! Possibly the phrase we hear the most often from our couples as they celebrate their wedding at Chateau la Beaumetane! So how long should you hire your venue for? Here are a few points to bear in mind as you grapple with this age-old question…
Hire the wedding venue for however long suits you
There is a reason the time goes by so quickly as you celebrate your wedding. You are happy, and surrounded by the people you love. You want to make the most of the time you have with everyone who has come to celebrate with you. Just one little statistic I like to use…. If you have a wedding for 120 people and you only spend two minutes with each guest, that already takes up 4 hours of your day!
So if you also count all the things you have to do on your special day, it’s not surprising that the day of your wedding reception flies by!
This is why many of our couples decide to hire the chateau for a two- or three-day wedding, especially our destination weddings. This allows them to enjoy a brunch with their guests. You can spend time with people you may not have caught up with the day before (perhaps because the photographer whisked you off for a sunset photo in the vines and olive groves). What’s more, brunch is generally more ‘low key’, with fewer obligations and things to do. So you can just take the time to be yourself and enjoy each other’s company. This is worth considering when ou hire the venue for my wedding reception.
Do I extend my hire for my wedding reception to include the friday as well as the weekend?
Many of our couples are keen to hire the chateau for the day before their wedding day. When I ask them why, they often tell me it is so they can start setting up and decorating. Some couples are keen to add their own personal touch. So they decide they want to do some of the decorating themselves. Here at Chateau la Beaumetane, the tables and chairs are usually set up by the caterer. The caterer arrives in the early afternoon to prepare for the wedding. So by the time the tables are ready to be decorated, you will probably be busy with other things….such as getting married, for example ! 😊 To ensure a successful event, discuss your plans with your reception venue and suppliers. They will be able to offer invaluable advice based on their experience.
On the other hand, you may decide you wish to hire the venue for the reception wedding for the day before in order to have a welcome dinner. This is often the case for our destination weddings, as it gives our couples the chance for some quality time before the big day with their guests who may have travelled large distances to be with them, or to revisit old memories with family members and friends they haven’t seen for a long time. The pre-wedding supper is also a chance for guests to get to know those they have not previously met – the wine-tasting we offer at Chateau la Beaumetane can act as the perfect ice-breaker!
If you need advice on how to select your reception venue, I invite you to read this article.
Enjoy those preparations!
