A wedding is comprised of many small events. Typically, the day will start with the ceremony. After this, the party will move to the venue and await the start of the reception. Between the ceremony and the reception, most couples opt to have a cocktail hour. This helps to bridge the gap between the two events and prevent guests from having to stand around waiting for too long. While a cocktail hour is a lovely addition, it is far from mandatory. Still, most couples find that it is a great fit for their needs.
If you want to have a cocktail hour as part of your special day, then you might want to think about the best way to go about the process. There are lots of wonderful ideas that you can keep in mind when planning your wedding. In order for you to make sure that your entire wedding goes off without a hitch, it can be beneficial to take a look at the cocktail hour and ensure that you are hosting it in the correct manner. Pay attention to these bits of advice for the best chances of success.
Setting the Mood
The cocktail hour serves a very real purpose. You and your partner are going to have to do a million things on the day of your wedding. When the ceremony ends, it is commonplace for a couple to go off with the photographer and wedding party to take photos before the start of the reception. This means that guests are going to need somewhere to go before the event begins. Cocktail hour makes for the ideal destination but you need to keep a few points in mind in regards to setting the mood.
There absolutely needs to be music. While you might not want to get your guests dancing just yet, it is imperative that you have some type of music involved with this part of your wedding. This can be something as simple as pre-recorded tunes playing through the speakers of the venue or as complex as having a live band there to keep the energy levels up. Find the right fit for music and you will not need to worry about your guests getting antsy while waiting for the ceremony to begin.
The Cocktails
While this might seem obvious, you are also going to want to be sure that there are plenty of cocktails present during this point of the event. Not only do you need to make sure that you have enough booze present, it is also a good idea to be aware of how many bartenders will be at this part of your wedding. Check with the venue to make sure that there are ample bars and attendants throughout the cocktail hour. You might even want more bartenders at the cocktail hour than the actual reception.
One of the worst things that you can do is force your guests to stand in a line for drinks during this part of the night. The cocktail hour is supposed to be short and it is supposed to allow guests to have a couple of drinks and snacks before the main event. If everyone spends this part of the night waiting for one drink each, it can make the rest of your wedding feel like a chore. Think the cocktail hour arrangement through in advance to avoid these annoying snags along the way.
Cheers
Keeping a wedding moving is a great way to make sure that your guests have a lovely time throughout the course of the day. If you are planning to have a cocktail hour, then you want to be sure that you are ready for what is in store. Plan ahead and you will see better results from your endeavors while keeping your guests in a content state.
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