Catering Connection - Wedding Receptions

Almost everything you want to know about catering your Wedding Reception ... from The Catering Connection

THE TIME OF DAY: If the wedding is scheduled between the hours of 3:00 and 6:00 p.m., generally you can anticipate the need to have more substantial food available than if the wedding were held at 2:00 or 7:00 p.m. It is not so much what the guests expect, as it is the natural time for dinner that causes this.

LOCATION: If it is held at the church immediately following the wedding, it is appropriate to serve cake and punch and maybe mints and nuts. You may wish to add to this but it is not necessary. If the reception is held away from the church, a more substantial snack or dinner buffet is called for.

END OF THE RECEPTION: This is usually signaled with the departure of the bride and groom. In this day and age it is not unusual for the bride and groom to stay to the very end! If they do, the reception will last longer.

CUT THE CAKE: The one tradition that signals to the guests that must leave early is the cake cutting. If at all possible, plan this early on in the reception, even though the cake may not be served until later.

PHOTOGRAPHY: If formal pictures are to be taken after the wedding has been performed, you can anticipate that it will take 45 minutes to an hour. This allows for time to clear out of the church, reassemble the wedding party and all of the relatives, and then take the pictures. This may mean that the reception is‘on-hold” for this period of time. You should anticipate this time lag, even plan on it. Often times this will require a hostess to stand in until the parents of the bride can arrive. One solution is to have all pictures taken before the wedding ceremony. This breaks other traditions, such as the bride being seen by the groom prior to her walk down the aisle, but all things considered, it might be worth while.

THE RECEIVING LINE: If you are having a large reception, some thought should be given to the location of the receiving line. It should be located in such a way that the guests can enter the reception area prior to entering the receiving line. This prevents long lines out the door, sometimes even into the street! Another very effective way to handle this is for the bride and groom to circulate at the reception and have no formal line at all. The choice is yours.

GIFTS: Brought to the reception and/or the church. Expect them! Have a plan to receive them. We suggest asking someone to watch as gifts arrive, and they should be prepared to more securely tape cards to gifts that become separated before they are opened. It is also necessary to plan for someone to remove the gifts from the reception and/or church. These gifts are valuable, and an assigned caretaker for gifts should be planned so that gifts do not mysteriously disappear.

ENJOY THE RECEPTION: We want you to enjoy the party, and leave the "worrying" up to us.

THE BUDGET: Weddings can appear as large as the National Debt. Establish a budget that is affordable. We will make every effort to keep you within your budget.

INVITATIONS: Use the invitations to inform your guests in advance. Buffet is usually interpreted as dinner, a light buffet is snacks. Dinner and dancing is just that. They need to be ordered in advance.

HOW MANY WILL ATTEND THE RECEPTION?
We strongly suggest that you include a R.S.V.P. if the number attending is crucial for the cast of the reception. Without an R.S.V.P. you can usually get a fairly good idea if you analyze the list invitees. We can help with this.

MENUS AND BUDGETS: Receptions range from about $300.00 to $1500.00 for 50 guests. This is a starting point for you. There are alternatives that can increase or decrease the budget. We do not provide wedding cakes. We suggest that you arrange for your cake with those who specialize in cakes. We will work with them to see that it is in place and ready on time.

LOCATION FOR THE RECEPTION: We do not have any special place or location that we recommend. There are many good locations to have receptions. We have served receptions in virtually every hall available in the community. We will be more than happy to share our experience and assist you in planning your reception to make the best use of the hall or facility you have rented. Homes and back yards are always a good location for a reception and we certainly would be happy to serve at a residence, either indoor or outdoor.

TO DO BEFORE YOU FINALIZE YOUR PLAN(S): Book both the church and the reception locations well in advance , six months or more if possible. Once these are set, we can begin to plan the reception with you.

WHEN DO YOU PAY: Depending on the time, date and how elaborate your planned reception is, we may require a deposit in advance. The balance is due on invoice a few days after the reception.

WHY YOU CAN TRUST THE CATERING CONNECTION? Experience. Over 20 years of it. Serving everything from burgers and dogs, to filet mignon. We are proud of our record and are more than happy to provide a list of references of recently served weddings upon your request.
If we can help in any way in making your reception a special event for you or you would like more information on reception planning, please don't hesitate to call

For more information or to book an event or function:
In Tulsa, Call 918-749-9232 - In Oklahoma City, Call 405-473-3000