Location
If the honoree was a member of a particular house of worship or
an active member of a religious community, then holding a reception
in that setting may be the most appropriate act of remembrance.
Here are some suggestions of other venues:
- Church, chapel or temple
- Community facility
- A large yard, park, beach or other outdoor location (be sure to
check with the town to see if you need a permit for public
locations)
- The home of the honoree or a family member
- A location special to the honoree (a tailgate party for the
football enthusiast, a barbeque for a grillmaster, a garden tea for
the gardener
Once you choose a reception location, be sure to enter it in
your Heart2Soul
Community to keep everyone up to date on the reception
information.
Does it Meet Your Needs?
Before you make a final decision, ensure the location will
accommodate all of your needs. Does it have enough space for your
guests? Is there a suitable reception area? Other considerations
are the venue's alcohol policy and food-service policy. If a
champagne toast is an important part of your celebration and
alcohol is not allowed, then you will need to hold the reception
elsewhere.
Flexibility is also important in terms of the guests themselves,
as there is no way to anticipate the actual number of guests. What
do you do when an unexpectedly large number of people show up? You
may simply need to acknowledge the overwhelming response and ask
people to forgive the lack of accommodations. Everyone will
understand.
Below are some questions to ask when choosing a venue for your
reception:
- Are there any events directly preceding or following your
reception?
- Would it be all right if you provided the restrooms with a
basket of amenities, including soaps, folding hand towels, and
flowers?
- Does the venue require permits for preparing and serving food
and alcoholic beverages? Similar permission may also be necessary
to use candles, or a fire marshal's presence may be required
- Will you need to rent or provide tables and chairs, valet
parking drivers, coat check personnel or portable toilets?
- Who is responsible for cleaning up?
