Hosting
an "At Home" Wedding
- by KissMeGoodnight.com
Large venues such as catering halls make an
elegant wedding location but for a more intimate gathering
you might want to consider hosting your wedding either at your
own home or the home of a close friend or relative. A wedding
hosted at a private home can be a lovely and memorable affair
that is sure to be enjoyed by all of the guests. There
are plenty of advantages to hosting your wedding in a private
home
including having increased freedom in making choices and providing
your guests with a warm casual atmosphere. The downside
of hosting a wedding in a private home include the inconvenience
and strain placed on the owner of the home and limitations
on the number of guest that you can accommodate as well as
whether or not it is feasible to hire a caterer.
One
of the distinct advantages to hosting a wedding in your
home is that there is more freedom in decorating and food choices. Many catering halls have a few options for linens, china and
decorations and a limited menu but you are limited by their
pre-existing constraints. While sometimes it is easy to simply
go along with the template offered by the catering hall, it
just doesn’t give the couple much creativity in planning their
wedding. In a private home you are free to buy or rent any
decorations, linens and china that you choose and use these
to set the atmosphere for your wedding. You are also free to
hire your own caterer or even take care of food preparations
yourself. This freedom gives the couple the opportunity to
allow the wedding to truly reflect their personalities. They
can opt to have the wedding be as formal or casual as they
wish and they may choose to incorporate any imaginable theme
in their wedding.
The
other advantage to hosting a wedding in your home is the
warm casual atmosphere that it provides for your guests. The
formality of catering halls makes some people very uncomfortable.
Furthermore they often feel obligated to dress formally for
an event that is held at a catering hall. While the couple
may still opt for a certain degree of formality, many of the
guests will feel more relaxed at a wedding hosted in a private
home. While they may still dress formally, the absence of a
doting wait staff and other stuffy personnel allows the guests
to relax more and enjoy the wedding. Informal seating such
as couches and loveseats in a living room lend even further
to the idea that guests are meant to relax.
One
distinct disadvantage to hosting a wedding in a private
home is that although the homeowner originally agreed to host
the wedding, they may feel increased pressure as the wedding
approaches. The homeowner may begin to feel a great deal of
stress related to preparing the home for the wedding. The homeowner
may feel obligated to partake in rigorous cleaning efforts
or purchase additional decoration items in preparation for
the wedding. One way to reduce this stress is to enlist the
assistance of a cleaning service so that the homeowner does
not continue to worry about the cleanliness of the home. You
also may want to speak to the homeowner to let them know that
you appreciate their efforts but that you are perfectly happy
with the home just the way it is and you don’t wish them to
go to anymore trouble to prepare for the wedding.
Another
disadvantage to hosting a wedding in a private home is
that the size of the home may restrict the number of guest. While it is true that most catering halls have maximum occupancy
restrictions as well, most of these commercial venues are capable
of seating far more guests than even the most extravagant home.
If you have a large family or many friends and plan to have
many guests then hosting your wedding in a private home may
not be a feasible option. However, if you plan on having only
a small number of guests then a wedding in a private home may
be a wonderful option. The size of the home also factors into
your decision to hire a caterer. A home with a small kitchen
could be problematic if the caterers intend to prepare all
of the food onsite.
Hosting a wedding in a private home can be a wonderful idea.
This type of wedding works best if you have a relatively small
number of guests and are looking for a casual atmosphere that
provides endless decoration possibilities. On the other hand
hosting your wedding in a private home may not be feasible
if the homeowner is neurotic about cleaning or if you are planning
to have a large number of guests in attendance.
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KissMeGoodnight.com : 2005
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