Event Planning

Setting A Date

• When setting your date, be sure to choose alternate dates just in case your preference is unavailable.
• Many times the availability of the ceremony and reception sites will be a major factor in determining the actual date of your wedding.
• Setting a date and contacting the Ceremony site and Reception site should be done very early. Many places take bookings one year in advance.
• Be aware of Holidays and special events within the community, because they may affect the availability of your reception site and hotel.
• December is a very busy month for Reception sites due to company Christmas Parties.

Setting A Time

• The time of day that you decide to have your wedding affects many decisions you will make about your reception.
• Late afternoon or evening weddings usually have receptions during normal dinner times, therefore heavy hors d’oeuvres or a full meal is necessary. Afternoon receptions require less food for it its in between standard meal times.
• Timing also affects what type of entertainment you may want to provide. For example, evening receptions tend to have DJ’s or bands that will play into the night.

Choosing a Menu

• Deciding on a menu is can be a difficult decision because of all the factors involved.
• Factors include: Time of year, time of day, tradition, and budget. The Conference Center’s Menu is flexible in order to accommodate your specific catering requests.
• We will be glad to design a specific menu according to your wishes that you may not find on our menu.

Floor Plan

• The first factor the type of food that will be served. If you are planning on having hors d’oeuvres, seating for the entire party is not required. If you are having a plated meal or buffet, then we will have to plan for enough space for everyone to have a seat.
• Another important factor is the type of entertainment you are providing, such as a DJ or Band. These two types of entertainment will need a dance floor as well as space for their equipment.
• After allowing space for the food (Buffet), guests, and entertainment, it is time to consider the cake table, registration table, gift table, and any other specialty table you might need.
• Many reception floor plans also incorporate a head table for the wedding party.

Rehearsal Dinner

• The Conference Center will waive the room fee for all parties that allow us to host their Reception and Rehearsal Dinner.
• We will set up a smaller, more intimate room for your rehearsal dinner and the reset the room for your reception the next night.
• Our menu has a wide arrange of meal options to choose from or we will be glad to customize a menu specifically for your event.

Other Things to Consider When Planning Your Reception

Cake Cutting—The Conference Center will provide the china and silver necessary for your wedding cakes. We will also cot the cake for you for a small fee.

Master of Ceremonies—This can be a very important job, especially for larger receptions. Many times the DJ or a member of the Band will act as Master of Ceremonies.

Be sure to inform the Conference Center of any specific requests that the band or entertainment might have. Most of the special requests made by a band are already included, however there may be a request that will require special attention and extra cost.