The idea might sound a little dull to some, but having a dry wedding reception doesn’t have to be! There are many reasons a couple might choose a non-alcoholic wedding, budgets and personal beliefs are often factors. Regardless of the reasons behind your decision, eliminating alcohol from your day shouldn’t hinder your guests from being happy and having a good time with you. Here are some tips on how to host a successful and non-alcoholic wedding.
Timing
The key to hosting a successful non-alcoholic wedding would be to schedule it at a time of day when people are the least inclined to drink or even want alcohol, like the morning or early afternoon. Consider hosting a brunch wedding, which can be extremely inspiring and bring a sense of warmth to your beautiful day. Your day will start a little bit earlier for preparations but it will be a great feeling to have a fresh beginning. You’ll have elements like sunshine, teacups and sandwiches which can give a fairytale vibe.
Another benefit to having an early wedding is if you prefer to have a shorter day. Generally, a wedding takes place around 3 p.m. only to finish near midnight. That’s long hours of socializing and planning for the day. Having a ceremony at 9 a.m. with a short reception will keep your wedding short and sweet, while still having a great time.
The Venue and Decor
Brunch weddings not only allows you and your guests to enjoy the morning light but is also the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in nature. Consider hosting your wedding at a beach, park, lake or public space. These public places often prohibit alcohol, which provides a one of a kind setting which allows you to celebrate your big day without the alcohol. Make it even more special with decor and choose a fun theme. Enhance the natural environment with fresh whimsical flowers and tea light candles
The Food
Having a brunch wedding will allow you full freedom and creativity when it comes to creating the menu. It’s hard to think about alcohol when you’re enjoying your breakfast foods. Incorporate a fun menu of breakfast foods like mini quiches, waffles, chia pots and bruschetta. Follow that with a lunch menu like fritters, sliders, flans and arancini balls. Your guests won’t even think about alcohol while enjoying their delicious meals. Of course, you can’t forget dessert! You can spruce up the drink menu as well as incorporating fun and fruity teas, fresh juice and sparkling water. You can even have sparkling apple juice in champagne glasses for the speeches and toasts.
To make things even more fun, bring in a barista. A brunch wedding wouldn’t be complete without some good coffee. Having a barista to make specialty coffees and lattes will definitely be a crowd pleaser.
The Entertainment
Music is a vital part of any wedding, but having a morning wedding might not be ideal for that late night upbeat dance music. Hire a live band or musician that can play some soulful tunes throughout the ceremony and reception. The music can be folksy and classic, which is still fun to sing along to but won’t be too loud. This can make your wedding more memorable and sentimental. You also want to make sure you hire a good MC and/or DJ who can keep the tone upbeat and interactive. You want to have the right person that can engage guests with humour, move the festivities along smoothly, choose familiar hits that your guests will dance to.
Make it a Kid-Friendly Wedding
We all reminisce about our childhood from time to time. Having a kid-friendly wedding will ensure that lots of fun will be had and when kids are having fun, often grown-ups will want to join in the silliness as well. Face painting. Karaoke. Twister. Bounce houses. Wedding table crafts. Games and prizes. Generally what’s fun for kids will encourage guests to join in rather than miss out on the fun.
Offer a Limited Bar
If all else fails, you can always opt to have a limited bar. A compromise between an open bar and a sober reception is to have a limited bar, which will please both crowds. One option is to serve a limited number of drinks, whether it’s only beer and wine or just a signature drink. You can also offer to open the bar for a limited amount of time. Have your wait staff pass drinks around only during a designated cocktail hour to keep your guests’ consumption under control and stop once the reception starts. You can also only have beer and wine during dinner time. Experiment and do what makes you feel the most comfortable while still throwing an amazing wedding.
No matter what route you choose, your wedding is meant to be a day of memories and love. Your guests will enjoy the day no matter what and will be delighted to share your special day with you.
For more ideas for a non-alcoholic wedding, call Chateau Le Jardin at 1-888-529-8573 or contact us here.
