When you think of the perfect reception does it bling with every glimmer of light that touches the surface? Or do you walk in to a party-like atmosphere with fun written all over it? There are ways to tie this classy, casual decor concept together for your ideal reception.

Classy, party for 2:

Linens:
Upgrading your reception linens from in-house white, ivory, or black to blush pink, satin lilac, or ruby red add pops of color to your layout. Most venues offer complimentary linens but the color choices are slim. Working with a designer or linen company allows you to customize your overall look. Consider keeping your guest tables more simplistic while jazzing up your sweetheart table, cake table, and guest sign in table. This way you add flare to your focal tables while allowing the room to tie together.

Centerpieces:
Depending on your guest count you can get really creative with multi concept centerpiece structures. You may decide on two really great centerpieces and alternate tables to give the room some depth. If you are hosting an event with large estate tables, consider taller centerpieces while maybe your rounds have shorter arrangements. Another way to change up your design is by having taller arrangements with cascading candles while the shorter arrangements offer votives.

Lighting:
Adding texture to your reception space brings your vision to life. There are many ways to utilize lighting in your space depending on if you are indoors or outdoors. Uplighting is the most popular source of lighting used by venues, DJ’s and designers. By placing uplights around the room every 5-15 feet, depending on your space, the light shines up the wall. Uplights can also be utilized outdoors and placed near trees or solid walls to allow the light to bounce off of it. Moving lights give your dance party the club-like atmosphere! Stabilized by a truss, a moving light is typically stationed near the dance floor and shines from the ground to the ceiling in a rapid pace. Market-lighting is very popular for outdoor events but brings a very soft energy indoors. Whether you have them surrounding your dance floor or outlining your entire reception space, they are always a lovely touch for your celebration.

Casual, but we don’t mean jeans:

Food:
Your food will be remembered for the end of time so make sure you love the concept you choose. Hosting a buffet dinner or dinner stations allows guests to visit at their leisure. Buffets consist of your menu items in chaffer dishes and sometimes accompanied by an attended. You can have a lot of fun with food stations because you can make each station very unique and different. If you have four food stations, you may consider a mexican food station with a chef attendant who makes fresh quesadillas while the second station is mini burgers and baskets of french fries. Hosting a dinner reception with food stations allows you to customize your menu based on what food both bride and groom like to enjoy.

Bar:
You don’t need an open bar to make your event classy or casual. Consider hosting beer and wine with a couple of signature cocktails. Most guests that attend a wedding do not frown when the bar is hosted – regardless of what they are being served. Your signature cocktails could be something that bride and groom like to drink, maybe name your drinks something that all of your friends and family will get a good laugh at. If you are hosting your dinner reception near a beach, you may consider doing related cocktails based on the area you are in, perhaps a Bahama Mama or a Sangria!

Guest Book:
Having a formal guest book for guests to sign and write their wishes for the couple is traditional and very sentimental. If you are trying to take the edge off of this customary item, consider hiring a Photo Booth during your reception. Photo booths come in many forms – guest pops in, snaps a photo thread, prints and one copy is for bride and groom’s keepsake, done. Or you could purchase a polaroid and let guests take a selfie to print for a photo album.

Your event can be both tasteful and fun with the right components! Having a balance of classy and casual elements will ensure a reception to remember.