PLANNING A HOTEL WEDDING:

TEN MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Before you start planning, make sure you know your exact budget. It can be disappointing to make big plans and then have to cancel them because they’re not affordable.

1. Go in to your meeting with a hotel’s catering specialist with a specific dollar amount in mind.

2. Planning the date is extremely important. It's best to choose two to three dates so that the hotel can secure the vendors of choice. It’s a good idea to avoid other family members’ or close friends’ weddings or major events by at least two weeks. Popular wedding and charity event months such as May, June, September and October may also limit the choice of dates.

3. A wedding planned for an evening other than Saturday can be cost effective. Many hotels will offer a discount for weddings held on a Friday or Sunday evening, Saturday afternoon or during “off season.”

4. Make it easy on long-distance guests by asking for a special group rate and be sure to communicate that rate to your relatives and friends. Include the phone number for hotel reservations. Remember to put a map to the hotel in the invitation and in the ceremony program (if everyone is invited to the reception). Another option is to take advantage of a hotel’s shuttle service or ask the catering director to suggest a shuttle service to carry guests from the ceremony to the hotel.

5. The rehearsal dinner, which is usually reserved for the couple’s closes friends, relations and minister/officiate, should be more intimate than the reception. A hotel offers a variety of lovely intimate rooms from which to choose. Also, you might want to plan the wedding rehearsal and dinner for two days before the wedding (instead of the day before the wedding) to give you time to work out all the details.

6. Never assume a buffet will cost less than a sit-down dinner, since food portions are not controlled and it may cost more than expected. Be sure to discuss both options with your catering specialist.

7. Keep the comfort of your wedding guests in mind. A hotel, for example, allows out-of-town guests to get around easily from their room to the reception or, in many cases, from the ceremony to the reception as they are all under one roof. The worry of getting confused or lost is virtually eliminated.

8. There’s often lag time between the ceremony and reception which allows for photos and relaxation. A hotel allows wedding guests to sit in the lobby, go to the bar or go back to their rooms during this time. In addition, after the reception, those who want to continue to party can take advantage of the hotel’s restaurant or nightclub.

9. It’s wise not to leave for the honeymoon directly after the wedding reception. What better way to spend the night in the hotel’s bridal or other exclusive suite? Most hotels will build this charge into the package price.

10. Make sure every detail is written in the contract and read it carefully! There is nothing worse for the bride and groom or for the hotel catering staff than expecting something to be a certain way and finding out at the last minute that it will cost extra or that it’s unavailable on that special day.

— Source: Michelle Mitterer, director of catering,
Hamilton Park Hotel and Conference Center, Florham Park, N.J.
www.hamiltonparkhotel.com