Cocktail Wedding Receptions – by the Wedding Expert
It is becoming more and more popular to have a cocktail wedding reception instead of a traditional sit-down meal wedding reception. Most cocktail wedding receptions are held from 5 to 7 pm or from 9 pm to midnight. I am finding more and more couples are now having their wedding ceremony at 7 pm, followed by a cocktail reception, or a champagne and dessert (cake) reception.
The 5 pm to 7 pm receptions tend to be in locations like an art gallery with jazz or classical music. The later cocktail reception from 9 pm or so, tend to have music and dancing for the entire evening.
When having a cocktail wedding reception, it is important to say that on the invitation. Where it says 'reception to follow', you would say what type of reception will follow. In this case, it would be 'cocktail reception to follow'.
Although cocktail receptions are usually less costly than a dinner reception, if you go with a large number of hors d'ouevres, you could exceed a dinner reception in cost. So choose carefully.
