A Guide to Pulling Off a Gorgeous Restaurant Wedding!
2020-09-01


A Guide to Pulling Off a Gorgeous Restaurant Wedding!

Source: Andre Hunter on Unsplash 

There are many reasons why a restaurant wedding is increasingly popular these days. Besides having gastronomical food and possibly more flexibility in curating your own menu, restaurants already have their own decoration and furniture incorporated into the wedding venue, leaving you with more budget to spend on items that can add pizzazz to your venue — think custom linens and personalised placards!

A misconception that it is only for intimate weddings, the wide variety of restaurants available makes it possible to work even for larger parties. If you’re interested in exchanging your vows in a restaurant, here’s how you can plan for one smoothly! 

1. Is the size right for you?

A Guide to Pulling Off a Gorgeous Restaurant Wedding!

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As mentioned before, many may think that restaurant weddings are for small groups of less than 50, but couples can definitely find restaurants that can comfortably accommodate up to slightly over 100 guests. 

Look for one that can fit your guest list (you may either reserve the entire restaurant or rent out a partial dining space), and then take note of its floor plan and sight-lines. Unlike a conventional hotel ballroom, restaurants may have more unique layouts that can affect your sitting and march-in arrangements, as well as your decisions to hire a live band, build a temporary stage, and so on.

2. Planning your budget

A Guide to Pulling Off a Gorgeous Restaurant Wedding!

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There are quite a few factors that will affect the cost of your restaurant wedding — the date, time, menu, and additional services that the restaurant may provide. To determine where to splurge and where to scrimp on, list out your wedding priorities with your other half before confirming a venue! 

For example, if treating your guests to top-notch food is most important, you may consider holding your wedding at non-peak hours and channel the extra funds to premium ingredients and menu items. We recommend discussing with your restaurant on what they can do for you with regards to this. 

3. What are your entertainment options?

A Guide to Pulling Off a Gorgeous Restaurant Wedding!

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Not all restaurants come fitted with a projector and screen, so if you have plans to treat your guests to a viewing of your pre-wedding video or a montage of you and your sweetheart’s love story like conventional wedding reception, you may have to think again.

Check with the restaurant of your choice that it has the necessary AV equipment that you require for your wedding entertainment. Otherwise, it’s time to plan for alternatives such as a live band, a magician, or wedding games! 

4. Let the feast begin! 

A Guide to Pulling Off a Gorgeous Restaurant Wedding!

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The food is where restaurants truly shine. Generally, if the service and quality of the food is to your liking on a normal day, then you should get the same, if not better, satisfaction at your wedding ceremony. 

Restaurants also allow more potential for menu customisation, and will most probably have a special menu available for couples to choose from. Make full use of the restaurant’s specialities to whip up an epicurean experience that your guests will remember for years to come!

5. Add special touches

A Guide to Pulling Off a Gorgeous Restaurant Wedding!

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Restaurants typically already have existing decor, and if you’ve got your eye on a specific restaurant, it means that the aesthetics must somewhat be to your liking. Since you do not have to decorate the entire venue from scratch, all you need to do to add your own personal touches to the venue is to throw in accents such as a centrepiece, add some floral decor in colours that matches your wedding theme and bridal bouquet, and so on. 

As a general rule of thumb, just make sure that your decor complements the existing interior, not cover it up. However, don’t forget to ask about their in-house restrictions!

The beauty of restaurant weddings

A Guide to Pulling Off a Gorgeous Restaurant Wedding!

Source: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels

It’s safe to say that everyone wishes they could relive their wedding day once it’s over. Most conventional weddings are held in hotel ballrooms, which means that the only way to do so is by flipping through your wedding photographs.

With a restaurant wedding, though, you’re one step closer to teleporting back in time — simply return back to the restaurant for a meal and you’ll be basking in the ambience and savouring the familiar taste of the food once more!

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