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Where will you celebrate your wedding?

By DIANE GLYNN

A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. The planning should be a time of pleasant anticipation, not dread. The day should be filled with joy and excitement, not worry and anxiety. One of the ways to avoid this is to book the location of your ceremony and reception as soon as possible.

First, decide if your reception will take place at a hotel or facility such as Woodloch Pines in Hawley, or the Villa Roma in Callicoon or perhaps you would prefer a marquee tent in your parent’s backyard. Each option has wonderful potential.

There are a variety of post-ceremony celebration options available to newlyweds. It is important to keep in mind that this is your day, so plan the reception to satisfy your own style.

According to Martha Stewart, the guru of wedding consultants, when planning your wedding budget, allow at least 50 percent of the total cost of the wedding for the wedding reception (reception facility, food, music, bar). Remember, you get what you pay for.

It’s always advisable to obtain at least two or three written quotes for reception catering and ensure that when you’re reviewing these quotes, you’re comparing apples with apples.

Always ask exactly what the catering price includes.

Since cost is always a consideration, investigating the reception packages available in the nearby area is a must.

If you are planning a large reception, it is important that you start the planning process early, since there are a limited number of sites that can accommodate such a gathering. Make your reservations well in advance of your wedding date. If you plan to be married during the wedding high season of late spring or early summer, it is suggested that you book your location as early as one year in advance of the intended date of the celebration.

A private catering service can provide reception services at a variety of locations, including boats, golf courses, hotels or at your home.

Couples have the option of a reception site that does not provide catering services, and then employ an off-site catering service, or you can first choose an off-site caterer and then seek the caterer’s recommendation with regard to a suitable site.

As with the other wedding related services, do not allow for any surprises on the day of the event. Make sure that the terms of the package you purchase are set out in writing that clearly defines the menu, the seating, the room decorations, any catered services, the number of waiters and bartenders, quality of silverware and chinaware, dance facilities, parking, and after-event janitorial services.