Your Guide to a Restaurant Wedding

- Determine how much space you need. With a small, intimate reception with a dinner-party feel, you’ll likely only need to do a partial buyout of the restaurant. This is when there is a private dining area you can rent out for the night. Larger, more traditional receptions will likely require a full buyout, which is obviously more expensive but also means you’ll have complete privacy. 

- Decide on a menu. Even a restaurant reception will usually not offer their entire menu to work with – either a special event menu or a custom selection you and your sweetheart make will be made available. 

- Consider entertainment. Is this going to be a traditional reception complete with a dance floor, or an intimate dinner party with your closest friends and family? Remember that a live band will take up more room, so figure out how much space you have before making a selection. 

- Accentuate the existing décor. A restaurant will already have its own aesthetic, and while you certainly can put personalized touches into the look for your big day, they should complement the current style rather than try and cover it up. 

- Don’t forget dessert! A plated dessert is usually an option, but check to see if the restaurant can provide a wedding cake if desired. If not, they will usually allow you to bring your own, but expect to be subjected to a cake-cutting fee – much like a wine corkage fee while dining out.

For different venue ideas, learn more about getting married in a museum, on a yacht, or at a hotel.