Jamaican Wedding: Planning a Fun and Unforgettable Wedding Reception

By: Denise N. Fyffe.
Copyright © 2012, Poetess Defy, Denise Fyffe

A Jamaican wedding is a joyous occasion. People come together to celebrate the union of a bride and groom. They eat, drink and toast the newlyweds. But weddings take time to plan, and it can become very stressful doing so.

Often times the bride will take on the bulk of the planning, and she may enlist a wedding planner to assist. Careful consideration is taken when planning a Jamaican wedding reception. When there are difficulties, it is easier to categorise your tasks into groups. These may be food and drinks venue, entertainment, decorations, date and time and budget. Though a planner may have a network of people to rely on, in getting things into place, the final decision should be yours on the exact choices.

The planning of a Jamaican wedding receptioncan take some serious considerations; especially as it

relates to venue and food. But this takes does not have to be daunting. The first step is to find a location both that the couple both agree on. When you are deciding on this, think about its accessibility and how easy it is for people to get to it. Can they accommodate the number of guests and do they have experience hosting weddings. Check with the coordinators at the wedding location, that the date and time you have selected is available.

Another aspect of planning a wedding reception is the budget. Prepare a wedding budget and stick to it. Setting price line for individual expenditure items will save you in the long run. Shop around during the selection of the wedding venue and find out if the costs differ, for things like food preparation, entertainment, and wedding favors. These items, handling them separately, can really cut into your budget unawares.

Once you have a wedding budget, it is time to set the menu. What type of beverages will you have at your wedding? Will you cater for non alcoholics? How do you plan on serving the food? Will it be served by waiters or buffet style? What dessert options will be on the menu? Will there be more than two? Will you serve chicken or fish? What will be the entrée? Or what type of wine will you use for the toast? All these questions need to be addressed when planning your wedding reception meal. The best decision is to give people a option in each course, as you do not want them to be forced to eat something they don’t like.

Once you have settled on food and drinks, your next consideration can be the wedding decorations. This helps to set the ambiance of the venue and the wedding reception itself. This is what your guests will remember for years to come. Keep in mind the centre pieces for the tables, the number of tables, and chairs you’ll need. You will also need flowers, candles or streamers. These should not be random decisions or selections. Another area for consideration is entertainment and wedding music. You will need to select a DJ, band or instrumental wedding band. The type of Jamaican wedding music needs to blend well with the ambiance and setting.