A wedding reception – quite possibly the most important party of your life, and certainly one you want to get absolutely right! With all your nearest and dearest there, you need to know that every single guest has the best time possible, not just you and your bride or groom.

A wedding reception takes a great deal of thought because it is a real reflection of you – do you want something low key and relaxed for example, with hay bales to sit on and a hog roast to eat? Or do you want a formal banquet with a five course meal and twinkling chandeliers hanging from a designer marquee? Whatever you are trying to achieve with your wedding reception, it helps to get be absolutely sure what your vision is first.

When it comes to food at wedding reception - there are a thousand ways to do it – whether its fish and chips followed by an ice cream van, or a Bollywood themed Indian buffet, great food means happy guests, and an even more memorable day. Paying a caterer for the wedding reception is the answer for many couples. And there are a huge number of catering companies specialising in wedding receptions in the UK – companies who perhaps do corporate and private parties too, but who, overall, make wedding reception business their business.

With a wedding reception caterer – such as Alison Price or "rhubarb" food design - it is very important to focus on the menu very early on. Get your caterer to suggest ideas. Talk about what suits you as a couple, and get advice on what is right for the venue, the overall occasion and for your guests. And don’t forget your wedding cake either – a wedding reception isn’t a wedding reception without a stunning cake!

The cost of your wedding reception food can vary hugely. Low key, casual and less formal weddings may benefit from smaller, more relaxed catering companies. But if budget is no issue, then the world is your oyster and you can find catering companies who will provide anything and everything.

But its not just about the food either of course – you also have to think about wedding receptions decoration, lighting, linen, staff uniform,

candles and table centrepieces, food styling, flowers, and of course what about entertainment and dancing, photography and videography? With each and every supplier always look for testimonials that might give you a steer on whether they really know what they are doing, and certainly give these testimonials some thought before you ask someone to play a part in your big day.

Of course there is always the option of using a wedding planner - a person or company who will plan your entire wedding day and wedding reception down to the teeniest tiniest detail. Companies like Linda Cooper and Absolute Perfection do every single wedding-related job so that you don’t have to – meaning you can really relax on the big day, safe in the knowledge that a whole team with all the relevant skills and experience will be responsible for getting it right. That way, all you have to worry about is the speech!