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Cultural reception themes

Cultural Reception Themes

Whether you and your partner would like to honor your family’s heritage, or if you simply want to give your reception a bit of extra flavor, adding a cultural theme
to your reception can be a great way to spice things up. Try these easy tips to give your reception a unique flare!

SERVE CULTURAL DISHES
The best way to incorporate a cultural theme into your wedding reception is to start with the food. In lieu of your average American meal, pick your favorite cultural
food and develop a menu of traditional dishes. You could create a Mexican fiesta with traditional Latin dishes, an Indian buffet with a curry station, a Japanese sushi bar
with bottles of saki, a Russian meat and caviar spread with bottles of vodka, a Spanish tapas table with sangria, or an Italian buffet of pastas and cheese with a coffee bar! If you and your partner have different ethnic backgrounds, speak to your caterers about designing a custom menu that can blend the cuisines of both cultures into a oneof-
a-kind feast.

ADD CULTRAL DeCOR & MUSIC
After you choose the cultural theme for your menu, you should turn your attention to the decor of your reception. You don’t need to completely transform your venue, but
you can make plenty of design choices that will reflect the influences of your cultural theme. Do a bit of research on national flowers and plants that have religious or
historical significance to your culture, and add a few stems to your floral arrangements. Hire bands, solo musicians, and DJ’s that can play traditional music and set the tone for your cultural theme. For example, if you’re having an Indian wedding, you might consider hiring a sitar player to entertain guests during dinner. If you’re having a Latin wedding, you may consider hiring a Spanish guitar playeror a mariachi band to play between reception activities.

HONEYMOON CULTURE
If you and your partner are traveling to an exotic land for your honeymoon, you could incorporate cultural traditions of the area into your reception theme. For instance, if
you’re going to Hawaii, try a luau theme at your reception!

We've got Spirits

We’ve got spirits

Wine and liquor should be addressed with your caterer/chef as there are many ways to handle it at a party or reception.

Sometimes it is included with your package for a certain amount of time during the reception. Sometimes clients bring their own wine in for the dinner itself or their own
champagne for the toasting. Other parties are interested in providing their own wine and liquor and only require bartender service from the caterer.

If you bring in your own in any capacity, there will be a corkage fee, potential service fees for handling, as well as gratuities. Knowing and understanding the regulations of your reception location when it comes to alcohol is key. Discuss all the options with your caterer/chef and spell them out in your contract before you sign.

Wine Guide When serving wine at dinner, always serve a red and a white regardless of the type of entrée you are serving. Beef & Lamb Zinfandels and cabs are always your best bet with any hearty, red meat entrée. Whether a mushroom, peppercorn, or au jus, these heavier reds bring out beef’s savory flavors. If serving a lighter sauce, a good merlot or even a shiraz will make a perfect pair. Remember—reds (especially shiraz) bring out the spice in your entrée. Poultry & Pork Chardonnays, merlots, rieslings and even a good pinot grigio can be served with your poultry dishes. If serving something heavy on garlic or with some spice to it, you may opt for a sweeter white such as a white zinfandel or even a fruity red pinot noir. Seafood Chardonnay and pinot grigio are the sure winners here! They compliment almost any flavor of fish
and spice level. If red is your pleasure try a lighter merlotor pinot noir.

Always consult with your chef as they know theircooking and understand the palate best. These days anything goes when it comes to serving wine!

A warm Chicago welcome

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A warm Chicago welcome
Taking care of your guests

Chicago is known for its savory fare and restaurants of all types. Extraordinary stores and boutiques are also Chicago’s major tourist draws.

It’s the day before the big day, and guests are arriving from faraway cities and states. Between nail appointments, facials and last minute bridesmaid dress debacles, who
has time to entertain the out-of-town crowd? Navigate through our ideas below to give your guests the grandest Chicago welcome and make everyone feel right at home.

BASKET CASE Gift baskets are a huge hit with out-oftown guests. Load them with goodies such as wine, water, chocolate, crackers, pretzels and other snacks. Bubble
bath, bath salts, eye masks and scented soaps are also nice touches. Go the extra mile and include Chicagothemed goodies including Garrett’s Popcorn, Goose Island
Microbrews, Cubs/Sox hats, tickets to the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel and coupons for late night Chicago-style pizza!
Another fun idea? Include a personalized “Do Not Disturb,” sign for guests to hang on their door. Check out boutiques such as The Little Traveler in Geneva (www.littletraveler.com) where custom gift baskets are created on-site.

TOUR GUIDE Show out of town guests what the Windy City has to offer. Trolley tours (Chicago Trolley & Double Decker Company (www.chicagotrolley.com) are a
charming way to give guests a glimpse of the city and a chance to socialize. Perhaps a site-seeing excursion of you and your honey’s favorite romantic hangouts? Season
permitting, have your guests take a cruise down the Chicago River where they can learn interesting facts about famous landmarks. Don’t forget to suggest an afternoon or
evening cocktail at the top of the John Hancock so guests can see the entire city in just a few sips!

SHOPPING SPREE Extraordinary stores and boutiques are one of Chicago’s major tourist draws. Create custom maps and detailed lists of malls and shopping centers near where guests are staying, such as Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Oakbrook Center, or the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue. Other hot shopping spots are Oak Street, North Avenue, downtown Naperville and downtown Wheaton.

RESTAURANT ROWS There is no warmer welcome than great food and great wine! Chicago’s savory fare and restaurants of all types are a plenty! Give each guest a
copy of Zagats, Chicago Edition, and highlight you and your groom’s favorite Chicago eateries, from a hot dog at the pier to a 7 course meal at Spiagga’s. If Zagats is out of the budget, create your own guide of fave spots and place it in your guests’ hotel rooms.

TO BE READ If your guests don’t have time to “do the town,” bring the town to your guests! Provide copies of TimeOut Chicago, Chicago Magazine, the local papers and
other Chicago rags. Books such as Devil In The White City by Erik Larson and Scott Brick, Chicago Stories: Tales of the City (Paperback) by John Miller (Editor), Stuart Dybek are great Chicago books your guests can curl up with as they wind down at night.

Inviting little ones

Some weddings include children as guests or members of the wedding party. Special reception planning for the younger part of your crowd will not only enhance their enjoyment on your special day, but it will also help you, their parents, and older guests so that you can all enjoy the festivities.

Consider having older children seated together at a special table with a favorite aunt or uncle—just so things don’t get too out of hand. They may have more fun with other kids their own age. If there are younger children seated with their parents, have a special party favor, such as a coloring book with crayons, waiting for them at their seat.

You might even want to rent a separate reception room across the hall or attached to the main ballroom with unique entertainment just for kids, perhaps with a juggler

or a magician. Add a knee-high buffet table full of “kidfriendly” food like small pizza slices, hamburger sliders, chicken tenders, fries, and even an ice cream bar

You may also want to hire a few babysitters to play games and organized activities with the children to keep them busy and amused. Ask the venue to put a tv in the rec room to play cartoons. Whoever is supervising the children must be qualified and experienced to deal with situations involving everyone from infants to pre-teens. The room should be stocked with supplies like diapers and wipes if there are lots of infants and toddlers.

Younger children may need to leave early, but don’t exclude them from your reception all together. Ask children to participate in activities they will enjoy. Get them on the floor for fun, traditional wedding dances like the Chicken Dance or the Hokey Pokey. Have them announce a special dance that asks everyone in the bridal party to choose a child as a partner for a lively rock ‘n’roll tune like “Twist and Shout.” If there are children in the wedding party, ask an older member of the wedding party to bring them out on the floor to dance when the wedding party joins the couple in their first dance.

Being the perfect hosts

Andrew Duany

Being the perfect hosts
Hotel care for your guests

You may be occupied with last minute plans during your wedding weekend, while your out-of-town guests have extra time on their hands.

A great way for family and friends to reconnect is to arrange for a hospitality suite in your hotel. This room can be a regular guest room, suite, conference, or banquet room. Sometimes the hospitality suite is included as part of a wedding package with your reception and guest rooms. The hotel can stock the bar and have munchies delivered at offmeal hours—they might even supply continental breakfast with juice and coffee in the morning. Ask the hotel what their policy is about bringing in outside liquor and food— some will allow it while others may charge a fee.

Another great bonus with your hotel may be the transportation options they may offer for your guests including: airport pick-up and drop-off, complimentary trips
to local shopping and tourist areas, and shuttle service to your ceremony site. You might want to schedule some special activities for your guests, especially if they are first-time visitors to your area. Work with your host hotel concierge on sightseeing tours, shopping trips, theater tickets, restaurant reservations, and organizing any special events you might like to hold. A Sunday evening wedding allows a lot of extra family time over the weekend—think about a group trip to a baseball game or maybe a family picnic in the old neighborhood on Saturday.

More often, out-of-town guests are being included in the rehearsal dinner. The catering manager at your hotel will also be a valuable resource should you choose to have your rehearsal dinner, a post-wedding brunch, or a welcome cocktail party for all your guests.

In-room amenities are always nice to welcome your guests, letting them know how much you appreciate their effort to be with you. Classics include a simple fruit basket, a bottle of wine, a fruit and cheese tray, or flowers. If you are truly ambitious, you can make your own baskets for guests, with items such as maps, event directions, snacks, games (great for families), or a souvenir from your city like a Christmas ornament that will be cherished for years to come.

Choosing a location

Timothy Whaley

Choosing a location
Consider your options

The modern couple has many more venue options than the traditional chapel. Here are just a few of our ideas.

Chicago is full of incredible venue locations, from traditional houses of worship to yachts on the lakefront. You have so many options to choose from, why not consider each one? As one of the most historical cities in America, Chicago has a wide variety of historical sites with original architecture and fascinating back-stories. As one of
the most diverse cities in the country, Chicago is full of cultural venues, cultural restaurants, and cultural bands. You could host your ceremony in one of the many breathtaking churches downtown, then take a trolley ride to your reception at one of the many ‘found venues’ in the meat-packing district! Treat your guests to meals by any number of Chicago chefs, get them dancing to the beats of any number of urban DJs and wedding bands, then make your grand exit on a horse-drawn carriage! The modern couple has many more options than the traditional chapel.

BANQUET HALLS & HOTELS Many banquet halls and hotels will have accommodations for both your ceremony and your reception, as well as their own services, such as an in-house florist, an in-house catering company, an inhouse wait staff, an in-house band or DJ, and all necessary equipment, not to mention other amenities such as a fullystocked bar and valet parking.

OUTDOOR LOCATIONS If you decide to hold your wedding in the great outdoors, you won’t be sorry! At an outdoor venue, you’ll get to enjoy the natural beauty of your
surroundings. Imagine watching the sunset over the lake as you recite your vows! Imagine your guests dining within the beautiful garden area of a conservatory. Imagine dancing under the moonlight in a secluded patch of woods in a forest preserve. Your options are limitless when it comes to creating the perfect outdoor backdrop to your wedding day vision. The best parts of any outdoor venue are that you can really create any setting, you only need to add minimal decorations of your own, you can invite as many guests as you like because an outdoor area shouldn’t have space limitations, and it’s a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. The only drawback is weather may not be ideal, so be sure to rent a tent or canopy in case of rain!

WATER WEDDINGS With both Lake Michigan and the Chicago River located conveniently downtown, you can easily hold your wedding on the water, on the beach, or
both! There are many companies in Chicago that rent out party boats, tour boats, casino boats, and luxurious yachts. You could host your ceremony on the beach
of Lake Michigan, perhaps near a boat dock. For your reception, treat your guests to a ride on the water and save on transportation fees from your ceremony site to
your reception site! Many cruise ships and tour boats will offer all-inclusive packages, including food, music, and a full staff. If you’re worried about guests getting seasick or children needing to leave early, keep the boat docked, and let guests enjoy the allure of the waterfront with easy access to the shore. Many restaurants and venues are located right on the river’s edge, so you could take your guests on a short cruise, then make a romantic departure on an Italian-styled gondola!

EDUCATIONAL SITES Chicago is a cultural hub of exciting zoos, exceptional museums, and beautiful libraries. You can host your reception downtown at the Lincoln Park Zoo or at the Brookfield Zoo just a short train ride away! You could move your reception to the Shedd Aquarium, the Planetarium, the Field Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute, the Museum of Contemporary Art, or the Navy Pier Greenhouse! Or, try the Chicago Public Library in the south loop, which is one of Chicago’s oldest buildings! Whether your guest list is full of curious children or if you’d just like to host an event that is both exquisite and educational, Chicago has many options!