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Page B-10 The Calvert Recorder Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Weddings are typically the cul-mination ofmonths of careful plan-ning. After a couple has officiallytied the knot, a celebration typi-cally follows. Although music andmingling are integral to a weddingreception, themeal is often the cen-tral component of the party.

Couples have options whenchoosing dinner service for theirweddings, and some need not servedinner at all. An early wedding mayconsist of a brunch or some passedappetizers, while some couples optfor a cocktail party in lieuof adinnerparty. Still, some weddings featureonly desserts.

But guests attending more tra-ditional weddings expect to dineat the receptions that follow suchaffairs. Buffet service anda sit-downdinner are themostpopular choicesfor wedding meals, and each hasits advantages and disadvantages.Choosing the dinner service thatworks best for your wedding mayinvolve a careful comparison of thevarious offerings and keeping yourbudgetandguests’ comfort inmind.

Sit-down dinnerA sit-down dinner consists

of several courses of plated foodserved by a waitstaff. Guests neverhave to leave their seats, and sit-downservice is usually in linewith aformal reception. Some food offer-ings at sit-down dinners tend to befancy and presented in a manner

that is appealingboth to the eye andthe palate.

There are several advantages tosit-down meals. Guests can focusentirely on enjoying themselvesand conversing with others ratherthan getting up to seek out food,and those with mobility issues donot have to worry about maneuver-ing to a buffet station or trying tobalance food. Guests get top-notchtreatment and will have a waitstaff

on call to fill their needs, which canmake an affair more memorable forall in attendance.

But sit-down dinners are typi-callymore expensive aswell. Guestsare generally given several choic-es for the main course, and thatcouldmeanordering extra food andpreparing it to be ready for guests’selections. Serving meals may takelonger, and sometimes meals maynot arrive hot to the table. Guests

may be limited to certain foodchoices, and portion sizes may notbe what guests were hoping for.Sitting idle for a while can affect themood of the reception and lead toboredom.

Buffet serviceA buffet-style dinner is served

from a long dais table that holdsseveral chafing dishes full of food.

Wedding guests will rise from theirseats and make their way to thebuffet stations, where they’ll be ableto serve themselves or be served bystaff manning the stations.

Buffets present an array of foodsthat cater to the various dietaryneeds of guests. Those at the recep-tion can sample several differentfoods rather than be restricted toone main course. Guests can limitportion sizes or sometimes returnfor secondhelpings.Buffetsaregen-erally less formal andallowguests tomingle more readily.

But buffet-style meals may pro-duce long lines as guests pick andchoose their meals. While experi-encedcateringmanagersandrecep-tion site staff should have plans inplace to create a free-flow of gueststo the buffet stations, there will bea first and a last table called to eat,and guests on the tail end of theservice may be stuck with whateveris left over if food is not adequatelyrestocked. In an effort to accom-modate everyone, extra food maybe cooked for buffet-style dinners,which can be costly and wasteful.In addition, guests are asked to domore work, as they need to get upand retrieve their own food.

A catering company or the ban-quetmanager at a reception site canworkwith couples as theydecide if abuffet or sit-down dinner is the bestoption for theirwedding receptions.

Which dinner service is right for your wedding?

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014 The Calvert Recorder Page B-11

Weddings are a time for cele-bration and sharing good times.Some couples want to sharetheir love and excitement withas many people as they can fitunder one roof, while othersmay prefer a more intimateaffair to enjoy with a select few.One difficult decision couplesface when planning a weddingis whether or not to invite chil-dren to join in the festivities.

Young guests can bring anenergetic spark to the celebra-tion, but kids unaccustomedto dressing up and enjoying afancy night out may get swept away by themajesty of the night. Adult guests looking tohave a good time may find it difficult to relaxand let loose if they have to keep a constant eyeon their children.

The topic of children at weddings is a trickysubject. Family and friends may have strongopinions on either side of the debate. Ulti-mately, the couple needs to come to an agree-ment. Once a decision has been made, couples

can employ some strategies tomake the wedding as enjoyableas possible for every age group.

No childrenCouples who decide to

exclude kids from their guestlists should alert guests well inadvance of the “no kids” edict.Be tactful when informingguests. If you are sending outsave-the-date cards, include thephrase “Adults only, please” onthe card. You also may want toinclude the information on a

wedding website, where you’re afforded morespace to explain your stance on young guests.

When it comes to the wedding invitation,your indications should already be clear. How-ever, you can reinforce that kids are not invitedby addressing the invitations accordingly. Donot include the children’s names or “and fam-ily” on the envelope. Invitations should onlyfeature the names of the people being invited.

Be consistent if you do not want children at

the reception. It is not okay to allow one guest’skids while excluding another’s. The only excep-tion is children who are members of the wed-ding party. However, if you prefer a kid-freewedding, you may want to avoid a ring bearerand flower girl during the ceremony.

Chances are word will spread that the wed-ding is not for child guests. If you do not wantto handle inquiries, ask a member of the bridalparty to answer any kid-related questions.

Children allowedContrary to popular belief, children can be

well-behaved at a wedding and add a youth-ful component to the celebration. Watching achild twirling on the dance floor or devouringa large piece of wedding cake can make a wed-ding day more special.

Couples who invite kids should expect theunexpected from their youngest guests. Let thesmall things slide and speak with youngsters’parents if any issues arise.

Arrange for some activities to keep childrenentertained and out of trouble. Have the bandor DJ incorporate some child-friendly dances

or activities. Designate a kids’ table and arrangesome small toys or activity books.

Be sure to choose some child-friendly foodsduring cocktail hour. Hungry children can bethat much more fussy. Arrange a special menuwith the catering manager and be clear abouthow many kids are invited. Usually kids’ din-ners cost substantially less than adults’.

Some reception sites may provide a sepa-rate room where children can gather. A televi-sion with a favorite movie may be all that’snecessary to pass the time. Hire a babysitterto stay with the children and give adults in theother room peace of mind.

Limited childrenYou may want to include older children

at the wedding but have younger ones stayhome. As you would for a wedding withoutkids, spread the word that there is an age limit.On save-the-dates, request that “No childrenunder age 12” attend the wedding.

Be prepared for some opposition fromguests whose kids fall under the age limit. Justbe firm with your plans.

Kids or no kids? Enjoy a wedding that works for you

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Page B-12 The Calvert Recorder Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Weddings are one-of-a-kindoccasions.Weddings alsotend to be stressful, even forthemost laid-backpeople.Buta honeymoon gives the cou-ple a chance to enjoy unin-terrupted moments togetherand serves as a way to recu-perate from the months andsometimes years of weddingplanning.

Honeymoonsare abelovedwedding tradition, and somecouples even combine theirweddings and honeymoonsby opting for a destinationwedding. Because the hon-eymoon should be a way tounwind, setting an itineraryshouldnot add to thepressureof planning. The following tipsshouldmake planning a snap.

• Research your destina-tion. Learn all you can beforebooking your honeymoon.Study theweather for the timeof year you will be on yourhoneymoon, and learn about

currency exchange, local rulesand regulations andotherper-tinent factors todetermine thebest places to visit. You do notwant to be met with surprisesthat might compromise yourtripuponarriving toyourhon-eymoon destination.

• Book well in advance.The sooner you choose yourdestination, the faster you canbegin the process of applyingfor passports, visas or othernecessary documents. Book-ing early also guarantees youbetter seats on the flight andthe ability to negotiate pricing.

• Give yourself a full daybetween the wedding andembarking on your trip.Scenes of couples beingwhisked away to the airportright after the reception arecommonplace — but thatdoesn’t mean you needto leave right after the finaldance. Allow some breathingroom to pack, deposit wed-

ding gifts, return tuxedoes andtackle any other post-weddingtasks. Save the romantic “firstnight” as a couple for thehoneymoon and enjoy a well-deserved night’s sleep.

• Purchase travel insur-ance. One way to alleviate thestress of planning a weddingis to ensure your honeymooninvestment is protected in theevent of bad weather or otherunforeseen circumstances.Travel insurance is a safetynet that can come in handy.Speak with a travel agent orinsurance agent about how tosecure travel insurance for thehoneymoon.

• Pack light. Don’t bur-den yourself down with a lotof belongings. Chances areyou’ll pick up new things andmementos on the trip, andpacking lightmakes traversingairports thatmuch easier.

Honeymoon planning made easy