Keep the Party Going
By: Bruce J. Mullen – Director of Banquets
The Rittenhouse Hotel
Edited by Erin Pavillard
The wedding is over...or is it? You want to keep it going right? The band and the room were booked for four hours, but you still want to celebrate. What should you do? Keep the party going!
Whether you have the celebration in a hotel or a stand-alone catering facility, you can keep your party rolling along in many different ways depending on what you want to do and what type of celebration you had.
If you had a black tie event, is it time to let your hair down and just party with your friends? Did you have a destination wedding where the party will go on for days? Did you have a casual wedding that was more of a religious event but now you really want to boogie?
Working With Your Hotel to Organize an After Party
If you’re in a hotel, they will have several options for you. Here at The Rittenhouse, we offer a few choices. If you’d like to continue the party, you can request a private affair in a separate room with a separate bar and more food. You can then bring in a DJ for you entertainment, or you can have the hotel’s audio-visual department set you up with a sound system to play music from a cell phone. This is a great way to continue the party! The party really never stops, it just continues into the next room. Many of the guests will leave after the main event, but this will take on a different vibe, and be more of a gathering of the bridal party and friends to finish off the celebration. One key factor in an after party of this type is to not let it drag on. There should be an end time set up so it doesn’t seem like the party fizzled out.
Pick a Favorite Spot
You can always set up an after party at a local venue: maybe the place where you two first met, or a favorite hang-out. This needs to be set up ahead of time with all plans set in stone. You must take into account any type of travel that may be necessary to and from this second venue, so that your guests can travel safely.
A place in close proximity to the hotel or establishment where your wedding took place is always a best idea if you intend to leave. Look for them to offer you a deal on food and beverage. Ask them if they have a private room or mix in with the public, if you’d rather! A private room may cost you some extra money, because the venue will have to provide staff for you and your guests. Make sure they know your approximate arrival time – nothing’s worse than 25 people coming in and having to wait for a drink.
Visit a Local Attraction
Depending on the time of year, you may want to do an off-premise type of party. For example, here in Philadelphia, we have Eastern State Penitentiary where Al Capone once was housed. They do ghost
tours around Halloween. You could set up a private ghost tour for your Bridal Party after the event. Have a party bus take you there, and continue the festivities on the bus both going and coming back.
Organize a Wine Tasting
If you’re into craft beers or into good wines, talk to your catering representative at the hotel or event space and ask if they can offer a wine tasting or a craft beer tasting after your wedding. You may find that this is something than many people have always wanted to do, but never got around to doing. It’s always a great idea to continue to offer some sort of food to go along with the alcohol. Additionally make sure that you have plenty of water and soft beverages.
82