how to plan a wedding reception You'll actually enjoy
- Stacie Stine
- Apr 18
- 3 min read
How to Plan a Wedding Reception You’ll Actually Enjoy (Featuring Julia & Nick's wedding reception at the TWA Hotel)
Let’s talk wedding receptions.
I've been to a lot of wedding receptions as both a photographer and a guest, and I'm here to tell you the only way to host a fun reception, is to do things that feel absolutely you-i-est. No obligatory traditions or cookie cutter wedding rituals needed.
You want to plan a wedding reception that feels like a party you actually want to go to, okay?
I’m talking about the parties where the couple is laughing with their best friends, hugging their favorite aunt, vibing to a live band, and actually tasting their cake. Maybe even having a second slice.
Julia and Nick’s wedding at the TWA Hotel was exactly that kind of night. Intentional. Joyful. Unrushed. I think it's the perfect example of a wedding reception done well.
They started their day off strong: portraits were done before the ceremony so that after they said I do, they could walk straight into cocktail hour and actually enjoy it. No disappearing act. No rushed “We’ll be right back!” They clinked glasses with their people and got bear hugs from everyone.
They soaked it in.
TWA’s lounge-y, retro-futuristic bar area right outside the reception room set the tone: stylish but laid-back, like your coolest friend’s party in 1963 (if your coolest friend had a live band and a vintage airplane to themselves later that night).
After cocktail hour, the guests filtered into the reception, where Julia and Nick took their sweet time eating their reception food. No sprinting from event to event. No pressure to perform. They ate (and actually enjoyed the food), had meaningful toasts from the people they love most, and then—this part I adored—they personally visited every single table to hug their guests. This was a very "them" thing to do and I've been to weddings where this would be a couple's nightmare-- but for them, saying hello to each and every person was something they were looking forward to.
As a photographer, I followed them through those hugs, capturing moments that weren’t just beautiful, but real. Flash photos, laughter, cheek kisses, arms around shoulders. This wasn’t a photo op—it was a memory in motion.
Then came the dancing. First dance. Band. Break for dessert and cocktails. More dancing. The vibe was somewhere between upscale rooftop energy and “we just got married and this is our favorite playlist ever.”
And just when the night could’ve ended… it didn’t.Because there was an after party on an actual airplane. Julia changed into a feather-sleeved short wedding dress (yes, it was iconic), and they kept the celebration going in the TWA’s bar-in-a-plane setup. More drinks. More music. More time with the people they love.
If you’re planning a wedding and wondering how to make your reception feel like you, take a page out of Julia and Nick’s book:
Do portraits before the ceremony so you can enjoy cocktail hour (but also, if you can't do that, I'll be as flexible as ever to make your cocktail portraits work!)
Plan a space that feels stylish and comfortable
Give yourself permission to slow down. The worst thing I see at receptions are a wedding couple feeling rushed by an over-packed timeline.
Create time to visit with your guests if that's a value of yours.
Embrace that old hollywood flash photography that retro-fies your photos.
If you want a plane party, have a plane party
Your wedding should feel like a celebration, not a schedule. As the person who is actively observing and photographing you at your reception-- I just want you to feel like your reception isn't obligatory, but fun. And you. I'm encouraging you to plan something you’ll actually remember love, love, loving.
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