It’s your wedding day! And what a day it’s been: you’ve decorated your reception room, gotten your hair and makeup done, taken all the pictures your timeline allows, walked down the aisle, married your best friend, eaten dinner, laughed and cried through all the celebratory toasts, and danced the night away! But much as you wish the wedding festivities could continue, at some point the party must come to an end.
So what happens at the end of the night?
On your contract, you’ll see both an End Time and Departure Time stated under your Reception listing. These specific times mark the end of your evening event. The following breakdown gives you a better understanding of what to expect.
The End Time is that point in the evening when the bar and music shut down. Guests begin to grab their personal belongings and say their goodbyes. During this time, whatever personal items and decorations you wish to keep after the wedding must be boxed up and removed. Anything you don’t wish to keep may be left in the reception room. The Castle staff will either recycle or donate the items, or dispose of them.
Your Departure Time is that point in the evening when all persons and belongings must already have departed the premises. This includes all vendors. It’s important to make sure your vendors are aware of these contracted times. We do allow cars to be left overnight in our parking lot, as we want to ensure all guests return home safely. The Castle gates are locked overnight; you’ll want to confirm with your Venue Coordinator when guests can return the next day to retrieve their cars.
Here are a few ideas to help keep things on track and make sure everyone adheres to the agreed-upon times:
- Consider hiring a shuttle service to pick up guests from the reception. Shuttling people back to their hotels saves time, as they won’t be waiting on a taxi service to drive back and forth.
- Encourage guests to use the shuttle, and have them pick up their cars the next day.
- Appoint a crew of volunteers to assist in packing up the wedding décor. Many hands make light and efficient work. You’ll be out of there in no time, and headed on your honeymoon!