If You're Having Your Wedding at a...Hotel
The hotel ballroom affair will always be the gold
standard to which every other type of reception is compared-a fact that's not lost on couples more interested in an evening of elegance and refined service than one of trailblazing buzz. Which isn't to say it's free from drawbacks. For wedding-factory-phobes who would sooner call it off than run into another bride on their big day, booking a hotel can be risky: On any given Saturday there may be several brides primping or celebrating under the same roof. But such concerns are minor for couples who want to embrace the city as their nuptial backdrop. After all, midtown hotels, like the St. Regis, Pierre, and soon-to-reopen Plaza, are right in the heart of it all: Where else could you get that quintessential shot of you and your bridesmaids crossing Fifth Avenue, bouquets in tow? Perhaps the biggest benefit is the amount of built-in conveniences a hotel affords: everything from the catering to the china is available in-house; a package deal with room blocks, bridal prep-, after-party-, and wedding-night suites can result in significant savings; and concierges tend to out-of-town guests' needs in a manner you certainly couldn't expect if you were marrying anywhere else.
