Receptions Old West Style

If you’re planning to throw an old-fashion Western-style wedding reception then there’s one thing ya gotta keep in mind – whatever ya do ya gotta keep it FUN.

No matter where ya live, pardner, you can have yourself one rip-roarin’ wedding reception!

Yeehaw! We’re gonna have us a weddin’ reception! It doesn’t matter if you’ve never made it any further West than the Jersey River or if you live deep in the heart of Texas – the old West is as much a state of mind as it is a geographical location. No matter where you live you can have a Western-style wedding and a rip roarin’ Western-style wedding reception.

Try to keep the costumes as true to the 1880s and 1890s as possible.

Start by inviting everyone to come in costume. For the men that’s pretty easy. Cowboy boots, freshly-laundered blue jeans, a freshly-pressed checked shirt, a string tie and a cowboy hat and you’re ready ta ride, pardner. For the women it’s white laced-up cowgirl boots, several layers of petticoats and a gingham dress, white gloves, possibly a parasol and a 1890s hairdo.

You’ll want to make the location look as Old West as you can to maintain the mood and the theme of the reception.

The location should be a barn or a large room that can be dressed similarly to a barn. You’ll want bales of hay and perhaps a few rail fences and a hitchin’ post or two. It’s possible to dress your own location, but there are also many professionally-maintained locations in most parts of the country especially designed to create the atmosphere of the Old West. Renting an existing location may prove easier and less stressful and the cost may be quite reasonable.

It’s also possible to hold your Western reception out doors, either in an individual’s yard or a state park. If you hold it in a state park make sure you clear the date and the location with the proper authorities and make sure there are enough electrical connections for your band or your recorded music.

Yeehaaaaw! It’s time to grab your pardner and get those boots a stompin’!

You’ll want country music, either recorded or live. There are plenty of good live country bands willing to play at weddings and receptions. Make sure they can do country ballads as well as more contemporary country songs as you’ll want a few slow country dances mixed in.

And speaking of country dances you’ll want to have someone who can call a square dance and you’ll want to have plenty of time for line dancing as well. Be sure to have someone who can teach your guests a few simple square dance moves as well as a few fun line dance steps. Make it fun for everyone.

An old-fashion dinner triangle or a large cow bell makes toasts so much more fun!

You’ll also want a large cow bell or a triangle to get people’s attention for announcements and toasts. Pass out small cow bells for guests to ring when they want the bride and groom to kiss.

Encourage your guests to make up cowboy poems or limericks for toasts. Keep everything in the cowboy motif as much as possible. Drinks can be beer in bottles.

It’s time to fire up the Bar-B-Q or the outdoor fire pit – and be sure you have plenty of Bar-B-Q sauce!

The food at your Western reception needs to be in keeping with the cowboy theme. That includes outdoor Bar-B-Qs if possible, complete with hickory or mesquite wood smoke for that Old-West flavor. Steaks, Bar-B-Qed ribs, chops, spicy chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers and anything else you can think of that might have been served back in the 1890s could be served. For side dishes you’ll want potato salad, baked beans, cole slaw, and the like.

Don’t forget the horse-drawn carriage for the newlyweds and the horse-drawn wagons for your guests.

For a really nice touch transport your guests from the wedding to the reception in a horse-drawn wagon or carriage. Make sure the bride and groom arrive in a horse-drawn carriage while cow bells or triangles clang or to the sound of a country band playing appropriate music.

If you and your partner want to have a country wedding and reception then by all means do so and for heaven’s sake have FUN with it and let your guests have fun as well. Having a creative, not-quite-traditional reception is a great way to start a life together and a great reminder to keep things fresh and exciting as you travel down the road of life together – and remember to keep an eye out for the occasional cow pie!