The best thing to do before choosing a reception site is to visit. Try to make your initial visit during the week when there aren't any events going on. This will ensure you get a good look at the reception site. The venue representative should give you a tour, answer all your questions and discuss your menu ideas. When you have narrowed your selection down to 2 or 3 places revisit them during a wedding. This will give you an idea of what the place looks like during an event, how efficient the staff is and if you can visualize your reception there. Finally, if the reception is going to be catered by the reception venue, plan to have a tasting so you can make sure you like the food. Analyze the results from these 3 visits and pick your favorite.