Civil War Reception

I am planning a modern wedding. My fiance is a civil war reenactor and we have agreed to have a confederate reception. We`re doing a noon reception and it`s the week before christmas. I`m not sure if I should go with a Christmas influenced reception or just an 1860s reception. The problem is they usually held those at the Bride`s house so as far as I know the decorations were just house decorations. I`m afraid the Christmas part will just look like a Christmas dinner at 12. I`d rather do the usual 1860s reception but I don`t know how to pull it off in my church fellowship hall for 350 people.