Our families are huge. We compiled our guest list and have about 200 people, immediate family only.
We have decided to have a private ceremony with just our family, the 200 aforementioned. I know it is against etiquette rules to have an open ceremony and private reception.
Do we have a formal dinner after the ceremony for those guests and then have a large reception with drinks, dancing, and heavy appetizers for everyone? Everyone would mean that we could invite our casual friends, i.e. co-workers, fellow students etc. The guests invited to the latter portion are between the ages of 18 - 25 and are also budget conscious. They really only want to drink and party.
OR
Do we have a ceremony, dinner and reception with everyone? Of course, for budget reasons, the "dinner" portion would be a lot lighter. Therefore, we would be sacrificing the elegant family affair, so that everyone could join in. Is it right to do that to family?
What do I do????
(This post was
edited by TWQadmin on Nov 25, 2008, 9:00 AM)
Etiquette Now
WEDDING ETIQUETTE EXPERT
Post #2 of 2
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Re: Private wedding ceremony and larger reception
[In reply to]
Dear kiwimimi,
It really isn't polite to invite guests to only part of the reception. So, it would be better to provide a lighter fare for all the guests. Perhaps you could provide a buffet instead of a sit-down dinner. Or, heavy appetizers for all during a time they wouldn't expect a full dinner. There are a number of ways to keep within your budget and host the event you want with a little tweaking.
Private wedding ceremony and larger reception
