Please tell me if this sounds ok...

[coral]

I'm just wondering if this sounds ok...
wedding at 5pm.
done at 6pm.
pictures at 6:30pm
reception starts at 8pm (in between 6:30 and 8:00, if people want to go home and eat they can)
wedding party all comes in at 8:30

in case you are wondering... I'm not having a dinner, instead, i'm going to have crackers, salads, deli meats, desserts, cheese etc served right at 8:pm on a buffet table and people can eat if they want. As for our wedding party, we are all going to a late lunch before the wedding ( guys seperate from girls) to tide us over until the reception.
just after we get to the reception, we will then do our speeches and then let the party begin.

i just thought that this would be a non-traditional way of doing things and i was wondering what people thought about this approach. or had any other ideas of having a wedding without a sit down dinner. let me know...

[drea]

We are getting married at 6:30pm and doing pictures right afterwards. We are then having a reception about 7:00 or 7:30 with us arriving at 8pm. We are just serving little finger foods. We didn't want a sit down dinner either.

We are getting married at 6:30pm and doing pictures right afterwards. We are then having a reception about 7:00 or 7:30 with us arriving at 8pm. We are just serving little finger foods. We didn't want a sit down dinner either.

The time line looks fine.. I would ask your photographer if 30 minutes is ok, he may not be able to get all the photos you want in that short of time!

[wedbyjean]

I'm just wondering if this sounds ok...
wedding at 5pm.
done at 6pm.
pictures at 6:30pm
reception starts at 8pm (in between 6:30 and 8:00, if people want to go home and eat they can)
wedding party all comes in at 8:30


Are all of your guest local or will there be some from out of town who don't know the area, what restaurants are nearby (and can get in & out and to the reception in time on a Saturday night)?

Make sure you word the reception card so guests will realize that dinner won't be dinner served at the reception, but there will be some type of food available.

Jean Neuhart
Weddings From The Heart

[lacey_8_99]

I would defiitely make sure that you include things for guests to do in between. It's a huge gap so most probably won't want to go home, unless they are less then 15 minutes away. You could send the info out with the invites, or as you get RSVP's send a 'packet' with info on local restuarants, if there is a mall near by, ect.
Are ceremony and reception at different locations? If so, how far apart are they? Just something else to keep in mind, I hate driving around an area that I don't know very well, so I would definitely include directions back to the reception from different areas so people can easily find their way back in time.
good luck, hope that helps.

[robindepaula]

[/quote]The time line looks fine.. I would ask your photographer if 30 minutes is ok, he may not be able to get all the photos you want in that short of time![/quote]

Definetely speak with your photographer -- that is the one thing you don't want to rush!! Your photos will speak a thousand words many years from now!

Robin

[drea]

We have already talked to our photographer about this. We are going to some group photos before hand. We are also expecting people to arrive at the reception place about an hour before we do (there is a TGIFriday's attached) and we are serving finger foods. Our DJ is also getting there early to help with the reception.

[As You Wish]

I suggest starting pictures right at 6:00. Unless you know that your ceremony will really be an hour, most don't last that long. Your photographer will be there anyway so if pictures are a few minutes late, no big deal.

[Carol]

:lol: I had a friend who also did a non traditional wedding, no sit down dinner. She said her initial reaction was that it was very different but she still enjoyed herself as if their was a traditional dinner. Are you having a DJ, band? It sounds nice, it's good do try something different and it's your day anyway you do what makes YOU happy.

[albeachgirl]

i just thought that this would be a non-traditional way of doing things and i was wondering what people thought about this approach. or had any other ideas of having a wedding without a sit down dinner. let me know...

We had a dessert reception. No sit down dinner. Just make sure to put that on your invitation so your guest realize there is no dinner. We had cake, cookies, cider, coffee, lots of different other snack foods.

[videocrafter]

[quote="coral"]I'm just wondering if this sounds ok...
wedding at 5pm.
done at 6pm.
pictures at 6:30pm
reception starts at 8pm quote]

If your having a videographer, you might want to insure there are no extra charges for extended periods of time between the wedding and reception.

[TinkRBell2480]

wow. that's a toughy. as a Bride myself I could never find it in my heart to ask friends & family to go home & eat & then come back a few hours later, especially if anyone has really put time into getting ready for your day & for the guests that have travelled scross town or across the country or even outside of the country.

if you really want that....I mean it is your day....& if you are sure that is what you want, then I'd include a reception card indicating your plans for the recepion/right after the wedding.

with my first wedding we had a lunch buffet...mostly finger foods. through the caterer, but for the in between time while we got our pics done my family got together & ordered party treys from a local spanish bakery & just put out those party trays first & then once our grand entrance came & after our first dance we had the Buffet open up.

my reasons: we have quite a few Diabetics in my family & I wanted to make sure we had something on hand.....you never know with diabetics. & then the fact that our reception was clearly across town. a good 30 to 40 min from where most our guests were from.

our buffet menue was: chicken drumsticks, meatballs, meat tray with rolls, salad. with tea, & Coffee. & wedding cake for desert.

cocktail Orderves (provided by family) was: mini pastries filled with spanish grounbeef meat, Guava filled pastries, mini ham croquets, mini cuban sandwiches, mini pink ham spread sandwiches.

we were chanrged $8.50 per person for the Buffet. We spent a total of $1,000 on that, but that included...set up, clean up, food, napkins, forks, spoons, knives, cups, beverages. & we had no china. it was all plastic ware.

It's up to you & how you feel if it is right or wrong. personally there is no right or wrong when it comes to weddings because the Bride calls most of the shots. but knowing how your guests will react to somethings & just your personal views on things can make you decide other wise.

for example: you want.....a veggitarian wedding but most of who you know aren't....there for that is going to influence you a bit to be more compromising especially if you are the type of Bride that wants everyone to be comftorable & fully enjoy themselves. like I said it depends on you.

if anything give people the heads up with your plans. on a recption card, to prevent any disapoinments, & so people can make other dinner arrangements at a local restaurant in case they don't want to make the trip "home"

Good Luck.

[831Photography]

The timeline looks fine, but I would recommend stating on your invitations that the reception will be Cocktail Style. This warns everyone ahead of time not to expect a meal at the reception. What you don't want to have happen is have a room full of people that expected a meal and so they didn't eat ahead, and then they leave early because they are hungry.

I think that not having a sit down dinner is a great idea, but since tradition is to have a dinner, it would be best to pre-warn your guests so that they can plan to eat.

I have also seen couples that pass out maps with restaurant locations listed on it at the ceremony to encourage people to get a bite to eat before coming to the reception.

Hope this helps!
Stephanie

[mrsmatrimony]

Maybe it'sme but 1 1/2 hours is not a lot of time on a Saturday night for persons to find dinner. Family style restaurants(Friday's and Ruby Tuesdays) have that for a wait on the weekends. Also, what will your guests be wearing? If they are dressing for a an evening affair, will they be comfortable at a quick eat spot?

The idea is great. But make sur eit is crystal clear to your guests that they will have to find a meal for themselves. Everything will be closed once they leave the reception.