Sure, you may not be doing a full-blown sit-down dinner, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate over some sort of food! A way to majorly save during your wedding reception is to offer more casual food options. This is the next big thing, since planning your wedding reception will bring forth the biggest expense. In short, there will be everything you would expect at a wedding reception—except a huge meal. Minus the insanity, plus the marriage. Elisabeth is an MPH working in public health in New York City. If it wasn’t the bride and groom that thanked their guests for being a part of their wedding day before the meal, now would be a great time to do so… before the dance party starts! I feel like I’m getting lost in the big wedding again, and that’s not what we wanted. Planning a wedding that breaks from tradition can sometimes feel like uncharted territory, but these tips will help you plan the perfect seated dinner-free wedding reception. https://www.brides.com/story/non-seated-dinner-wedding-planning-advice We know you’re doing so much already for the wedding preparations, so let us take one worry away from you with our wedding reception card templates. What about that other aunt and uncle, their children, our cousins? Long story short, we’re not rich, and upon adding up all the expenses for our big day, I would panic, cry myself to sleep, get angry, and generally not even enjoy the fact that, I was about to marry my soul mate. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. How Do I Respond To My Future MIL Shit Talking My Engagement Ring. Time: 1 hour. Wedding Reception Outside of Utah. A sheer runner falling to the floor, along with lace draped chairs will give you some drama for an Edwardian style dinner party. Instead of a plated dinner, you can go with stations or a buffet for something more cost-effective. Her old okcupid profile said she’s really good at: fixing socially awkward situations at parties, return trips to Ikea, whipping up excellent mac and cheese on camping trips, leaping into the ocean, being chronically late, and having Friday night adventures all over Brooklyn. Am I asking people to fly into the Canary Islands for a food-free celebration, or does my wedding just not look the way they thought it should? But skip the gels and floor lights and add your own flare by filling the room with strategically-placed lights to give the room a romantic glow. Consider this list of wedding game ideas when planning the perfect love-filled wedding day.. Kid-Friendly Wedding Games The idea of sharing a moment with your husband, all decked out and gorgeous in your finery, grinning at each other over cheesy slices, and then heading out to get caught up in the excitement of it all sounds absolutely perfect. I almost thought so. Cocktail hour is the kickoff to the reception and should last at least an hour. How have you balanced trying to meet other people’s needs with what you really want to happen? That’s the rub of wedding planning. Much more “us” than a huge wedding would have been. Classic entertainment ideas for weddings: Disco A morning wedding followed by a brunch or lunch reception gives you the ability to provide a nice meal which is usually much cheaper than a full dinner. 1. We just want them to be there because we love them, and it would be a blast to have them there to celebrate with us. When you go to rent the reception hall, you'll have to give a rounded figure of approximately how many guests you're likely to have. You’ve already beautifully articulated it. That makes sense, but they have three kids, and we can’t expect them to leave their children while they go out. Photo Booth. Related: 25 Ways to Transform Your Wedding With Lighting But above all, a wedding reception should be organized. If you are going for a more rustic look, use mismatched chairs in an outdoor setting. Even receptions without a full meal, such as a dessert reception or appetizer reception, can use an itinerary to make sure the reception stays on schedule. Should I Let My BFF Know I’m Upset That I’m Not Her MOH? A Practical Wedding: Wedding Planning, Inspiration, and Ideas. 8. The meal at a wedding can be a seated dinner or buffet. So we’ve tossed around the idea of taking some folks out for dinner—again. It’s a good idea to start with the Best Man and Maid of Honor toasts and then follow with anyone else you have asked to toast. We’re having my maid of honor, his best man, a nice venue, speeches, our first dance, the father/daughter dance, the mother/son dance, cake cutting, bouquet toss, garter toss, a wedding dress and a suit, and there will be a slideshow playing with all the pictures from our ceremony. The average cost of wedding meal each person for a buffet or hors d’oeuvres reception without cocktail hour and a limited bar ranges from $30 to$70. But all these other people are traveling too. Download PDF, This Is The Easiest Way to Get—And Gift—Your Wedding Album, Get Wedding Deals, Support Wedding Vendors. So your ducks are in a row; now all you have to do is keep them there. Let’s Plan This Thing. So, we talked about it, and surprised our immediate family shortly before Christmas 2013 saying, “Come and join us in February for our wedding!” It was a great, intimate day—just us, our parents, my best friend, and his brother. Here's access to every wedding planning checklist you need! If you don’t have … I like the idea of just me and my husband sharing a pizza in our hotel room while we’re all dressed up, and just having a moment to be us before we go out and have the big evening. These affiliate advertising programs are designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com, and their affiliated sites as well other digital retailers. Then he wants his aunt and uncle who will be coming in from out of town to help his grandparents. Team Practical, how have you reined it in when things start to slide away from your vision? I still feel a little guilty that we did not have a receiving line at our wedding, something my dad really wanted. Home Holidays & Events Events & Gatherings Baby Shower. From beloved lawn games to professional performers, and even printing your face on a cocktail, here are 16 unique wedding reception ideas — with and without dancing Challenge Guests to a Game I know this shouldn’t be about everyone else. Greenery Usually the wedding planner, MC or venue manager is in charge of keeping things in order. If your guests have known the fact in advance, then it is not rude at all. ALL CONTENT COPYRIGHT © 2019 – MEG KEENE, PRACTICAL MEDIA INC. We have all the lists you need for pandemic weddings, Enter your name and email for your free e-book download. Now it’s fall, and we’re hosting a “celebration dance” for the rest of our family and friends, which will start at 7 p.m. We want it to feel like we’d just gotten married that day, so people could still feel like they were a part of it. In September 2013, she married her introverted, punctual K. Please read our comment policy before you comment. When we say it's okay to serve heavy hors d'oeuvres, we really do mean heavy. Indeed, from this viewpoint, your whole wedding celebration seems like it’s going to be such a nice time. Provide your guests with all the photo booth props they need to create those Kodak moments. Reception cards for weddings are a traditional way of giving information about the events happening after the wedding ceremony, much so when your reception occurs at a different location. Elisabeth Snell is guest writing the Ask Team Practical column while Liz Moorehead is on maternity leave. These Embellished Veils Are My Favorite DIY Project Of All Time, How to Make A Killer Denim Jacket For Your Wedding. Mismatched Chairs. In short, there will be everything you would expect at a wedding reception—except a huge meal. In some states, like Massachusetts, traditional bar setups are prohibited (as of publication date), so wedding caterers are adjusting accordingly. And, yes, you calculated this right—my husband and I waited for three years to throw a proper wedding reception for about 80 of our closest friends and family. Chocolate-Covered Cheese with Black Sea Salt, Tortellini & Shrimp Skewers with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. As both a freelance lifestyle writer and editor for a national teen magazine, Amanda spends most of her time creating #content. You wedding invitation should, however, let it be clear that your guests should not expect a traditional dinner at the reception. Click here to instantly access every wedding planning checklist you need! We've included all the events that typically happen at wedding receptions, and this simple five-hour timeline can be customized for any style of reception, whether you're hosting a seated dinner, a buffet-style meal or a wedding brunch.Feel free to remove any … 40 Simple Wedding Food Ideas You Can Pull Off Without a Caterer Amanda Tarlton Updated: Feb. 21, 2019 Weddings can get expensive, so it's important to save money where you can—like by cutting out the cost of catering. Source: Curalate. You want to do it all, you can’t do it all, and if you did it all, would it even end up being the wedding you wanted to have? But even though it very obviously says “Celebration with drinks, cake, and dancing—midnight lunch will be served” on the invite, we’re feeling like a lot of people are expecting dinner. I don’t even know any more, and we both just wish we weren’t even having this dance anymore. We’ve got us, our parents, my maid of honor and her boyfriend, his best man, our grandparents. Q: My husband and I got married this past February 2014 (yay!). Wedding Reception Ideas 18 Creative Ways to Set Your Reception Tables ... One way to make your wedding stand out from the rest is to add a unique touch to your dinner table. We got married in a beautiful historic hotel in a big suite overlooking the city, and then took everyone out to dinner that evening. Well, sure, the people might want options. 6. Having a food truck or two pull up to your reception is an awesome catering trend that allows for a relaxed and free-flowing vibe. Right? But it would not have made us happy. Yes, as long as your reception is not scheduled during expected dinner times, then it is absolutely fine not to serve dinner. YES. He likes it too, but we’re feeling guilty. Not to mention a great deal of our family isn’t even coming, which, I get it. What’s more, many of these games are easy to DIY and require little to no materials at all. Although if you're anticipating a more grazing-style party, this probably won't be … A low-cost backyard wedding with a focus on good food and great company has so much charm. We’re trying to make it really fun (we even have a scavenger hunt, and whoever finishes it first gets to pick a song for us to have a dance off!). 7. Now that we’ve established the difference between a wedding reception and wedding dinner in Utah, let’s talk about how a wedding reception is defined elsewhere. Ask any wedding planner, and they’ll tell you that adding a lighting plan to your reception venue is an ambiance essential. When a wedding reception is referenced outside Utah, they are indicating a party that is more like a Utah wedding dinner. We had originally planned a big wedding because, well, it seems that’s just what you do, right? Thanks for submitting. So as long as you’ve clearly communicated what’s going to happen, you’ve pretty much done all you can do. And if that isn’t enough, here are more unconventional wedding planning ideas if you are on a budget! Just keep in mind that guests won't get fed quite as quickly or simultaneously. Perfect. Of course, the problem with that, as we often say around these parts, is that ducks are wily. The grand entrance might involve presenting some or all of the wedding party, the parents, and/or the bride and groom. And then you, or your mother, or your fiancé start to worry that “the people want options.” Then you worry about hurt feelings and not offending anyone, and then you’re back to trying to throw every wedding option that ever was into the mix, so everyone feels like they’re a part of it and got what they wanted, even when you’ve already clearly realized you cannot afford it, and maybe don’t even want it. You think you’ve come up with a good plan that will keep your guests happy, cared for, and well fed. I know once the day is here, it will be fun. You Can Wear Your Dream Dress In A Pandemic. But all these painful, “So you want me to come all this way for a measly dance, pay for a hotel room and travel, and not even get fed?” looks are really starting to get to me. Especially when they live six hours away and are retired, or say they couldn’t book time off even though the September date was well known throughout both our families from when it was supposed to still be a big wedding. If you would like to ask Team Practical a question please don’t be shy! You missed the actual ceremony, it’s just a dance, but it still hurts. The reception! You Got Engaged In A Pandemic! And then you have to remind yourselves, over and over, that you have crafted a thoughtful, meaningful event within the bounds of what feels right to the two of you and what you can afford. If you would prefer to not be named, anonymous questions are also accepted. There are several ways of cutting down the cost for such events. “We’re passing beverages butler style for the cocktail hour, and once guests are seated for dinner, servers are taking drink orders and serving the guests,” says Briggs. How Do I Celebrate My Friends Who Had To Cancel Their 2020 Wedding? We suspected that what we’d want most after marrying each other was a little breathing room to giddily hug and make out. It was a beautiful wedding, we had a wonderful time, and it didn't feel like just another "cookie-cutter" wedding. Please refresh and try again. Grand entrance. But what they need is for you to communicate clear expectations. In those (rare) moments when she's not at her desk typing furiously, she's likely teaching a hot yoga class, reading the latest chick-lit or baking a batch of her famous scones. Depending on the logistics of your wedding reception, cocktail hour typically begins immediately following the ceremony (if the ceremony and reception are held at the same venue), or about 30 minutes later (if there’s travel involved). Another option, especially popular on the East and West Coast of the United States, is having a grand entrance instead of a receiving line. And that’s a lesson I suspect most of us will re-learn over and over, because it extends to way more than wedding planning. One of them is to plan for simple wedding reception … If you want to cut down costs even more, you can do something untraditional like … There are many alternatives to celebrating your wedding reception without dancing if you’re not into cutting the matrimonial rug. Full stop. But’s it’s too late to cancel, and really, we don’t want to cancel—we just hate all the stress and games. Meg is the Founder of APW, and has been the sites EIC for the past twelve years. I don’t need to tell you where the line is. Wouldn’t it have been an easy thing to just give him, to make him happy? No Dinner Doesn’t Mean No Food. For this reason, providing them with a wedding reception timeline is a must. Here’s How 10 Couples Rocked Their Wedding Music Without a Band or DJ. We’ve included a five hour reception timeline and answered 7 common reception and party questions to keep your unforgettable night running smoothly. There’s nothing wrong with an individually plated and served meal Do I sound selfish? Your wedding reception is supposed to be a lot of things: a celebration of love for your partner, a time for your friends and family to express their joy for you, a tasty dinner, a raucous party. Help! It includes salads and hors d’oeuvres served in stations or buffet style plus a bar serving only wine and beer. It was perfect, it was exactly right, and yet I STILL feel badly about not “giving” my dad his receiving line. If the answer is yes, you have clearly communicated what’s going to happen, then you graciously re-explain why you’ve chosen to celebrate your marriage in the way that you have, and hope for the best. You’ve also met my hard rules of having some sort of food if you’re serving alcohol, and starting late enough so that folks can grab a bite to eat on their own before things get started. Do We Have To Stream Our Wedding Since We Cut Our Guest List? Set up a lounge area – I can not stress this one enough. Grab our free pandemic wedding planning e-book, Thanks for submitting. Though it really makes our day when you come up with a clever sign-off! Wedding Ceremony & Reception Wedding Reception Ideas ... your aisle with plush rugs and seating your guests at picnic tables to serving your favorite food chain's cuisine for dinner, there are an endless number of ways to introduce laid-back details to your big day. Meg’s work has been referenced in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, Jezebel, and Refinery29.She’s also written hugely viral wedding articles for Buzzfeed. Can you really have a wedding reception without one? Set down your budget. But even though it very obviously says “Celebration with drinks, cake, and dancing—midnight lunch will be served” on the invite, we’re feeling like a lot of people are expecting dinner. A very late evening wedding with the ceremony starting at 8 and followed by snacks, cake, drinking, and dancing late into the night. Will they be hurt? On sticking to your guns, even when everyone else has an opinion. Wouldn’t it be rude to not invite them too? Of course, while simultaneously holding your line, you have to make space for the hurt feelings you might encounter when folks do not like your line, and the hurt feelings you might have at their reactions—even when you know you’ve been as thoughtful and careful as you can. The best you can do is craft something that’s going to matter for you and your new partner, and then provide explicit, clear expectations for your friends and family: here’s what the night will be like, here’s what you’re celebrating, and here is what is NOT going to happen. (In fact, I also feel vaguely guilty about approximately another one hundred wedding-ish things we did not do and could have done, but not all that guilty, because then I remember that we had exactly the right wedding for us.). Away from the eating tables/dinner area, create a “hang … Wedding reception games get guests of all ages out of their chairs and dancing, taking pictures or throwing that bocce ball. Another way to continue the gentlemanly theme is to cater your wedding with cigars complete with vintage boxes and accessories. Hosting a daytime wedding reception doesn't mean you have to work with a limited number of menu choices; in many cases, you'll find that your wedding food and drink options are actually broader by day than they are by night.