sapphire2009's Green wedding


09/02/2008
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anyone having a second reception?
I've never been to, or even seen a second reception, but we're planning on one! Most of my side won't be able to make it to the ceremony etc. so we figured because we're already planning on going to Europe (France & Italy) for the honeymoon we'd make a quick stop in England and see everyone so that they can celebrate too. (and I'm really homesick at the moment. lol)

I really don't have the first clue where to begin, or what they're even like. Do you have it just like you would your regular reception, or is more like a formal party, or what? It seems a bit awkward to me to do it like a regular reception because well.. it's not a regular reception. We'll have already been married for 2 weeks at that point and it sort of defeats the point. Also, what do we wear? Our suit & dress, or something different?

When I first brought it up, I figured we'd just have a dressy garden party or something in my mum's back yard, but she wants to do it "properly" and have it at a nice pub or a conference room. We don't have much money spare to do this with though. She said that I should just leave the money worry to her- her & my grandmother will figure out a way. um, okay then. But I still need a price cap. Obviously, I don't want it to be huge, but if we invite all of my family and my closest friends it'll still total to being around 100 people at least. But the guest list will be polar opposites- there's my family who are all much older (think 50+, the majority being OAP's) and my friends who are 18-30. Obviously, not everyone likes the same things, not everyones expecting the same things. The 18-30 crowd are going to want to be a bit more raucous than the 50+ crowd. The older crowd would prefer to sip tea & catch up on family gossip. Do I hire a DJ? or a band? I'm sure my friend's band would love to play for us, but the 50+ crowd wouldn't be impressed. I thought perhaps we could do an understated afternoon social for the older crowd, with the younger ones invited as well, but in the evening we could all go out to Stamford or Melton & have a bit of a party to entertain/celebrate with them.

I guess overall, I'm just a bit confused and perhaps a little overwhelmed. So, if you're having a second reception how are you doing it? what are you doing for it? give me some ideas, some inspiration!
reception, international, overseas, england, second, party
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irishpocahontas
 |  Cork, Cork, Ireland  |  09/04/2008
Ok Ive been to a destination wedding and they had a party for everyone when they came back. We are also getting married in Mexico and having a party when we come back for everyone that cant make it as alot of our family cant make it.

So the party when we come back is not a regular reception its more laid back, its just a dj and finger food a happy affair where people are congratulating you. We are wearing our dress and our suit and our bridesmaids will wear their dresses not sure about the GM and Best Man really as they are a law unto themselves. But I want to wear my dress and alot of people wont have seen me and my SIL party where I was in April after they got married in Spain, she wore her dress. Her BM wore their dresses her husband wore a pants and shirt as he and the groomsmen wore rentals for their day.

I am using a room in a hotel that they use for conferences they are waiving the room fee as I am having over 150 people guaranteed there. It will prob near the 250+ really. I am paying for a dj and finger food and they are giving us the bridal suite at a special rate also. We are not having an open bar or anything like that.

First off you should do what suits you and your FH. If you want to hire a dj then you should, I mean I am going to have a mix of ages at mine too but I will give him a playlist. Perhaps if you did this you could ask him to play stuff for the older crowd for the first hour or so and then mix it up. People are there for you two so you should do what suits you, your day your rules.

For the finger food then we are having sandwiches, potato wedges & dips, sausages, chicken, spring rolls etc..

We will ask everyone to come at 8 and the bar will close at 12.30 then as we cant justify paying the $700 for a bar extension of 1 hour. We would rather have our friends stay the night and we all go to the residents bar for awhile. That is our plan anyway if you want anymore help let me know. But this is meant to be a much more relaxed affair.
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