Hi Ladies!
FI & I are having a private (just us 2) DW. Our parents asked us if we were interested in having an AHR that they would gladly host (and help pay for!). I know our moms are a bit bummed that we decided to privately marry, so we agreed to the AHR. We do not have any plans yet, but I would like to bounce some ideas off you ladies and get your opinions.
I am considering a brunch party. My FI and I love brunch and know that our families would enjoy this as well. I would not want to start too early but also not too late, maybe 11:30ish??? The venue we love is semi-formal i guess you could say. Khakis and dress shirt for guys and sundresses for ladies would be typical attire for this venue.
I do not in any way want my marriage celebration to resemble a re-do/do-over wedding. No special dances, bouquet/garter toss, etc...Although one battle I feel I am losing (even with FI) is a cake cutting ceremony. No one understands why I don't want to do a cake cutting. Um, hello! we will be cutting a cake on our wedding day, why do another at our party, KWIM? Everyone says that our guests will expect one and be confused if we don't. I will be wearing a short white dress and FI in a khaki suit.
I would however, like to incorporate some traditional elements of a wedding reception. Such as...place cards (sand dollars & starfish in a sand box), centerpieces (white dendrobium orchids), favors (chocolate sea-shells) and a dance floor. (Like I said NO special dances but the venue offers the dance floor, so why not?!). I also plan to display pics of our wedding and we will also be creating a slideshow of our wedding pics.
My FI is dead set against a sweetheart table. He hates the idea of all eyes on him (which is a HUGE reason we chose to have a private ceremony). We were thinking, we could ask his brother & his date and my sis and her husband to sit with us. Is that wierd?
Sorry if this post is all over the place...I have so many ideas, just trying to sort them all out!