Daytime wedding. What to do after?

meowcat84

My wedding venue is from 12-5 and it's near where we live. What do might guests do after? My fiancé was thinking guests could come to our house after the wedding. It's small with limited parking. I can't think of any ideas because my fiancé wants to save money and not get a hotel room after and go back home and invite friends. Any ideas?

manateehugger

Well you don't have to do anything after your wedding. Why not just have a lovely afternoon reception with light refreshments. I'm slightly confused on what you're asking.  

If you formally invite people to something, you need to invite every guest and you'll want to feed them if you're invited them over immediately after your wedding (a.k.a. meal time)

Why not informally let everyone know you'll be at X bar, restaurant, other random activity at X:00 time and anyone who wants to join is welcome? That way you aren't obligated to host anyone.   

clarke10

Once your hosted reception is over then you don't have to do anything. You aren't required to entertain people for the remainder of the night. As long as you have a hosted reception immediately following the ceremony, you're all good!

Lauderdale Pink

I agree with all the above.  However, nothing is stopping you from inviting a few, close friends to your house for an intimate "after party".  I also really like the idea from PDKH about letting people know that you will be at a specific location. This lets people know that they are welcome to join, but are on their own for expenses.

AddieCake

I have no idea what our guests did immediately after our morning wedding. Went about their days, I imagine. The wedding was over, so it was no longer our responsibility to provide entertainment for them. We did go out later that night with some.

nicole4793

A couple that I know had a little tea party type of ordeal after their early afternoon wedding. Just a little get together with light refreshments would be great!

mrsbanany

My reception is also from 12-5. We are inviting everyone back to my beach house for some food - lighter things like sandwiches and finger foods since we are having a lot of food at the reception. You are under absolutely no obligation to entertain your guests after the reception ends. But if you wanted to do something afterwards with a few close friends or family that is no problem but you still must extend the invitation to everyone. It is likely that most people, except close friends and family, will decline but the invitation should still be there. What @PDKH said is a really good idea. Say you'll be at whatever bar or whatever restaurant so everyone can meet you. Once you're there you can judge based on who is there if the size is small enough that you can move it back to your house. Just be prepared to feed those people if you do go to your house.

mrsbanany

I just re-read your original post. Since you are not getting a hotel room it might be best to go to a bar or restaurant because at some point in the evening you and your FI will want alone time. If you meet at a restaurant or bar it's much easier for you to leave and let your guests continue the after party than it is to get people to leave your house.

AprilH81

You don't HAVE to entertain anyone once the reception ends.

If you WANT to, then you need to extend the invitation to everyone (or limit it to immediate family).  I would not host something at your house, because then you have no privacy if you get tired and it could be seen as rude (but understandable) to say "party is over, go home" when you want some down time.

I would suggest making an announcement that we will be at "X" bar starting at "x" time if anyone wants to join us.  Then you can leave when you want, you don't have to host people and you still get to visit with friends and family.

As a side note: my FMIL (whom I love dearly) keeps mentioning that FI and I host the parents at our house after the wedding (ends at 4:00 pm) to watch us open presents.  I keep telling her that we don't know what we are doing, but I have no desire to spend the first few hours of our honeymoon with our parents in the house.  lol  Fortunately Fi agrees and the next time she brings it up I can tell her we just want to go home and enjoy some quiet time before we finish packing for the honeymoon.  Everyone says you will be exhausted and the early ceremony time means you will be up earlier than normal so you may not feel up to it once the day is over.

indianaalum

AprilH81 said:

You don't HAVE to entertain anyone once the reception ends.

If you WANT to, then you need to extend the invitation to everyone (or limit it to immediate family).  I would not host something at your house, because then you have no privacy if you get tired and it could be seen as rude (but understandable) to say "party is over, go home" when you want some down time.

I would suggest making an announcement that we will be at "X" bar starting at "x" time if anyone wants to join us.  Then you can leave when you want, you don't have to host people and you still get to visit with friends and family.

As a side note: my FMIL (whom I love dearly) keeps mentioning that FI and I host the parents at our house after the wedding (ends at 4:00 pm) to watch us open presents.  I keep telling her that we don't know what we are doing, but I have no desire to spend the first few hours of our honeymoon with our parents in the house.  lol  Fortunately Fi agrees and the next time she brings it up I can tell her we just want to go home and enjoy some quiet time before we finish packing for the honeymoon.  Everyone says you will be exhausted and the early ceremony time means you will be up earlier than normal so you may not feel up to it once the day is over.

1) She shouldn't be part of you opening gifts. What you received should be private

2) Perhaps (if budget allows) spend the night in a hotel. That solves it all. We did that and it actually was nice to be "unplugged" for a night