No Reception

GMCorbin

Due to time constraints, we will be leaving the church immediately after the wedding to head to the airport and therefore are not planning on having a reception. Is that okay? What do we tell our guests? Should we have a reception even though we won't be there?

climbingsingle

You need to host something for the people that you are inviting. You can't do a cake & punch reception for an hour? 

Also, what if you are running behind that day? Are you really that limited on time? What if you miss your flight? 

southernbelle0915

GMCorbin said:

Due to time constraints, we will be leaving the church immediately after the wedding to head to the airport and therefore are not planning on having a reception. Is that okay? What do we tell our guests? Should we have a reception even though we won't be there?

No, it's not ok. A reception is where you "receive" your guests and thank them for attending your ceremony. So you host something that's appropriate for the time of day - a meal if meal time, snacks/cake if not.

My suggestion would be to move your ceremony up a couple hours and host something before you leave for the airport. Or change your flights so you leave later/the next day.

But no, as planned this is against etiquette.

lyndausvi

not cool.   If you invite guests you need to have some sort of a reception.  And hour or 2 cake and punch reception is fine.

jacques27

Nope. If you have guests, they must be properly hosted immediately afterwards. If you are under that much of a time crunch, then it sounds like eloping or having a private wedding with no guests is the best option for you.

If you want guests, then something has to give. You eat the costs of changing your tickets to a later flight or find a way to have the ceremony earlier in the day. The reception doesn't have to be long and elaborate. It just needs places to sit and food appropriate to the time of day-such as cake and punch during a non-meal time. This is where you personally greet each guest - the reception is a thank you to your guests for attending your ceremony. But properly hosting your guests is not optional. It is rude to invite guests and not host them properly.

levioosa

GMCorbin said:

Due to time constraints, we will be leaving the church immediately after the wedding to head to the airport and therefore are not planning on having a reception. Is that okay? What do we tell our guests? Should we have a reception even though we won't be there?

No.  This is not okay.  The reception is the thank you to your guests for attending your ceremony.  It would be very rude to leave without providing a reception for your guests.  If you do not have time to host guests properly, then you should have a private wedding ceremony with just yourself, and FI.  Anyone who attends the ceremony must be hosted afterwards, whether it is a 1-2 hour cake and punch reception, or a full dinner.  If you are having the ceremony at a meal time, then a meal must be provided.  

JaxInBlue

Agree with PPs.  A reception is a thank you to those who took the time to attend your ceremony.  You need to do something following your ceremony. 

What time is your ceremony?  Could you move your service up by an hour to accommodate a light appetizer reception? As long as your ceremony doesn't straddle a meal time, light appetizers (or cake and punch or cookies or pie or whatever), would be a fine menu.

You and your spouse need to stay long enough to greet and thank your guests for their time, whether by visiting tables/small groupings or doing something like a receiving line.  I think it's fine if the gathering continues after you leave, but I'd be super annoyed if you did nothing, especially if I've taken time and made the effort to attend your ceremony and likely to provide a gift.

banana468

GMCorbin said:

Due to time constraints, we will be leaving the church immediately after the wedding to head to the airport and therefore are not planning on having a reception. Is that okay? What do we tell our guests? Should we have a reception even though we won't be there?

You shouldn't invite anyone.

Figure out a new plan - either leave the next day or later in the day or get married a different day.   It's not OK to ask people to be your guests and then not host them. 

GMCorbin

Thanks!

Jen4948

No, it's not okay.  If you invite anyone to your wedding, you must host them afterward.  Either get married on another day, when you're not immediately going to the airport, or go to the airport on some other day.  But what you're planning to do is leave your guests stranded. No matter what you tell them about why you're not planning to host them, it just won't fly (no pun intended).

[Deleted User]

Cake and punch in the basement of a church or wherever you are getting married. 2 hours as someone said. Done.

mntravelingmama

Huh?  You're joking, right?  Why would you plan it this way?  This is absolutely rude and not acceptable.  Please rethink this.

TrixieJess

GMCorbin said:

Due to time constraints, we will be leaving the church immediately after the wedding to head to the airport and therefore are not planning on having a reception. Is that okay? What do we tell our guests? Should we have a reception even though we won't be there?

Your little tag says you've been on here for 6 years, you're fucking kidding right?

Yes, you can have no reception, elope and don't have any guests otherwise you are rude beyond belief.

CMGragain

GMCorbin said:

Due to time constraints, we will be leaving the church immediately after the wedding to head to the airport and therefore are not planning on having a reception. Is that okay? What do we tell our guests? Should we have a reception even though we won't be there?

Reschedule your wedding for an earlier time.  You must greet your guests and have at least a cake and punch reception.  This is not optional.

Knottie1452793924

I would say at the very least you need to offer your guests some type of refreshment following the ceremony and spend an hour or two minimum with them. If you can't do this then maybe you need to plan things a little differently.

Pinksatin91016

TrixieJess said:

GMCorbin said:

Due to time constraints, we will be leaving the church immediately after the wedding to head to the airport and therefore are not planning on having a reception. Is that okay? What do we tell our guests? Should we have a reception even though we won't be there?

Your little tag says you've been on here for 6 years, you're fucking kidding right?

Yes, you can have no reception, elope and don't have any guests otherwise you are rude beyond belief.

Not totally related but I just wanted to note that I signed up for the knot in 2009 I think to help plan my cousin's 2010 wedding but I didn't get engaged myself until 2015. Just saying that can happen.

oh yeah and... OP needs to reschedule. 

OwningAHome1981

Pinksatin91016 said:

TrixieJess said:

GMCorbin said:

Due to time constraints, we will be leaving the church immediately after the wedding to head to the airport and therefore are not planning on having a reception. Is that okay? What do we tell our guests? Should we have a reception even though we won't be there?

Your little tag says you've been on here for 6 years, you're fucking kidding right?

Yes, you can have no reception, elope and don't have any guests otherwise you are rude beyond belief.

Not totally related but I just wanted to note that I signed up for the knot in 2009 I think to help plan my cousin's 2010 wedding but I didn't get engaged myself until 2015. Just saying that can happen.

oh yeah and... OP needs to reschedule. 

Hell, I'm divorced & I still come here!