What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?

lunarsongbird

When you have been a guest at someone's wedding- what has been your favorite part of the entire thing?

And if you are so inclined- ask your facebook friends and then report back on what their favorite part is.

Ollie08

My favorite part is all of the dancing/drinking/more dancing. I think that's when people have the most fun and can really celebrate why they're there.

marleylikeair

Usually the ceremony. I love a good cry.

But partying it down after dinner is fun, too. That's how BF and I got together.

cu97tiger

I love the opportunity to see a group of friends. It's so tough these days to get a group of friends together, and a wedding is a perfect excuse! So getting to hang out, drink and dance with friends/family is the best part. 

My seconnd favorite part is the first dance of the couple. So cute and 'awww' inspiring

loves2shop4shoes

I'll give you a hint.

No, but seriously, I love the vows.  I cry every time, even if I'm watching someone get married on tv.

CASK85

The ceremony by far.  And then cocktail hour. 

My least favorite part is the dancing. I always feel super awkward and kind of embarrassed during the dancing part. I have fun, but in the back of my mind I can't shake that "this is weird - like an awkward high school dance for grown ups" feeling. 

Wrkn925

My favorite part of the last wedding I went to was the way they gave away the bouquet.

They started with all married couples dancing, the said, "If you've been married 2 hours, sit down." (Bride and groom sit.)
Then, "If you've been married 1 yr, sit down." (Then they do 5,10, etc., until the couple who have been married the longest are standing alone.)
At that wedding, it was my grandparents.  They had been married 60 years.

Last couple standing gets the bouquet.

calindi

My first favorite part is watching the groom before the bride comes in, and his face as she walks down the aisle.  Love it!  I love watching the bride and groom's parents as they watch their children say their vows.  It's all so awesome!

My second favorite part is usually the cocktail hour.  Everyone's chatting, munching, and drinking.  What's not to like?  And I don't get forced into sitting with someone I don't like or don't know like I do during dinner.  I can stand and what with whomever, and when I feel like it, excuse myself and move on to another group without awkwardly trying to continue a conversation that died awhile ago.  I guess I'm just still jaded from having to sit at dinner at my friend's wedding a few weeks ago without FI as he was gone, and I was seated with an entire table of close friends so they all knew each other.  I ended up eating in silence most of the time and it sucked.

Dancing's fun, but sometimes it can feel forced if the music's bad or if it's super hot where you're dancing.  We actually had the bride send her bridesmaids out onto the porch to request everyone come back inside and dance since the dance floor was empty.  Uh, it's empty because it's HOT and this is where the drinks and fresh air are!

MLekathLEEN

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:33a99077-49f7-4c75-a299-0b7aad206440">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]I'll give you a hint. No, but seriously, I love the vows.<strong>  I cry every time, even if I'm watching someone get married on tv.
</strong>Posted by loves2shop4shoes[/QUOTE]

Thank goodness I'm not the only person who does this!!

My favorite part is the food (cake included, duh) and seeing old friends.

Beads921

I like the ceremony, if it's short and sweet and not overly religious (a rarity). I like it best when they write their own vows - so sweet Generally, the vows and first kiss are my favourite.

marleylikeair

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:d644ba9a-b298-4d0a-baa5-535e25bfb47c">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]My favorite part of the last wedding I went to was the way they gave away the bouquet. They started with all married couples dancing, the said, "If you've been married 2 hours, sit down." (Bride and groom sit.) Then, "If you've been married 1 yr, sit down." (Then they do 5,10, etc., until the couple who have been married the longest are standing alone.) At that wedding, it was my grandparents.  They had been married 60 years. Last couple standing gets the bouquet.
Posted by Wrkn925[/QUOTE]

This is such a nice gesture. If I remember correctly, your grandparents and mine have been married about the same amount of time, yes? Mine got married in December of 1947. Maybe I'll have to file this bouquet idea away for the future! <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-smile.gif" border="0" alt="Smile" title="Smile" />

Dammit, lunar. This thread is making me all misty at work!!

ADTonk

I love the drinking/dinner/dancing - especially when it's a wedding that all of your good friends are also invited to. I don't like to go out and dance with people that i don't know.

ravenray

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:49676ac7-7eb7-43d2-a4a3-347635817463">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]My first favorite part is watching the groom before the bride comes in, and his face as she walks down the aisle.  Love it!  I love watching the bride and groom's parents as they watch their children say their vows.  It's all so awesome! Posted by calindi[/QUOTE]

This is my favorite part too!!!  But after that is the dancing.  I enjoy dancing a lot :)  That is about it though.  I think we should have a post about our least favorite things because I have a bunch of them ;)

calindi

Wrkn - that's what we're doing!  I am not a fan of bouquet/garter tosses - I would rather honor marriage and commitment than what I view as mocking my friends who are still single by making them come on the dance floor and fight over a bouquet or a garter.  We're going to do exactly what you said, to the song "You're Still the One" and give the final couple the bouquet and a bottle of champagne.

lunarsongbird

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:c607ec5e-6793-4197-9523-4af44ee5bbe9">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions? : This is my favorite part too!!!  But after that is the dancing.  I enjoy dancing a lot :)  That is about it though.  I think we should have a post about our least favorite things because I have a bunch of them ;)
Posted by ravenray[/QUOTE]

I already feel like such a post wench today....Raven- you should tooottally open this post!

ravenray

Lunar- It has been done.  Now go forth and post!

lunarsongbird

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:cff3967f-1740-4085-8367-86549e380ae0">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]Wrkn - that's what we're doing!  I am not a fan of bouquet/garter tosses - I would rather honor marriage and commitment than what I view as mocking my friends who are still single by making them come on the dance floor and fight over a bouquet or a garter.  We're going to do exactly what you said, to the song "You're Still the One" and give the final couple the bouquet and a bottle of champagne.
Posted by calindi[/QUOTE]

This is SO freaking cute! I don't think we'll have enough people at our imaginary wedding to do this, but I've thought about it before.

csousa1

Drinks & dancing I am part of a huge Portuguese family, so this literally goes on all night.

loves2shop4shoes

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:adcbd6b5-d64d-475c-b4d6-3d3b5f8dd56d">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]Drinks & dancing :) I am part of a huge Portuguese family, so this literally goes on all night.
Posted by csousa1[/QUOTE]

<div>Dudeeee...you're Portuguese too?!  Falas Portugues?!</div>

leia1979

My favorite thing I've seen at a wedding was the chair lift. My friend is Jewish, her husband isn't, but she wanted to incorporate this tradition. She almost chickened out, but it was awesome. We all danced around them in a circle. The bride's expressions were priceless--they swung from panicked terror to exhilaration.

PaigeMcC

Getting to see/know people you haven't seen/didn't know.  I love the sense of happiness and community that a wedding provides.  And if your wedding doesn't do this then it's invalid and shitty.

Paige has spoken =P

lunarsongbird

I just wanted to laught about how I'm almost only getting knotties responding to my facebook question of this. LOL.

So here are some of my responses thus far:  

- open bar :-)

- I loves me some cross-posting. ;-) I answered already, but I love the vows/ceremony. I cry. Dancing and drinks later on are great, too. Also, what our friend said about the first dance. That makes me all gushy.

- Karaoke! Photobooths! Donuts! Okay, so I've never actually been to a wedding with those things, but I think they would be really fun. 

- I ♥ the vows.

- Food- especially if there is an unexpected dessert treat at the end of the night.

jorja86

Ceremony-I love watching the bride walk down the aisle, and the look on the groom's face when he sees her for the first time.

Reception-Cocktail hour and the dancing.

Peaseblossom55

A few things

defintely the drinking and dancing

and the cake

as mentioned earlier, the look on the groom's face when he first sees his bride walking down the aisle.

lunarsongbird

So it sounds like that for the guests- NOT having a first look is desirable- yes?

calindi

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:5ab3ab21-5316-4b19-bacf-70f9d63091d9">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]So it sounds like that for the guests- NOT having a first look is desirable- yes?
Posted by lunarsongbird[/QUOTE]

I personally don't think a first look takes away from the moment where the groom sees his bride walking down the aisle.  You just end up with two moments - the first look and the moment he sees her at the end of the aisle.  As FI explained it when I asked if he cared if we had a first look, he said that even if he sees me in the dress, it will be incredibly emotional to realize that the woman walking towards him will be his wife in a few short minutes.

CASK85

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:5ab3ab21-5316-4b19-bacf-70f9d63091d9">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]So it sounds like that for the guests- NOT having a first look is desirable- yes?
Posted by lunarsongbird[/QUOTE]
I doubt that the guests would be able to tell. <div>
</div><div>I went to a wedding 2 weeks ago where they did a first look/photos, but the groom still teared up and had a hard time holding it together while the bride walked toward him. It was sweet :) I only knew he had already seen her b/c I was in the wedding party. </div><div>
</div><div>We're doing a first look because we want awesome photos and don't want to have a 3 hour gap between the ceremony and reception. Plus it might give me some chance not to totally bawl (unattractively) my way down the aisle. </div>

lunarsongbird

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:edf6ec78-221b-462d-85d5-1df0f681dbaa">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions? : I doubt that the guests would be able to tell.  I went to a wedding 2 weeks ago where they did a first look/photos, but the groom still teared up and had a hard time holding it together while the bride walked toward him. It was sweet :) I only knew he had already seen her b/c I was in the wedding party.  We're doing a first look because we want awesome photos and don't want to have a 3 hour gap between the ceremony and reception. <strong>Plus it might give me some chance not to totally bawl (unattractively) my way down the aisle. 
</strong>Posted by cschiano[/QUOTE]

This... I am so emotional! I'm afraid I'm just going to bawl all the way down the aisle!

desertsun

I like the vows, the booze, the cake, dancing. Food is usually an issue since I'm a veggie. I've learned to eat right before going to a wedding or I will be grumpy b/c I'm starving. Or I get a leeeetle too drunk b/c my tummy is empty. No bueno.

but I love how even strangers become friends on the dance floor of a good wedding.

desertsun

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_favorite-part-of-weddingsreceptions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:c0c58757-4419-4726-af7e-544f7782b1ffPost:cb3c18fc-0375-47cb-80df-a31f0304cbe4">Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What is your favorite part of Weddings/Receptions? : Question: do weddings you've been to not have vegetarian entrees? Or is it a matter of it not being enough food? 
Posted by LivLeighton[/QUOTE]

I've only been to a few weddings, but my experience has been:

Twice, there was no veggie option for a plated dinner, so I ordered whatever and just ate sides. There weren't apps at these weddings either, as I recall, and even if there were, I doubt there would have been veggie options.

A couple times there have been buffets, and I was expected to go through the buffet like everyone else and make do with a couple of sides.   But of course I didn't feel like I could ask for extra or go through twice, b/c I didn't want to be taking someone else's portion, if that makes sense.

At the one wedding where the bride actually put the effort into getting me a full veggie meal, it was served stone cold.

The only wedding I've been to where I actually got enough to eat was my sister's, b/c she and her husband are vegan, and there was nothing with meat in it. It was GLORIOUS.

I realize part of it is my own fault, but I don't like acting like a princess and demanding I get more food, that it be taken back, whatever. Esp at someone else's wedding, I do not want to cause a scene or demand attention. You know?

zipis1

I'm gonna be corny here:

Seeing the people I love get married.

Also cake.