AHR- I need help

ktnicole

We are getting married in FL with a very small intimate group of family.  We want to have a reception back home once we get back from our honeymoon.  I really just don't know how to make it work.  Let me give some details and get some suggestions-plz!!

It will be the weekend before Thanksgiving, in Missouri.  Want to tie the beach theme into the reception.  Planning on greetings guest as they arrive.  Wasn't wanting to serve food- just thinking about some apps/cake/desserts.  But obviously I need a reason for people to actually come to the reception! So I might be reconsidering that. 

Not sure we really want to do the whole dancing thing.  We will have a small dinner reception after the actual wedding and will probably have our dance there.  I really just kind of see the reception as being a mingling thing.  i just dont know how to make that happen. 

Any thoughts/ suggestions? TIA

liz745

Alot of my friends have weddings where the majority of guests are invited to the reception only. What they do is send out a formal wedding invitation that has wording along the path of this:

Jane Doe and John Doe
are to be married at a private ceremony on [DATE]
We invite you to celebrate thier marriage at a reception
To be held at this place and date.

I wouldnt worry about people not having a reason to come, the reason to come is to celebrate with you! Most of my friends did have a cake and some food for people to snake on while they were there. Holding it somewhere casual such as a parents or friends backyard allows people to mingle without it feeling like something is missing. Hope that helped a little