Wedding Reception Forum

Late Cake & Champagne Reception ok?

Hi everyone,

We aren't really doing a traditional wedding but I do have some concerns about hosting cake and champagne.

Everyone is coming from Canada to Las Vegas and we have booked a chapel for 1 pm.  Our budget plan is to have cake and champagne in our hotel room (upgraded room with living space) that night around 8 pm.

We have photos scheduled for just after the wedding itself and the family wants to all go out for dinner.  I think we will have a few friends show up too so I thought by having a night time cake and champagne we could all enjoy it?  

Should I do it in the afternoon after the photos instead?  say 330 pm or 4?  We aren't buying supper for everyone, so I figured that would be an awkward time.  Plus having it at night means we can have a party in our room.

Re: Late Cake & Champagne Reception ok?

  • AdeleDazeemAdeleDazeem member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited February 2013
    Your ceremony is at 1pm and then you want to have a reception at 8pm?  You also only want to eat dinner with some of the guests, but not all?  And at a destination wedding, no less?  No no.  You can't do any of this.

    Have your ceremony at 1pm and then host cake and champagne immediately following.  Take pictures either before or after.

    Have your ceremony at 8pm nd then host cake and champagne immediately following.  Take pictures either before or after.

    Pictures do not supercede your responsibility to properly and timely host your guests.

    Also - these people are traveling from far away to see you get married, I personally think they deserve more than cake and champagne for their efforts.
  • I'm with Joy. I would be annoyed if I travelled all that way plus the expense and then had to buy my own dinner several hours after the ceremony and only had some cake and champagne hosted for me later.
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
    image
  • Ok.  so if the chapel won't let us do it that way (photos are to be after, and a trip to the vegas sign ), I should just not have anyone bother coming at all.  Good thing i didn't do up my invites yet.

    We weren't even going to bother with the cake originally.  the wedding was supposed to be in mexico.  We have a budget of 5000 including our hotel stay, flights, food while we are there, bachelor/bachelorette nights out etc....

    Everyone we know already knows we aren't buying dinner, I don't see a problem with that. I guess I could just buy dinner for everyone, not have any photos and not bother with a hotel party or cake.  

    I'm pretty sure if we put it on the invites that we are only doing cake and champagne, people can choose not to come if they want to.  Its a choice to come or not come.  

    I wanted to have a party, buy some alcohol and go from there in the evening since it is vegas.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_late-cake-champagne-reception-ok?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:4152a47d-ba9e-42ca-a925-54bea2ffe084Post:a68acb9f-ffef-4175-8003-d91666490378">Re: Late Cake & Champagne Reception ok?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Ok.  so if the chapel won't let us do it that way (<strong>photos are to be after, and a trip to the vegas sign</strong> ), <strong>I should just not have anyone bother coming at all.  Good thing i didn't do up my invites yet.</strong> We weren't even going to bother with the cake originally.  the wedding was supposed to be in mexico.  <strong>We have a budget of 5000</strong> including our hotel stay, flights, food while we are there, <strong>bachelor/bachelorette nights out</strong> etc.... Everyone we know already knows we aren't buying dinner, I don't see a problem with that. I guess I could just buy dinner for everyone, not have any photos and not bother with a hotel party or cake.   I'm pretty sure if we put it on the invites that we are only doing cake and champagne, people can choose not to come if they want to.  Its a choice to come or not come.   I wanted to have a party, buy some alcohol and go from there in the evening since it is vegas.
    Posted by nbsunshine[/QUOTE]<div><div>
    </div><div>There are a few things wrong with this post.</div><div>
    </div><div>1. Do you have a photographer through the chapel?  That's the only way the chapel could dictate when you do pictures.  Hire another photographer and take pictures outside of the chapel before the ceremony- problem solved.</div><div>
    2. If you don't want to properly host your guests, then elope.</div></div><div>
    </div><div>3. If you can't properly host your guests on this budget, then you should get married privately or change your plans and not have a DW</div><div>
    </div><div>4. You dont need to budget for this, since brides and grooms do not throw these parties for themselves.  These parties are hosted by others as a gift.</div><div>
    </div><div> </div>

    May 2013 February Siggy: Invitations

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  • OP i say if you come the vegas boards the ladies there can assist you with planning with what you want HTH
  • Get dressed early and go take pictures.  Have dinner with whom you please.  Have your ceremony at 8pm followed by cake and punch.

    That's really the best you can do here.
  • OP you need to just elope.  Anyone who travels to your wedding deserves to be fed more than cake and champagne.  DH and I went without things (including a photographer) so that we could properly host our guests, all but two who had come in from OOT.
    Proud to be an old married hag!! image
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_late-cake-champagne-reception-ok?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:4152a47d-ba9e-42ca-a925-54bea2ffe084Post:a68acb9f-ffef-4175-8003-d91666490378">Re: Late Cake & Champagne Reception ok?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Ok.  so if the chapel won't let us do it that way (photos are to be after, and a trip to the vegas sign ), I should just not have anyone bother coming at all.  Good thing i didn't do up my invites yet. We weren't even going to bother with the cake originally.  the wedding was supposed to be in mexico.  We have a budget of 5000 including our hotel stay, flights, food while we are there, bachelor/bachelorette nights out etc.... <strong>Everyone we know already knows we aren't buying dinner, I don't see a problem with that.</strong> I guess I could just buy dinner for everyone, not have any photos and not bother with a hotel party or cake.   I'm pretty sure if we put it on the invites that we are only doing cake and champagne, people can choose not to come if they want to.  Its a choice to come or not come.   I wanted to have a party, buy some alcohol and go from there in the evening since it is vegas.
    Posted by nbsunshine[/QUOTE]<div>
    </div><div>It's just not right.  I can't believe you would have people pay the expense of flights and lodging to see you get married and then you thank them by telling them they have to buy their own dinner.  Doesn't sound like you care about your friends and family much.

    </div>
  • You have got to be kidding me.  You're spending $5K, expecting people to spend the time and money to travel to Vegas, you're throwing your own b-parties, and you can't be bothered to buy people dinner?  How on earth are you spending all that money?  

    You need to cancel the b-parties, cut your trip to one or two nights, and spend the bulk of the $5K on feeding your guests, immediately following your ceremony.  Or just don't invite them and spend the $5K on an elopement and honeymoon.  
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_late-cake-champagne-reception-ok?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:4152a47d-ba9e-42ca-a925-54bea2ffe084Post:a68acb9f-ffef-4175-8003-d91666490378">Re: Late Cake & Champagne Reception ok?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Ok.  so if the chapel won't let us do it that way (photos are to be after, and a trip to the vegas sign ), I should just not have anyone bother coming at all.  Good thing i didn't do up my invites yet. We weren't even going to bother with the cake originally.  the wedding was supposed to be in mexico.  We have a budget of 5000 including our hotel stay, flights, food while we are there, bachelor/bachelorette nights out etc.... Everyone we know already knows we aren't buying dinner, I don't see a problem with that. I guess I could just buy dinner for everyone, not have any photos and not bother with a hotel party or cake.   I'm pretty sure if we put it on the invites that we are only doing cake and champagne, people can choose not to come if they want to.  Its a choice to come or not come.   I wanted to have a party, buy some alcohol and go from there in the evening since it is vegas.
    Posted by nbsunshine[/QUOTE]

    As someone living in Canada, if I was invited, and travelled either 24hrs driving (I've done it!) or flew 3-5hrs, I would expect more than cake and champagne.  My FI just looked over my shoulder and said he would expect supper also!

    There is no need for sarcasim, if that's what the above post is.  It's just if you want to truly share your wedding with the people who are closest to you, show them the proper respect of them travelling so far, and host a proper reception.  I also think with a $5k budget, you can certainly fit in a dinner, whether it's buffet or plated.  Flights and hotel are not that expensive for a couple days in Vegas.  Also look into a group rate if you can guarantee so many rooms/guests for your wedding.
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  • Unless all of the guests already live in Vegas, it seems very rude to not provide them with a meal (at a minimum).

    Of course, if they are traveling to attend, I am the type of person who would be trying to figure out how to cut back on my own trip costs in order to help defray the costs of my guests who are traveling possibly great distances to be there with me.

    My suggestion is to cut the guest list and look for a restaurant that is within your budget.  You may find the cost to be not much more than the cake and champagne you are planning.
    imageimage
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_late-cake-champagne-reception-ok?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:4152a47d-ba9e-42ca-a925-54bea2ffe084Post:a68acb9f-ffef-4175-8003-d91666490378">Re: Late Cake & Champagne Reception ok?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Ok.  so if the chapel won't let us do it that way (photos are to be after, and a trip to the vegas sign ), I should just not have anyone bother coming at all.  Good thing i didn't do up my invites yet. We weren't even going to bother with the cake originally.  the wedding was supposed to be in mexico.  We have a budget of 5000 including our hotel stay, flights, food while we are there, <u>bachelor/bachelorette nights out etc</u>.... Everyone we know already knows we aren't buying dinner, I don't see a problem with that. I guess I could just buy dinner for everyone, not have any photos and not bother with a hotel party or cake.   I'm pretty sure if we put it on the invites that we are only doing cake and champagne, people can choose not to come if they want to.  Its a choice to come or not come.   I wanted to have a party, buy some alcohol and go from there in the evening since it is vegas.
    Posted by nbsunshine[/QUOTE]

    why are these included in your WEDDING budget? you dont pay for these or plan these.
    you need to pay for dinner for your guests.

    yeah see having people travelt o your wedding is different than a few friends getting together getting some alcohol and going from there. it doesn't matter where it is. you cannot pretend that you dont have to host your guests properly just because it's a DW or vegas. do it the right way or dont do it at all.

     

  • edited February 2013
    1) If you have guests at your wedding ceremony, you MUST have some sort of reception.  A group of you having dinner at a restaurant counts as a reception. So does just champagne and cake.  

    2)  A gap between ceremony and reception is rude. Period.  You can get photos between your arrival at a reception and the ceremony by hosting drinks and snacks. This is called cocktail hour. 

    3) You can't have a cocktail hour preceding a champagne and dessert only reception. 

    3) A champagne and dessert reception is simply not enough of an effort on the part of the host to thank guests who come in from out of town.  Period.  Even if you've forewarned guests, it's still pretty crappy.  It's basically saying you expect them to put out a pretty big effort and sacrifice for something that's important to you, but without stepping up to thank them proportionately.   That's like saying "PLEASE spend New Year's Eve with me! It would mean so much!  I'll be providing diet coke and chips." 

    4) You cannot plan your own bachelor/ette parties.  Period. 

    5) ANYONE in attendance at a bachelor/ette party MUST be invited to the wedding and treated appropriately and in accordance with points 1-3. 
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