What do you DO after a brunch wedding?

BuckeyeKate

Hi all,
My fiance and I are very excited about our Saturday brunch wedding in October. Our venue (a restaurant) has a fabulous menu, great view, top service, etc....and the only catch is that we have to leave by 4:30 so they can prepare for the dinner hour. We are having our ceremony at 11:30 and then going immediately to the brunch. Other than leaving by 4:30...we have no idea what to DO!

We thought about our OOT guests (around 90 people invited out of 150) a lot when we made the decision to go the brunch route vs. dinner, and ultimately decided that they could figure out their own evening plans.  Now that we are getting closer to the wedding, they (and of course, our parents) are really, really wanting to know what's happening after the reception. Should they stay in the area on Saturday night? Do we reserve the block of hotel rooms later? Is there an after-party? And if so, where and who pays? Who would be invited? What are my fiance and I doing? Etc, etc...the questions that were resolved/non-issues before, well are issues again.

So smart and oh-so-wise women who had or are planning brunch wedding...any tips or advice about what you and/or your guests did or will do?

Many thanks!

Kate

Milsey32

Have you checked out anything that's happening in town that weekend? (Google search your date and area... I did for mine and found out there will be a film festival nearby!) Are you on a budget? Do you think all OOT guests will want to spend more time with you (not to sound rude, but I mean, they may want down time if they're that type of person)?

LuluP82

Well can you afford to host an after party? If you want can and want to, then go ahead and invite people to another party, but if you do, you have to pay for them.

If you don't want to or can't afford an after party, just say you don't have anything planned. You're doing  your duty as hosts by hosting the brunch. People are grown-ups and can do whatever they like-- your instinct was right!

jessicabessica

Ditto Lulu.  If you can afford to host an after party and would like to do so, go for it.  If not, people can figure out what to do with themselves.  You can provide an info sheet for out of town guests with restaurant recommendations or tourist attractions if you'd like. 

As for the hotel room block, I think it would be nice to see if you can secure the block rate for Saturday night in case people want to stay that night, too.   I would guess whether they stay or not depends on how far they're traveling and what their preferences are, but you don't have an obligation to host anything after the brunch reception. 

alithebride

block rooms then-its not like it costs you anything.
provide people with ideas for the evening local attactions, museum ideas, great lounges or restaurants or shows or beaches or whatever.

LuluP82

Although I just re-read your post and it looks like peoplemight be asking if they should plan to stay on Sat night. I think the answer should be:

"The reception is over around 4. Of course, there are many things to do in our area this time of year, like x, y, z if you'd like to make a weekend of it."

Are they staying in a hotel on Friday night? Can't you extend the block for Saturday night as well? For ours, the rate was Thursday-Sunday.

BuckeyeKate

Thanks all for your thoughts!  The hotel block for the extra night would not be such a big deal at all- OOT guests are planning on staying on Friday night. The thing with an "after party" is that it would really be *dinner*, right? And well, we're hosting a great brunch and wouldn't want to host a dinner. We have a budget we are happy about, could have done dinner, but just chose brunch instead (our first date was brunch). If our four families (doubly-divorced) want to get together after the wedding in groups - sounds like they can plan that themselves and we'd be happy to visit. We are not the cruise directors for every hour they are in town, though we'd be happy to see the folks that want to spend more time with us.

LuluP82

I agree with you it would be a dinner. You're better off just saying you don't have anything else planned. If the day of you change your mind, you can always tell people you'll be at X place having drinks if they want to swing by. Then, it's not an official wedding event and you don't have to host it.

You might be so tired and not want to do anything else, honestly. I'd imagine for a brunch wedding, your ceremony is pretty early...