Post-private ceremony party venues + etiquette

awbullock

Me and my fiance plan to get legally married after being engaged for more than a year and having a daughter together. We need to get married sooner rather than later for legal reasons and especially for our daughter, but we do want to celebrate with a reception with family and friends at some later point. Does that mean we have to have another ceremony before that reception? I feel like its pointless to do a big huge thing with another ceremony if we're already married.  Any venue ideas for a party like this? I am new to the area. 

I'm also not sure how it all works if you're throwing a party that's wedding-related, but doesn't have a ceremony before it. Do you still serve dinner? Cocktail reception? Etc...Anyone with experience with this and how it's supposed to go, feel free to let me know hahah

daubachsgirl23

Don't have a second ceremony.  The reception should be more like a party--no big white dress (a white cocktail dress would be appropriate), no spotlight dances, garter toss, etc.

You could take everyone out to a restaurant or you could rent a hall (like a Knights of Columbus hall or something like that), or you could have a backyard BBQ celebration--any kind of party you want to throw.  If the party occurs during a meal time (noon-2ish or 4-7ish), I would have an actual meal for your guests.  It doesn't have to be plated or anything fancy, but it should be enough to constitute a meal.  If it's during an off-time, you can just do hors d'ouevres and desserts. 

If you send out invitations, you can word it like "Mr. & Mrs. awbullock request the pleasure of your company at a reception celebrating their recent marriage" or something to that effect.