Reception or Cocktail Party? what name?!?!

kaschmid0118

We are doing an evening ceremony starting at 5 pm. We are inviting person's to the 'reception', stating it starts at 7. Do you call it a 'reception' if you are not serving a full dinner, and only serving appetizers and cake? Would 'cocktail party' be more appropriate? Also, how do you inform the select few that will be at the small ceremony that they should probably eat prior to the ceremony?

kristinanddan

If your ceremony is at 5 and reception at 7, guests would either have to rush to eat dinner on the way to the reception, or at like 4 in the afternoon. Like pp said, you really should push the start time of your ceremony back, or serve enough apps to equal a meal.