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Small Ceremony/Large Reception

Lillabet71Lillabet71 member
Second Anniversary First Comment
in Wedding Vows & Ceremony Discussions
My fiance and I have recently talked about having a small ceremony with close family and friends, but a large reception.  We both work in Student Affairs, so we have tons of students and co-workers who we want to be at the reception- but not at a the wedding.  Plus we both aren't 'I like to be the center of attention people' and we want our wedding in a small/intimate location. 

Any suggestions for us when we breach it with our families?  I spoke to my mom about it and shes ok as long as I invite a few key people, but I am quite nervous to talk to my fiances family...
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Re: Small Ceremony/Large Reception

  • AdeleDazeemAdeleDazeem member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 25 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited March 2012
    The only way you can do this is if you make the ceremony truly private.  We're talking <20 people and it should really only be parents, grandparents and siblings. 

    The reception also needs to be quite large in comparison.  The number of people at the ceremony should be 10 - 20% of the reception list.  For example, we had 12 people at our ceremony but 125 at our reception.

    Good luck.

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    10 Comments
    We are doing the same thing, and it took awhile for his family to get used to the idea, but they've been very supportive of us doing things our way. There are some people we invited that we weren't sure would want to come on both so for our RSVPs we gave people an option to RSVP for Ceremony Only, Reception Only or Both.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    10 Comments

    We are also planning on having a friend take some photos at the ceremony and print them at a kiosk in WalMart and put them in a little collage frame to display at the favor table at our reception, that way people that weren't there can still see the pictures right away.

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  • KT020803KT020803
    100 Comments
    Hi there. I'm glad to read others are doing this as well! We are having a private evening ceremony on a Friday and then "inviting everybody and their brother to the reception on a Saturday". Our guest list for the reception is approx. 260 people. The main advice I would have is not to go into too many details about the ceremony in front of people that you know you won't be inviting ( so they don't feel left out).

    We have been getting a lot of raised eyebrows and questions but I have been telling people I always wanted a small private ceremony and everyone else will be invited to the reception to party the next day.

    Good luck with what you decide!
    Anniversary
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  • Lillabet71Lillabet71 member
    Second Anniversary First Comment
    Thanks for all the responses everyone!! Its great to know that others have been successful with doing this. We still aren't sure what we are doing, but hopefully deciding soon!! RetreadBride- o I would love to elope but both of our mothers would have our head...and although I hate hate hate being center of attention- I can't wait to get a wedding dress lol
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