Reception to follow

Wegl13 · September 2014

Trying to finish up our wedding website before we get our invites out- it has directions, hotel info, etc on there. Wedding is at 2pm, reception is immediately following at the same location, food consistent of heavy apps (salad, veggies, sandwich sliders, lobster, chicken salad) and, of course, cake and cookies. What do I need to put as "information for guests" in this part? Anything? Cut it out?

LondonLisa · September 2014

I would cut it out. Information for guests is usually "Parking is located at X" or "Directions to the reception site" or other pertinent logistics issues. You definitely do not need to put what you will be serving.

Wegl13 · September 2014

Got it. Done.

poodledoodleooo · September 2014

I would include that you are not serving a "sit down meal" by stating that "appetizers, cake and punch" to follow or "cocktail reception" (if that it is what it is). Even though your wedding is at 2, many people may still expect a full meal and pass on apps with the expectation that more is coming. It's a good idea to let them know that this is it so they aren't starving! No need to post exactly what items you are serving though.

Maggie0829 · September 2014

sjf2715 said:

I would include that you are not serving a "sit down meal" by stating that "appetizers, cake and punch" to follow or "cocktail reception" (if that it is what it is). Even though your wedding is at 2, many people may still expect a full meal and pass on apps with the expectation that more is coming. It's a good idea to let them know that this is it so they aren't starving! No need to post exactly what items you are serving though.

I don't know anyone that has ever passed on apps at a wedding. Typically appetizers are more liked then the actual meal.

SP29 · September 2014

I think what LondonLisa said is fine. By the time your reception will start, is not a meal time. If you *want* you can say "cocktail reception" to follow", but "reception" to follow is fine. I love apps!

lc07 · September 2014

Maggie0829 said:

sjf2715 said:

I would include that you are not serving a "sit down meal" by stating that "appetizers, cake and punch" to follow or "cocktail reception" (if that it is what it is). Even though your wedding is at 2, many people may still expect a full meal and pass on apps with the expectation that more is coming. It's a good idea to let them know that this is it so they aren't starving! No need to post exactly what items you are serving though.

I don't know anyone that has ever passed on apps at a wedding. Typically appetizers are more liked then the actual meal.

Yeah, but if I thought a meal was coming I wouldn't eat enough apps to be full. I have attended an event where people were confused about whether this was all the food or not. I don't think it hurts to put that it's a cocktail reception (If it is a cocktail reception). Though I also imagine OPs reception is a short reception. The one I am thinking of spanned a meal time and went late through the night and it was questionable if it was enough apps to constitute a full meal.

Wegl13 · September 2014

Yeah it's going to be like 230-500.

LittlePeachBlossom · September 2014

Do the guests know it ends at 5pm? If not, I'd also include a comment regarding type of meal you're providing. I've been to 2pm weddings and still expected (and was provided) a sit-down meal. But these all ended between 7pm & 8pm. In my circle, it's customary to have 5-6hr receptions.

Wegl13 · September 2014

Holy crap, what do you do for 5-6 hours? I really hope that a 2pm wedding in general indicates that no meal would be served, as it's literally the only time I can find that IN NO WAY overlaps a meal time (1-130: early enough for lunch, any later looks like dinner, and breakfast/lunch can be expected any time between 8 and 12.

I don't want to have to spell it out for people completely, it seems as tacky as writing "no gifts".... I'm trying to indicate by everything else we are having a laid back, afternoon wedding- basically a church and reception hall event, but not at a church. The wedding starts at 2, the invitation is going to say "reception to follow," and it's inside a school house... There's really no indication there will be a sit down meal.

The other thing is.... The menu I was sent from the caterer really makes it sound like, unless you are a giant man-eating hungry person, there really should be enough to make you feel full at the reception even though it's not a "meal." We plan to round up on our numbers for the caterer. So everyone will have a lot of food, two different types of cake, and cookies.

I was thinking, if we have money and time enough closer to the wedding, to have wedding favors of our favorite road trip food and bottles of water. Even if people aren't driving all the way home, the closest hotel that isn't gross is 30 minutes away and I thought it would be nice to have a snack. We won't let them go hungry!

LittlePeachBlossom · September 2014

Wegl13 said:

Holy crap, what do you do for 5-6 hours? I really hope that a 2pm wedding in general indicates that no meal would be served, as it's literally the only time I can find that IN NO WAY overlaps a meal time (1-130: early enough for lunch, any later looks like dinner, and breakfast/lunch can be expected any time between 8 and 12.
I don't want to have to spell it out for people completely, it seems as tacky as writing "no gifts".... I'm trying to indicate by everything else we are having a laid back, afternoon wedding- basically a church and reception hall event, but not at a church. The wedding starts at 2, the invitation is going to say "reception to follow," and it's inside a school house... There's really no indication there will be a sit down meal.
The other thing is.... The menu I was sent from the caterer really makes it sound like, unless you are a giant man-eating hungry person, there really should be enough to make you feel full at the reception even though it's not a "meal." We plan to round up on our numbers for the caterer. So everyone will have a lot of food, two different types of cake, and cookies.
I was thinking, if we have money and time enough closer to the wedding, to have wedding favors of our favorite road trip food and bottles of water. Even if people aren't driving all the way home, the closest hotel that isn't gross is 30 minutes away and I thought it would be nice to have a snack. We won't let them go hungry!

Well, for one, the cocktail hour. (2p-3p) The Reception includes dinner and dancing so this would be the other 4-5 hours.(3p-8p) That time would include all the formalities, probably spaced out a bit with dancing in between and at the end. Weddings are big parties in my circle and we all dance till the end.

ETA

The bolded- not necessarily true. Depends on what each guest's prior wedding experiences are. I think adding 'Cocktail Reception to Follow' or something to that effect will be helpful to your guests.

Wegl13 · September 2014

Except it's not a cocktail reception. Because there won't be any cocktails..... It's also not a cake and punch reception, because there won't be any punch.... There's going to be water, tea, lemonade, coffee, and champagne.... And then lots of tasty food, but not a meal. I really don't think most of our family/friends are going to expect a meal- we are really more of a church reception hall type of crowd.

Wegl13 · September 2014

I'm just saying a cocktail reception implies that their will be cocktails. And a cake and punch reception implies that there will be cake and punch. Which seems MORE confusing rather than less since those things won't be there. I'm one of those people that takes things really literally and if it said punch and there wasn't punch, or cocktails and there weren't cocktails.... It would throw me off for the entire day. I would be looking in every hidden corner for the promised punch. I am weird I know, but the point is, I'm trying to make things LESS confusing, not more., and stating that a reception will be a way it isn't is more confusing.

ETA: This was really to see if anything needed to be put on the website to further explain the reception being at the same venue, without a sit down meal. It doesn't seem like there is anything that needs 'splainin' that won't be explained by word of mouth, so I think I'm going to go with the original suggestion of just not having a "reception" part.

Fairyjen1 · September 2014

I think, and this was a while ago, my cousin who had an 8pm wedding with heavy apps and cocktails put on the invitation something to the effect of "heavy apps will be served immediately following the ceremony." She had cocktails, but I don't remember it being on the invitation, I do remember knowing there would not be a sit down meal, but heavy apps for food.

HeatherKat · September 2014

What if you called it a "light" reception? If I saw that, I wouldn't expect a meal, and it doesn't specify cocktails/punch for your more literal minded folks.

[Deleted User] · September 2014

I like "heavy apps"

Wegl13 · September 2014

Heavy apps. If people are too literal with that, I will feed them free weight sandwiches.

mimivac · September 2014

If I saw "reception to follow," I would definitely expect some sort of meal. I like the "light reception" wording. That way, they know it won't be a sit-down meal, but that some sort of refreshment other than cake and punch will follow.

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