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ceremony vs. reception

fiance82fiance82 member
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in Budget Weddings Forum
My fiance and I have almost no money to spend on a wedding. My parents are not an option because if they help us financially then we get no say in the type of wedding we want so we are not willing to make that compromise. We are trying to decide if we should just have a ceremony and no reception (since the Reception is the most expensive part of the wedding) or if we should have a very low budget/limited guest type reception. Please let me know your thoughts. Thx!
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Re: ceremony vs. reception

  • artbyallieartbyallie mod
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    fiance82 said:
    My fiance and I have almost no money to spend on a wedding. My parents are not an option because if they help us financially then we get no say in the type of wedding we want so we are not willing to make that compromise. We are trying to decide if we should just have a ceremony and no reception (since the Reception is the most expensive part of the wedding) or if we should have a very low budget/limited guest type reception. Please let me know your thoughts. Thx!
    Any guests you invite must be fed, because this is your thank you to them. This can be as inexpensive as cake and punch, as long as you have your wedding at a non meal time, like 2pm. Cut your guest list to save money.
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  • lurkergirllurkergirl member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    Everyone who is invited to the ceremony should really be invited to the reception.  A reception exists to thank guests for attending the ceremony.  There are TONS of ways to cut costs.  PP gave the best advice for a tight budget: cut the guest list and have a non-meal time wedding.




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  • southernbelle0915southernbelle0915 mod
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    The only way you can skip the reception without being SUPER rude is if you invite no one to your ceremony. Like it's you and FI and that's it.

    The reception is the "thank you" to your guests for witnessing your ceremony. A reception does not by any means have to be an over the top, dinner and dancing, all night party with a fancy venue and a DJ. Here's an example of an etiquette friendly reception that is very cost friendly:

    2:00 ceremony with reception from 2:30-5pm; close family and friends only in your back yard or a public park; serving finger foods, cake, and water/lemonade. 

    The keys to saving money are to limit your guest list and stay away from meal time (food = expensive) - if your event spans meal time, you need to serve a meal.
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  • CMGragainCMGragain member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Since it is rude to have guests to your ceremony, but no reception I suggest you have both.
    Have an old fashioned afternoon ceremony followed by sandwiches, cake and punch.  Minimal bridal party, maybe one attendant each.  You can have it in a city park, a back yard, a public garden.  The cake can be a sheet cake from Sam's Club or Costco.
    The most expensive part of your wedding is usually the reception, but it is required, unless you elope.  It doesn't need to be a big production for you to have a wedding.  One rule:  There must be a seat for every guest at both the ceremony and the reception.
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  • JCbride2015JCbride2015 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Either elope, or have a simple non-mealtime reception with cake and punch as PPs have suggested.  It would be terribly rude to have a ceremony without hosting your guests afterward.
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    "I'm not a rude bitch.  I'm ten rude bitches in a large coat."

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  • fiance82fiance82 member
    First Comment
    Thank you everyone for your advice. All comments were very helpful!
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  • Esther MoralesEsther Morales member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer First Comment
    See if your wedding venue has a party room.  You could order just desserts, like a sweets table with a variety of jars and bowls with candy, some cupcakes, cookies, and a wedding cake to cut into (it could be a two tier smaller cake) and then serve a couple of other layer cakes and a couple of pies.  I think for about $200-300 you can do a nice spread and call it a day.  You could provide cello bags from the 99 cents store so people could take home the treats.

    Of course, have the wedding early -- like about 11:30 AM or so, and then coffee and treats after.  This would be the simplest and the least expensive way to go.

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  • ViczaesarViczaesar member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Esther Morales said:
    See if your wedding venue has a party room.  You could order just desserts, like a sweets table with a variety of jars and bowls with candy, some cupcakes, cookies, and a wedding cake to cut into (it could be a two tier smaller cake) and then serve a couple of other layer cakes and a couple of pies.  I think for about $200-300 you can do a nice spread and call it a day.  You could provide cello bags from the 99 cents store so people could take home the treats.

    Of course, have the wedding early -- like about 11:30 AM or so, and then coffee and treats after.  This would be the simplest and the least expensive way to go.

    Any wedding starting at 11:30 am needs to serve a full meal, as it's over a meal time. 



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