Boring reception? Suggestions, please!

Re: Boring reception? Suggestions, please!

• Maggie0829 member

  

  October 2014

  I would just be prepared that this type of reception will not last as long as a "traditional" reception will.  But when I go to parties at people's houses all we do is talk and eat.  Typically adults can have a good time by just chatting with one another.  I really wouldn't stress the whole "getting to know each other" part because most likely people will only talk to those that they already know.  If anyone does want to reach out to someone new they will do so on your own.

  
  

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• wrigleyville member

  

  October 2014

  I've been to weddings like this, and while it wasn't a party atmosphere like a nighttime, alcoholic dance party is, I still had a good time socializing with people I know. It's not worse than a "typical" wedding; it's just different. I don't think it will suck, and if others say it does, they're the rude/wrong ones, not you.

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• LittlePeachBlossom member

  

  October 2014

  I think it will still be a fun time. Like pp said, not party-your-ass-off type of fun but fun nonetheless.

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• jenijoyk member

  

  October 2014

  I would make sure there were lots of places to sit, set up in a way that was condusive to conversation. Because I'd hang out and socialize, but not if my feet were hurting. Is there an outdoor area you can use to set up lawn games? Cornhole doesn't even need a lawn, just some empty pavement. If you are handy with a saw, you can make your own to save $$$. I went to a daytime, dry wedding at a church and they had a bunch of delicious non-alchy beverage stations set up, so we made it a goal to hang out at least as long as it took to try like 10 different flavored lemonades. Do you have friends that sing or play instruments? At that same dry church wedding, the groomsmen just happened to all be singers and did a barbershop quartet song in the middle as a surprise for the bride. Totally random, but entertaining. At that same wedding, they also had some ladies at a table with a bunch of blenders making delicious frappacino-like things. Does it have to only be classical music? Could you start out with classical and then switch to something a little more lively? People don't need to dance, but after an hour or two of classical music I might start to feel either a little sleepy, or like I was at the dentist's office. Or both.

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• CMGragain member

  

  October 2014

  Are you inviting boring people?  If not, then your reception won't be boring as long as the music isn't so loud that people can't hear each other.  It sounds lovely, to me!
  

  

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• Lauderdale Pink member

  

  October 2014

  If you are bored, your guests will be bored.  If you "work the room" and make time to speak with everybody and keep the conversation lively and entertaining, then the reception will be lively and entertaining. And everything that Jenijoyk said.

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• AddieCake member

  

  October 2014 edited October 2014

  Our reception was during the day, no dancing, only mimosas for alcohol, string trio background music. We did have a full lunch buffet. Nobody seemed to be bored. We held it for only a couple of hours, mingled and socialized, and then everyone got on with their day. I don't regret doing it that way at all.

  What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14

  

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• sarahjane222 member

  

  October 2014

  I agree with a couple of the PP's - you should get some live music in there...a jazz trio or even just an acoustic singer with a guitar or piano. If your fiance is set on classical, hire a harpist or something more mellow. 

  Also, maybe you should collect a few old family wedding photos from both sides of the family and do some sort of display so that you have some conversation starters for family that might not be too familiar with each other yet. 

  Your wedding is going to be meaningful and awesome!

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• Jen4948 member

  

  October 2014

  Well, if you claim that your wedding reception is going to be boring even before it happens and walk into it with a martyred attitude, then your worry could turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. So make sure, whatever you do, that you go in there ready to have fun in the ways there are available. One thing I would do is be ready to do a lot of talking with your guests and be able to get into conversations. If you start getting bogged down, just thank the guest in question for coming and go on to someone else. As for the music, I'd agree to the classical and no dancing but insist by way of compromise that there has to be some other music included that's to your taste. And make sure there's good food and beverages, if not alcoholic ones, being served.

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• oxfordcomma14 member

  

  October 2014

  Your reception sounds almost exactly like ours, and it was fantastic. We had background music playing, lots of light finger foods, and cake. No alcohol, no dancing, and our guests still had a great time. It went from 2:30-5:30 and everyone mingled and ate.
  
  Your guests will take their cue from you. As long as you're both mingling and enjoying yourselves, they will too!

  

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• [Deleted User] member

  

  October 2014

  I suggest instead of classical music to maybe play some Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bing Crosby; mellow, classic (though not classicAL), and fun.  If you have shy people attending, maybe have some conversation starter cards, maybe Trivia cards just sitting on the table.  I've seen paper menus at pancake houses that have questions in the corner; If you won the lottery, what's the first thing you'd buy?  Though people can probably do this themselves with, "how do you know the bride?"

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• Knottie8214327 member

  

  October 2014

  While it's certainly not gonna be your traditional wedding reception, don't stress about it. If the focus is on socializing, that can be fun itself. Food and family make for a good evening.... most of the time. Lol. 

  
  

  However, I work at a wedding venue in north GA so maybe I can suggest a few things based on what I've seen. If you want to add a few things here and there maybe you can add a photo booth, or games that people can play (awesome way to socialize). I don't know the exact setup of your venue but if possible you can set up a s'mores bar (usually a big hit, especially during cold weather season). As long as you offer people a couple of options as far as different ways they can socialize, you've done your part. They'll have a good time. Just make sure you do as well! 

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  He looked for you everywhere; you thought he'd never come.

  But now you're together, so make the most of your relationship.

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• princessleia22 member

  

  October 2014

  I had a small wedding with only 25 guests.  Our ceremony was at 1pm with reception from 1:30-3pm. We did have open bar, but nobody really drank a whole lot since it was middle of the day. We had a dance floor.  DH and I did spotlight dance for about 60 seconds before DJ asked everyone to join. Father/daughter & mother/son dances were open for everyone to join. But, after the first couple of songs, most people sat down, munched on hors d'oeuvres and just chatted with each other. A few people danced, mainly the younger group. But, most people just sat and enjoyed each others company, got to know each other, and had a great time.

  So, I think you will be fine.  It probably won't last more than 2-3 hours though, but there's nothing wrong with that. Like others said, make sure there is plenty of seating that is suitable for conversation.  Although we didn't have a lot of dancing at our wedding, there were a few people that got out there and some people kind of expect it.  I would probably play softer, mellow music, like @adk19 suggested, that people could dance to if they want.  And that type of music does make nice background music.  Doing that allows the option for people that want to dance without making it required or even expected.

   

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• Viczaesar member

  

  October 2014

  mrsmorales2be said:

  Wedding is in 3 weeks, and I'm stressing that our reception is basically going to be boring as hell.

  We're having a nuptial Mass at 2pm, reception immediately following in the parish hall.  We're not doing the bouquet or garter toss.  There won't be any spotlight dances and we sure aren't having a money dance.  In fact, FI doesn't want to have a dance at all.  He wants to play classical music in the background so the focus will be on our families getting to know each other and for us to enjoy visiting with our guests.  No alcohol, because that's one of the stipulations of using the parish hall, unfortunately.  So, basically meet-and-greet, cake and punch and what have you. 

  Any suggestions on things I can do to make this not suck?

  That sounds like a lovely wedding to me, just as it is.

  
  
  
  

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• mrsmorales2be mod

  

  October 2014

  Thanks, everyone!  I'm seriously just freaking out about nothing.     Stressing over the little things right now, like missing invites that mysteriously vanished into thin air and never made it to their destinations (thanks, RSVP follow up phone calls for adding another thing for me to freak out about!)

  The only thing that matters is I'll be with FI this weekend, and in 18 days we're going to be married.  I'm so excited that most of my responses are acceptances - very few declines over all, and most were somewhat expected.  Good times!

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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