Mimosa's Only Acceptable at Brunch Reception?
My fiancé and I are planning a Saturday morning wedding and brunch reception for May 2016. I tend to be very practical and spending over $10k on one day, no matter how important the day is, is not me, plus we just don't have a lot of money anyway.
We're having a huge mostly breakfast (with a few lunch options) buffet following our 10:30 ceremony at the same location. The brunch will be from 11 to 3. We're just looking to have a nice, somewhat elegant meal, no dancing at the brunch. I doubt it would actually last until 3.
Later on, around 8:00 that night we're having an appetizer and dessert dance party at our local fire hall for our close family and friends that we really want to party with. This is the first plan we've come up with that I'm actually really excited about.
My issue is my dad seems to really have an issue with the fact that we do not plan on serving alcohol, other than Mimosas, at the brunch. I don't think having an open bar with breakfast food is necessary. I'm not a big drinker and neither is my fiancé. We will have beer and wine at the dance party later that night. Do most people expect there to be a full open bar at a brunch wedding? Are mimosas not acceptable?
I can't wait to marry my best friend!
Re: Mimosa's Only Acceptable at Brunch Reception?
I'll defer to the other knotties on the lecture about the tiered reception and long gap between activities.
Thanks. We're not even looking at the party that night as a reception. We're looking at it as more just a party so we can dance with our friends and our close family from out of town. My fiancé was married before and had the big ballroom wedding and I just want to do something different than he and his late first wife did so that's a contributing factor to the way we're doing things too.
I can't wait to marry my best friend!
This - OTOH - I would much rather have the OPTION of purchasing something than not have it available at all... For my cousin's brunch wedding, all they had was water, coffee, or mimosas... Thing is, none of us drink, and we didn't even get the option of purchasing a soda/juice/milk/etc., and with kids, sorry, I'm not giving them coffee!!! For those who do drink, they commented that it'd been nice if they'd have had the OPTION to purchase a glass of wine/champagne.. So if your Dad is willing to pay for any price difference, I'd say he wins this round...
And to reiterate - Either all guests are invited to the evening party or none...
1. I agree with PP that everyone should be invited to everything. I will applaud you that at least you are having a properly hosted event right after the ceremony so people are free to come or not come to the dance portion and still be hosted. However, no matter what you call it, it is still wedding related and on the same day so you need to invite everyone.
2. I think mimosas alone at the lunch is fine for booze. I would say to have plenty of water, juice, iced tea and soda on hand as well. If people tend to stick to the lunch items they might prefer a soda or tea.
Good luck!
Thank you!
We're keeping the invite for the party open to everyone we invite to the morning, it's just more likely that only our close friends and family will want to come to both.
There will be a variety of juices, iced teas, sodas, lemonade and a coffee bar available for those who want something else to drink. Mimosas will just be the only alcohol available.
I can't wait to marry my best friend!
Cash bars in this part of the country where we have the statistical highest per capita consumption of alcohol isn't out of the ordinary nor considered rude.. All in where you're from!!!
A cash bar in south jersey is probably considered rude. But even though we won't be offering it, everything is taking place at a country club which has a bar downstairs and the banquet room upstairs. If someone really wanted a drink they do have the option of going down to the bar and getting one.
I can't wait to marry my best friend!
Just because they aren't out of the ordinary doesn't mean that they still aren't rude.
(Cash bar, not so much.)
Cash bars aren't OK no matter where you're from. Common does not = good etiquette.