Wedding Vows & Ceremony Discussions

Private Ceremony Invitation Wording

I NEED HELP!

Me and my fiance are planning on holding an intimate beach wedding in Miami, FL (we live in CA) where we will only invite our closest family and friends. Due to budget, we may also host a private dinner reception at a local restaurant.

Any suggestions on how to work our invitations?

THANK YOU!

Re: Private Ceremony Invitation Wording

  • Lots of wording samples in various threads on this board. Have a look at some of them for ideas.

    You can have a nice small and intimate wedding but any guest that gets to witness the ceremony must be invited to some sort of post ceremony reception. It could be as simple as cake and punch or more elaborate with dinner. The time of day will indicate if you need to plan for a meal or not. Cheaper options will be cake and punch or brunch.

  • lianahbabylianahbaby member
    First Comment First Anniversary
    edited July 2016
  • MobKaz said:
    I NEED HELP!

    Me and my fiance are planning on holding an intimate beach wedding in Miami, FL (we live in CA) where we will only invite our closest family and friends. Due to budget, we may also host a private dinner reception at a local restaurant.

    Any suggestions on how to work our invitations?

    THANK YOU!
    The size of your guest list does not matter.  You send invitations informing guests who is marrying, when, and where.  There is no "may" about the reception.  If you invite guests to your wedding, you MUST offer them some hospitality immediately following your ceremony.

    You indicate on the invitation that the reception immediately follows your ceremony.
    Well I don't think I asked for your opinion on whether a reception was necessary. I believe I asked for wording. But um, thanks for your opinion.
  • MobKaz said:
    I NEED HELP!

    Me and my fiance are planning on holding an intimate beach wedding in Miami, FL (we live in CA) where we will only invite our closest family and friends. Due to budget, we may also host a private dinner reception at a local restaurant.

    Any suggestions on how to work our invitations?

    THANK YOU!
    The size of your guest list does not matter.  You send invitations informing guests who is marrying, when, and where.  There is no "may" about the reception.  If you invite guests to your wedding, you MUST offer them some hospitality immediately following your ceremony.

    You indicate on the invitation that the reception immediately follows your ceremony.
    Well I don't think I asked for your opinion on whether a reception was necessary. I believe I asked for wording. But um, thanks for your opinion.
    Yeah...you posted on an open forum, so people can comment on whatever they like.  MobKaz's advice was spot on.  You have to host a reception for anyone who attends the ceremony.  It must take place immediately following the ceremony. 


    image
  • MobKaz said:
    I NEED HELP!

    Me and my fiance are planning on holding an intimate beach wedding in Miami, FL (we live in CA) where we will only invite our closest family and friends. Due to budget, we may also host a private dinner reception at a local restaurant.

    Any suggestions on how to work our invitations?

    THANK YOU!
    The size of your guest list does not matter.  You send invitations informing guests who is marrying, when, and where.  There is no "may" about the reception.  If you invite guests to your wedding, you MUST offer them some hospitality immediately following your ceremony.

    You indicate on the invitation that the reception immediately follows your ceremony.
    Well I don't think I asked for your opinion on whether a reception was necessary. I believe I asked for wording. But um, thanks for your opinion.
    My advice for your wording is to scrap it completely. If you cant afford to host something, anything for your guests then just to go Florida to elope. Otherwise have a JOP ceremony in CA and take the money you would have spent on airfare and buy some cake and punch for your guests.

    It sounds like you MAY be able to though, you kind of need to know this before you send out invitations. Let us know your plans and we can help you with areas to save. You don't need to provide alcohol at this reception, you could host a dry dinner (soft drinks), you don't need to have flowers, you don't have to have a photographer, no need to favours etc, etc. There are loads of areas that can be cut to help this.
    Thank you for your advice without being rude, I really appreciate it.
  • SP29SP29 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    The wording of your invitation is no different than any other wedding.

    You list the who (who is hosting), what (your wedding, obviously, but this would list the name of the bride and groom), when (date and time) and where (location). You would then state "Reception to follow" at the bottom. If the reception is at the same place as your ceremony, no need to list anything further. If the reception is at a different location, then you need to provide the address, usually on a separate insert.

    There are many posts on here that contain proper invitation wording.
  • Nobody was rude to you. Telling you what's proper etiquette is not rude. As MobKaz said, the only person to be rude was you with your snarky, "I didn't ask your opinion" comment.

    Unfortunately, many brides come here wanting to do impolite things and think we are the rude ones when we tell them their plans are impolite or improper. Here's hoping this is the only time you step there. 
    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
    image
  • Yes, PPs are correct in that you must host some type of reception after your ceremony for your guests. No one was rude. You didn't say in your original post if people would be coming from out of town (other than you and your F). If I traveled for a wedding and was not hosted in some way, I would take that as a huge insult even more than if I was local. However, local people should be hosted as well.
  • MobKaz said:
    I NEED HELP!

    Me and my fiance are planning on holding an intimate beach wedding in Miami, FL (we live in CA) where we will only invite our closest family and friends. Due to budget, we may also host a private dinner reception at a local restaurant.

    Any suggestions on how to work our invitations?

    THANK YOU!
    The size of your guest list does not matter.  You send invitations informing guests who is marrying, when, and where.  There is no "may" about the reception.  If you invite guests to your wedding, you MUST offer them some hospitality immediately following your ceremony.

    You indicate on the invitation that the reception immediately follows your ceremony.
    Well I don't think I asked for your opinion on whether a reception was necessary. I believe I asked for wording. But um, thanks for your opinion.
    By posting on a public Internet board, yes, you did ask for not only her opinion, but the opinions of every member of this board.   

    And etiquette is *not* "opinions." We are not going to tell you how to be rude or to endorse rudeness.
  • CMGragainCMGragain member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited July 2016
    I NEED HELP!

    Me and my fiance are planning on holding an intimate beach wedding in Miami, FL (we live in CA) where we will only invite our closest family and friends. Due to budget, we may also host a private dinner reception at a local restaurant.

    Any suggestions on how to work our invitations?

    THANK YOU!
    I am sorry, but there is absolutely no way to word a wedding invitation that does not have a reception on the same day.  None!
    Assuming that you are having a reception, the wording in the sticky I wrote on the Invites and Paper board will tell you what you need to know.  The size of your wedding has nothing to do with wording your invitation.
    httpiimgurcomTCCjW0wjpg
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