AHR...When is the "normal" time to have it??**LONG POST**

[**~Jenn~**]

Hi Everyone....I need some advice and or wisedom from my fellow DW brides!!!

So our original plan was to have the AHR the weekend after we got back.

We wanted to have it all paid for, this way we would only have to show up and celebrate with the rest of our friends and family who couldn't come to Mexico.

We don't really have a "Budget" per se...It's more like, We know what we can afford and what we can't.

So anyway...Because there were a limited number of days in June at Dreams, we had to pick the 24th, Which means the weekend after we get back is the 4th of July..so no reception that weekend....Ok Fine...I picked The weekend after that, which is July 11th.

Last week, Joe & I went and sat with a local venue that we have been to many times. My Cousins wife's family is good friends with them and I was sure to drop there name :-) They gave us an AWESOME price of $65 per head which included an amazing assortment of food, for both cocktail hour and dinner...Plus a sweet table, plus I told him it was a tropical theme and he just started telling me all these things he could do as far as decorating, which sounded exactly like what I had in mind. He was also throwing in a Martini Bar, but since this was tropical, he was making it half Martini, half Pina Coloda. In addition to all that, I had my pick of any color linens.

All for that price and since we knew my Cousins wife's family, he waived all tax and gratuity, with the promise that we took good care of his servers that night (which of course we will)

OK...The problem....Although I think that price is fabulous...I have 140 people on my list....Thats over 9,000...Just for that....Not including my favors.

I'm just not sure we can swing that, PLUS have the wedding of our Dreams in Mexico. I mean, this is why we cancelled our, Already booked "Traditional" wedding we originally planned...It was too much money for one day.

& I don't want to cut corners on my Wedding in Mexico since that is our real wedding....Just so I can have this party.

On the other hand, we're really excited for the AHR and we really want it at this place.

So of course the wheels in my head started turning and I was thinking that maybe we can have our AHR on our original Wedding Date, which was Sept 26, 2009. That would give us plenty more time to save....However...I think that's too long after the wedding. I feel like, what's the point? what if My dress doesn't fit me anymore and what if everyone is so tired of hearing about our wedding by then...and i'm just so confused!!

Can you guys let me know what your doing for your AHR and how long your waiting?

We want the AHR, but there is no way we can pull that off and still do everything we planned in Mexico.....But I feel like having it 3 months later is too late and would it look silly if I put my wedidng dress back on for that?

I really need some advice here!! I'm getting upset and feeling stressed over money. Before I started planning this AHR i felt like a weight lifted off of my shoulders as far as money and now, it's back again :-(

(Sorry so long!)

[~Debra~]

Hi Phillybride, I am getting married in June also...the 26th and like you, I want to have an AHR for the people who can't make it to Jamaica. We are having our AHR Sept 5, 2009. Its just over 2 months and we are doing a full reception: buffet dinner, open bar, wedding cake, all at a banquet hall and I'm wearing my dress again. I don't think waiting 3 months is too far out, especially for people who are unable to attent the wedding. I think they would love to come to a reception to celebrate your wedding! We had some friends get married in Mexico and decided not to have an AHR and we all kept begging them to have an AHR so we could celebrate with them since none of us made it to the wedding. I say go for it!

[Corvette79]

Phillybride, i feel for you. The whole point of doing a DW is to have an awesome wedding at a fraction of the price at a beautiful setting. I wasnt even thinking about an AHR but after reading yours i now want to do one. BUT if we do it, it will be really casual. a barbeque maybe? Its about spending time with your friends and as much as it is nice to have a whole reception with full on dinner, drinks etc and sweets. Is there a place where you could go outdoors? have like a luau theme,etc get it catered? good luck, i am not much help

[becks]

There's no reason you can't wait until September. None. Frankly, looking back on our return from the wedding, I am SO glad we didn't have ours right away. We were just exhausted.

 

Plus, we wouldn't have had our photos back, and we want to play a slide show of the photos for our guests.

 

There are lots of good reasons to hold off. I vote for September! Besides, just about the time your memories of Mexico start to lose their clarity, you'll get a whole bunch of new ones.

[2bebridejamaica]

I agree with Becks on this one. Our wedding is Nov 8th in Jamaica and our AHR is tentitively planned for Jan 10th 09. With the holidays right after we get back from our HM... I didn't want to compete with other parties or have people choose what to attend. Plus, I didn't want to rush into something else right away... savor the lazy days before the AHR. This way you are not planning both at the same time. We are still trying to find the ideal place. With it in Jan everything is pretty much open which is a good thing. I don't want anything super fancy but we need to accompidate for our families all over the state and espec our elders (they have a drive time of an hr max). So where they are located we need to have something an hr in between everyone. It will all work out but having things spread out is a good thing...

[adias.angel]

We are actually thinking about waiting 6 months so we can have it outside. So waiting until September is not unreasonable.

[**~Jenn~**]

Thanks Everyone...I feel a little better about it now. I didn't realize that alot of you guys are waiting! And actually I wanted to display Pictures and also have my Ceremony played at the AHR, so that will give me time to get all that back and get it set up! I feel alot better about this now!! :-)

Thanks again ladies!

[OROBride1008]

I agree with the other girls. Waiting is better. I was going to try and do it the weekend after, but it just doesn't make sense. I know we are going to be tired, and like you said I want pics and the video to play, so I think we are going to wait a month or so.

[KHarrod]

I was wondering the same thing my wedding is in September and I'm thinking about having my AHR in November, but I was worried about the holidays.

[cmmillhorn9]

We are waiting 4 months, we are getting married in Mexico in February and doing our AHR when it's nice out in June at his bar. We will have a buffet with drinks and dancing, just a "Party" for everyone who couldn't make it, after all that's what a lot of people look forward to is the party. I am not wearing my dress again, but I don't think waiting months after you are married is a wrong thing to do. HTH!!!