At home reception?????

[happygilmore]

We are getting married May 15, 2009 in the DR and will be there until the 21st. We'll then come home and have our AHR on Sat. June 6th from 5:00-10:00 PM for possibly up to 200 people. Our budget is $2500 (which after we set this budget FI dad gave us $$ for it) but we are lucky that I am of the Eagles club and got the club for $375 and my friends parents can cook for us so for about $1200 they can feed our guests a choice of chicken, pork or vegetarian. My mom is helping out by paying for open bar part of the night. we are using our Ipod and got speakers from the Christmas tree store. Favors will be $1 scratch tickets and decorations are a minimum (vases from michaels and I plan on getting fake orchids and doing a "drowned flower" center piece with some bling bling on the tables.

 

I found out my mom is throwing my shower really early ( as in the next few weeks!..but she doesn't know I know!) and we haven't sent out invites for the AHR only invites for the people invited to the wedding in the DR. and the shower is going to include people who are only invited to the AHR (pretty much everybody is only invited to the AHR) oh well I'll just have to explain that invitations are going out the mail the beginning/middle of Feb (with a RSVP date of April 15th)

[LadyZak]

Thanks for the Late lunch idea, we are getting married in Feb 09, but arent having our AHR till June, (just due to schedules ect)

And have been debating on what to do about food, I think we both just assumed we needed to have a full sit down dinner.

What are you going to have for the lunch?

 

Thanks

[prairiegirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdcbride09 Prairiegirl, What do you mean by having your marriage "blessed?" we are catholic too and it is pretty important that we are eventually married by the catholic church for his parents. Could you give me more details on that? Also, did you guys send out separate invitations for the AHR?? Did you guys have a bridal shower for both receptions before your Destination one? Sorry if that sounds confusing!

The blessed thing.... simply it is so that your marraige is recognized in the eyes of the church. For us.. to have the marraige done 'catholic' in mexico would cost us an extra $500... so instead I contacted our priest who was very happy that we 'cared' to have the wedding blessed up here. The priest prefers you meet with them prior to the wedding and suggest you take a marriage class. For us and the christmas season is was impossible to get into a marriage class, which would have cost about $160.

The blessing will be about a 30min blessing of the rings, in the church. The priest requires the marraige certificate so I will be promptly getting into translated into english upon our return, as we return Feb 15th and the reception is March 7th.

I figure the church blessing will be like a mini wedding.. and all of the reception guests kinda 'get to see the wedding' so it's a win-win for us, and everyone feels included.

Invites
we never really sent out any invites to the destination wedding.. just told close family and friends. And then sent out invites for the reception.

Bridal Shower
Typically where I am from the shower is organized by the community.. so I have no idea what is going on with that.. I would think to only have one BEFORE the actual wedding.. and that's it.. cause otherwise you won't get to wear all that lingerie on your honeymoon!!

[prairiegirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyZak Thanks for the Late lunch idea, we are getting married in Feb 09, but arent having our AHR till June, (just due to schedules ect) And have been debating on what to do about food, I think we both just assumed we needed to have a full sit down dinner. What are you going to have for the lunch? Thanks

Yeah, we were considering having to do the full meal.. but then that ment a late lunch as well.. and the costs started to sky rocket...

Our goal is to ensure no one shows up hungry.. so we are implying it is a midnight lunch, but will put it out around 10-10:30 (tee hee sneaky I know..) but we also play to put out some muchies incase some of the 'choice' relatives decide to indulge a little much on the booze.. ahead of time...

We are having very basic... buns, cold meats, pickle tray, veggie tray, cheese tray and a pasta salad.. nothing fancy. The caterer keep trying to add 'desserts' in which bugged me since we will be serveing wedding cake.. so I had him add the veggie tray. We are getting just a small 'nice' wedding cake and then buying a costco cake for everyone else..

(hey we are paying for everything ourselves.. so COSTCO it is!! )

[To be JillianMickiewicz]

Quick question....is it okay to have a laid back party at a bar with drinks and apps (we are thinking chips and salsa, tacos, etc with Margaritas since we are getting married in Mexico) with all your friends and family? Or is that not nice enough for a AHR? I didn't plan on wearing my dress....what do you all think??

[amdecker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by To be JillianMickiewicz Quick question....is it okay to have a laid back party at a bar with drinks and apps (we are thinking chips and salsa, tacos, etc with Margaritas since we are getting married in Mexico) with all your friends and family? Or is that not nice enough for a AHR? I didn't plan on wearing my dress....what do you all think??

I say you can do whatever you want! I think that would be a fun theme for an AHR. I like that idea!

[prairiegirl]

JillianMickiewicz

 

If your footing the bill...You know what... it's your day.. it's your celebration do what you want to do... Sounds like it would be a blast.. very casual and FUN!! Instead of the weddign dress it would be a great oppotunity to buy a new dress that you love and feel smokin hot in!! And can show of your awsome tan!

 

Doesn't sound like it should be too costly.. However... keep in mind.. if your parents or his are footing the bill.. for your AHR.. you may want to keep thier opinions in mind... and maybe make some minor adjustments to accomindate them..

[pdcbride09]

Thanks for the info. Maybe that is something we can work out w/ our church as far as that mini-ceremony goes. Sounds perfect actually for us, but I guess it all depends on each individual church and if they would do it.

 

How far in advance did you notify the church?

 

Are you having anyone stand up in the church? Say a maid of honor or a flower girl

 

As for the bridal shower, here in the states the bridal shower usually consists of receiving gifts for your house, such as dishes/pot/pans, linens. As for the lingerie, that is saved for the bachelorette party. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens w/ all of this as we do not have a place to hold the reception back here. Our budget it pretty low, so have to find a restaurant that is reasonable.

[prairiegirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdcbride09 Thanks for the info. Maybe that is something we can work out w/ our church as far as that mini-ceremony goes. Sounds perfect actually for us, but I guess it all depends on each individual church and if they would do it. How far in advance did you notify the church? Are you having anyone stand up in the church? Say a maid of honor or a flower girl As for the bridal shower, here in the states the bridal shower usually consists of receiving gifts for your house, such as dishes/pot/pans, linens. As for the lingerie, that is saved for the bachelorette party. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens w/ all of this as we do not have a place to hold the reception back here. Our budget it pretty low, so have to find a restaurant that is reasonable.

We didn't notify the church very far in advance at all.. we only meet with him Dec 10th.. we also have to have two people stand up with us at the church. Which works out great.. since our two best friends can not make the wedding... (and our witnesses in Mexico will be our parents.) This way now... we have someone to sit with us at the head table...

Contact you parish and see what they need or are willing to do.. as our priest said this will be the first mexico marriage he has ever blessed... everyone says they will do it.. but never do. SO if you don't do it right away... you probably won't get 'around' to doing it...

With timelines our shower/bacholertte party usual is combined into one party.. (afternoon shower with bacholertte party that evening) and I am 35, so I am settled and not much need for house stuff.....

[rachelannmartin]

Thank you so much ladies for starting this thread!! I have been so stressed about having an AHR!! We are paying for our destination wedding (plus the travel costs for my bro, SIL, FI sister and BIL) so the costs are getting rediculous and the thought of an AHR is daunting.

We get married in March and are thinking of having a small cocktail party at a downtown bar/gallery in May for friend/fam that can't make it. The possible AHR venue has a screening room for movies which would be wicked to play our wedding video on.

Question, do you think waiting til May is ok? Also how should we approach sending out invitations for the AHR?