At Home Reception (AHR) Do's and Don'ts

[trivera5521]

We are having our AHR in 2 weeks which was exactly one month from the day we left for our DW.

 

1. Our budget for the venue is $5500 that includes buffett and open bar top shelf for $100 people.
2. We are having a DJ and an MC that my dad fit the bill for.
3. I am wearing my wedding dress again and my husband and son will be wearing blk suits since their wedding suits were linen.
4. We sent out formal invitations a few weeks before we left for the DW
5. We hired a local friend whom is charging us $300 for photography services.
6. We are having a 3 tier canoli cake that I am super excited about, cost $295
7. Decor is simple, floral/ tropical centerpieces $35 each with colored turqouse linen napkins and probably throw some shells and stuff on the linens for extra decor.
8. We hired a videogrpaher for our DW and he did a great job.  We also hired a A/V person that is coming with a big screen projector that will play the wedding video during dinner hour. Then our DW photographer put together a slide show of the top 150 pictures from the week we were away and that will get played intermittently throughtout the night.

 

Everything is done with the exception of seating and place cards. If I had to give one bit of advice though I would def say give yourself some time before your AHR. I feel like 2 1/2 weeks after we got back is way to soon. I def cut it too close and felt a bit stressed since I was so focused with the DW that I let things fall through the cracks. I just ordered the cake and flowers this week. Oh and if your wearing your dress again be sure to allow time for cleaning. Mine is taking 2 weeks and barely made it for the AHR. Good luck everyone!

[SammyAnna]

I am having an informal DW, so I want my AHR to be informal as well.  Just a party at a local club with finger foods and dance.  My people mostly want to mingle and party anyway, so a formal sit down dinner with speeches and cake cutting would be monotonous to them anyway.  Its best to find your personal style and go with it! Theres no wrong way because its all about enjoying everything

[Janelle0308]

My fiance and I are also thinking of having an AHR about a month-6 weeks after we get home from our DW.  For us the whole point of DW was to be informal so I imagine we will stay the same for the AHR.  For those of you who have had both already did you send out seperate invites to those attending DW and AHR?  Hoping to rent a community centre or golf course and doing buffet, playing the wedding video, and just celebrating in general.  We haven't really thought of a budget for this yet - what is the average that people have spent?

[Janelle0308]

I forgot to add that we are kind of thinking informal but not too informal. Kind of between social-esque (socials are a Manitoba wedding custom...prewedding party with prizes and open bar, dancing, etc to raise money for the wedding) atmosphere but more classy.  If that makes sense...

[Peach]

Originally Posted by Janelle0308 

 

My fiance and I are also thinking of having an AHR about a month-6 weeks after we get home from our DW.  For us the whole point of DW was to be informal so I imagine we will stay the same for the AHR.  For those of you who have had both already did you send out seperate invites to those attending DW and AHR?  Hoping to rent a community centre or golf course and doing buffet, playing the wedding video, and just celebrating in general.  We haven't really thought of a budget for this yet - what is the average that people have spent?

We sent out separate invitations. We had ones to the DW, and then two actually to the AHR (which is in about about a month). We are doing a buffet supper and pictures and video for family and close close friends, then opening it up for dancing like an open house after that. (Hence the two invites). We rented a community centre in my parents' home town. 

The budget TOTALLY depends on what you are doing. Our decor is almost free because I DIYd it all; our dessert are ditto (just ingredients) because I am making the desserts for a dessert table, and I got all the stands and stuff from items found at thrift shops. My brother's band is playing for the open house - I was not crazy about this idea at all, but my parents went and booked them anyway, so they are paying. 

 

So it depends on the size and style you want, and how much the space costs and so on. Our space costs $500, and our food is $12 a head. We are having drink tickets for the bar, and have been given a keg for the event as part of the wedding gift.

 

It can range from a few hundred to almost the cost of a full wedding. My guess is you could do what you are describing for a few thousand. I think we will be around there for ours.

[raelay]

I am trying to keep my budget under 3000 too. I put on our invitations that a hometown wedding reception would be Nov 2nd and I am just sending out evites this week(reception will be 3 weeks after DW) so I don't have to mess with RSVP' envelopes etc. I got a venue for free(friend works at the Parks dept) and they let you bring outside catering in and alcohol. We are doing beer, wine and champagne. I have a cousin who owns a bakery so I am getting a nice 3 tier cake with 4 dozen cupcakes for around $150. I have a caterer who will do a full taco bar for $12 a head(they are amazing asian fusion tacos) and plan to get alcohol at Costco. I think I will put an ipod play list on for the first hour and have a friend who is a DJ that will set up the music for dancing.  I am going to be minimal in decorations but my FI's sister was married last year and has a lot of glassware so I am going to use that.  I am not sure what we will do at the reception other than show a slideshow of wedding and have music for people to dance and mingle. All of the traditional things I am doing at my DW.  I thought about getting those Chinese laterns and lighting them at the end but other than that no ideas. My sister had people sign wine labels (she got off etsy) instead of a guest book. She bought special bottles to open on their 1st, 5th, 10th etc anniversaries. I may steal that idea.  It was fun opening the bottle on their anniversary and looking at the signatures

[shopnboard]

I posted this in another thread, but maybe it's more appropriate here. Have any of you ladies had the AHR before your wedding?

[megthomson]

 

1.  Budget:  $6k

 

2.  Type: still deciding but I think cocktail party with heavy apps, dancing

 

3.  When:  1-2 months after

 

4.  Food:  Still deciding

 

5.  Clothes:  My wedding dress for me and suit (not from wedding) for my hubby

 

6.  Invitations:  Formal but not super expensive

 

7.  Photographer:  Yes!

 

8.  Cake:  Traditional with flowers because then we can take the top layer to eat on one year anniversary. No possibility of taking back one from DW. (at least I don't think! It's on my list for my first meeting with wedding planner to see if they can get dry ice and ship it right away to my house where our doggie sitter can put right in freezer.

 

9.  Decorations: want something fun and funky...still working on this!

 

10.  DW Photos:  We're doing a slideshow with our DW photos and throughout the night the photographer uploads and incorporates pics from the AHR into the sideshow blending the two experiences into one.

[Make2dayAmazing]

Great thread! I am hoping to do a very simple AHR. As of right now though I am only focusing on the DW details.

[crspoon10]

So much info!  Thank you all for sharing!

 

We are also going to try to keep it simple as well, like a BBQ.  Just laid back and fun!