Including Reception Traditions In Your Ahr?

[Jamaica2016]

I am beginning to work out some details for our AHR. I know we want a DJ with dancing and just a fun celebration, but I'm wondering about including some of the traditional reception things. 

 

• Are you guys still having a 'first dance'? It won't technically be our first dance since we will go dancing while we're at our DW.
• Are you doing a traditional cake cutting? Again, we will cut our wedding cake in Jamaica, but very few people will be there. 
• Speeches? 

We won't have a bouquet toss or any of the cheesy dance songs, like the cupid shuffle, but I just can't decide on some of the others!

 

HELP! What are you all doing?

Edited November 13, 2014 by Jamaica2016

[rachelia160]

I'm curious to see what answers you get on this post as well.  A part of me would really like to do cake cutting and first dances and the whole nine yards, but I don't want it to feel "staged" since we already did it all.  I just want it to still feel like a wedding reception to some degree and not a big get together, so I don't know what to include or what not to include.  I hope you get some answers!

 

Are you wearing your wedding dress again?

[Kayla88]

I think if you want to do it go for it! If we were doing a dance type AHR we would defiantly be doing it all again. I think your guest will love that cause they will feel as if they are part of some of the bigger events that took place at the wedding. Remember for them it's like your reception We decided on a open house type thing so people will come and go as they wish so those won't work during ours .

[Mrsktobe]

Ours is six months after the fact so we are essentially just having a big party. I think it was a few months after the fact we would of incorporated more wedding traditions but we want it to be a fun, relaxed party. We are still having a dance, dinner, candy bar, photo booth & a cake and cupcakes – I think we are going to set up some digital photo frames with pictures of us growing up and such but yeah, not redoing things.

[jengak5]

@@Mrsktobe are you guys doing a cake cutting or speeches? Ours will be about a month and a half after we get back. Not sure what to do. 

[Jamaica2016]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I think we have decided to do the dance and cake cutting since our grandparents won't be at our wedding and it is kind of a big deal for them. We aren't planning on having speeches, but if someone decides they want to give an impromptu speech we are fine with it. I do plan on wearing my dress for at least a little while, but I will probably change in to something more casual. 

[Mrsktobe]

@@Mrsktobe are you guys doing a cake cutting or speeches? Ours will be about a month and a half after we get back. Not sure what to do. 

 We are not. A few toasts and what not and we are going to do a first dance but that's it.

[andreapurcell1]

I was ready to scrap the AHR all together. FI is the one who really wants it.  So, we are having it.  Now I have started thinking about when/where/how.  We will be having it at his fire department probably early November.  We won't be back from Mexico until late October and if we go past the second week of November now we are getting into the holidays which we don't want.  And after November I feel like I'd have to push all the way until March, April or May to avoid Pittsburgh snow.  

 

So, we are decorating, hiring a DJ, bringing in a caterer, etc.  I am wearing my dress (when else will I get to wear it ever in my life?  I might wear it on the plane home!) I want to do a cake cutting but the ONLY reason for that is that FI is a firefighter (hence the fire hall) and I found this REALLY cute engraved fire ax cake cutter on Etsy.  I obviously can't take an ax on the plane to Mexico so my only time to use it will be at home.  We will probably do the first dance again because I feel like it opens the floor to everyone dancing but we most likely won't do the dances with our parents again (or maybe we will, I'm being VERY laid back).  Speeches probably won't happen because they were already given once.  And lets be honest, our friends don't care about the speeches.  The speeches are for us and our families from the people who wrote them.  We heard them already.  I say do whatever you want!  It's your party!

[AbigelLuis]

I had been to my friend's wedding last month. The complete ceremony was planned beautifully. Too many guest's were there but nobody faced any problem regarding their luggage since nearby hotels was booked for the guest's to keep their luggage. In the hotel we even don't have to care for our valuables because hotel Manager provided us with hotel safes, so we all enjoyed wedding wholeheartedly without worrying about our luggage.

Edited July 27, 2015 by AbigelLuis