Ceremony & Reception In The Same Place
Ok, here’s a good one my fiance came up with (this is why I love him)… Our ceremony and reception are in the same place. There will be tables set on either side of a dance floor which will double as an aisle. We’ll say our vows in front of the head table where the cake will be, and then run off with the throwing the confetti and all that fun stuff. But then.. how do we start off the reception? We’ve already been announced Mr and Mrs, and I’d feel silly running outside and then running right back in. Does anyone have any ideas that aren’t horribly corny like everything we’ve come up with? Really apreciate it! Thanks!
Etiquette Now
Actually, you wouldn’t have the confetti and running off because you are not going anywhere. You are staying there. So, you could just form a receiving line at the end of your ‘aisle’ with all of the bridal party. Your ushers could help guide your guests toward the receiving line and not out into the reception area. As the guests leave the receiving line they may dance, be greeted with a drink or find their tables. The reception has begun.
Once everyone has been through the receiving line, you could have a favorite song playing as you and your bridal party find your seats.
Reader Response
I’m a little confused.. what exactly is a receiving line? And I really wanted the confetti… *pout*[unsure]
Expert Planner
A receiving line is when the bride and groom line up with their wedding party. Guests walk down the line wishing the happy couple well, as well as greet all the other party members.
As for the confetti, if you haven’t done so already, check with the venue to make sure you can use it. Many locations either forbid its usage or restrict the type you can throw because it causes such a mess. Also, ask if there is an additional clean-up fee if the site says yes. The confetti that is shiny, foil-like creates a slippery surface on both carpet and hardwood. Especially, when there is a large number of guests throwing it around. I recommend giving your guests bubbles to blow for you and your groom at the recessional portion of your ceremony. The bubbles also double as a wedding favor.
The Bridal Expert
Well…the other two advisors both made great points. I in fact just came back from a wedding I provided tons of rose petals for. The bride wanted them thrown only to be told by her event coordinator that she could not…or would be charged a $200 clean up fee. Reception places hate the stuff.
Realizing that it is something you really want to do I would suggest that first you discuss it with the reception site folks. That might end the debate way too fast. If it is ok be sure to use paper or something that will vaccume up easily.
The reception line is still a pretty formal part of the festivities and going out and coming back in could be akward. How about having your maid of honor or someone distribute the confetti (or bubbles or whatever) at the end of the recieving line. Then maybe that can be done during the first dance…That might do the trick and could be pretty fun??? Good luck with this and have a great wedding and even better life together!!!
Reader Response
I’m more worried about the transition between ceremony and reception right now. I’m not really interested in a receiving line because this is going to be a small, almost informal wedding (not-shirts or jeans). What if we maybe had our song start just as we shared our first kiss as husband and wife, he can lead me to the dance floor, we dance.. if I didn’t have such a fear of bubble goop getting all over my glasses, that would be great for guests to blow at us while we’re dancing… flower petals sound beautiful. I read somewhere that you can get live butterflies for the wedding, that would be incredible! It sounds expensive though… does anybody have a million dollars they could lend me? or a good idea for something unmessy to throw at me while I’m dancing?
The Bridal Expert
Oh now…you are getting somewhere with this. Have you talked to the reception site about confettii? Do that first…I think the kiss to dance thing sounds lovely. Skip the reception line. I am not so sure the butterflies are all that expensive so check it out on line. Another option is maybe small silver balloons to drop during the dance. You’re smart and will figure out the just right thing to use. You don’t need a million to make it great…just your imagination. Keep working on it!
Reader Response
Well, we’ve figured it out. We kind of overlooked pictures, and we also found a beautiful colonial house with a garden where we can do the ceremony indoors if it’s crummy out or outside if it’s nice. Either way, we’ll walk back down the aisle after the ceremony and into the ballroom (if ceremony’s outdoors) or into the foyer (if ceremony is indoors) and get our pictures taken in the parlor and outside while guests mingle and eat from veggie plates and fruit salad etc. After pictures are done, we’ll come back into the ballroom and have our dances with mom and dad. Then, during our first dance together, we have blue and white balloons that the guests can throw at us while we’re dancing.
Light blue and white matches our colors and can give the effect of us dancing on air. My mother in law to be thinks it’s corny, but we think it’s adorable. Anyway, at the very end of the reception, after the last dance, the bridal party will line up in the foyer as bird seed and favors are handed out at the end of the line and the guests can wait outside for us to come out and throw it at us. We’ll run to our getaway car, stop at our house (which is two blocks away fromt he wedding site), change, and head 40 minutes north to a romantic dinner cruise and a fancy hotel with free breakfast and shuttle service to the airport the next morning. I think it wounds wonderful, and I just wanted to share incase other brides are running into the same problem!