Advice for a belated wedding reception

I think that this is becoming more and more common. Most people understand as long as they know that you had an intimate ceremony with immediate family and didn't have a 150+ guest ceremony that they just weren't invited to. This sounds like a great compromise to me.

Do it! Two celebrations. It’s more common these days with two families often living far from each other, or the couple elopes first. We did a small DW then a bigger local reception for friends. The reception had the band, impersonator, dancing & cake so they’ll had a great time.

You can of course do as you please, but honestly I would rather have it all done in one day. My D is having an hour long traditional catholic wedding with the whole nuptial mass. If guests don’t want to attend the ceremony that’s okay, they are welcome to come to the reception. As a guest I think private ceremonies would make me feel excluded, like I wasn’t good enough to be invited to the most important part of the day. But then again I like to see other religious and cultural weddings. Although two separate events seem to be more common these days, I still believe being only invited to the reception feels like I’m just there for a gift. I would suggest letting guests know what the ceremony expectations are and let them decide for themselves rather than excluding them. Just my two cents.

My FSIL had a destination wedding with only a small group of people there, but when she came home she did a huge backyard BBQ with a bonfire as a second reception. People loved it!

Personally, I hate when people have a ceremony and then hold a reception at a later date. If I am not important enough to them to be at their ceremony, don't expect me to travel to a reception later. But that is just my opinion. I have attended extremely religious ceremonies for catholic to jewish. I am technically catholic but don't follow the faith as closely as some of my family. I would rather be invited to the ceremony than just a reception.

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I agree with this completely! I am guessing the vast majority of your guests would have no problem attending an hour long very religious ceremony. I would find it fascinating. Those few that don't can just come to the reception.

A friend of mine had a private ceremony and video taped it, she played it during the “cocktail” hour at the reception so all the guests could feel included. If you did something like that you would have time to edit it down to more of a highlight reel, then people will feel like part of that special moment, without having to put the pressure on you to make everyone feel comfortable. 😊

View Quoted Comment I agree. I was raised Catholic but don’t practice, but every church wedding I’ve attended, Catholic or otherwise, had guests who didn’t practice in that faith and everyone still sat fine through the ceremony.

If I was invited to a reception and not a ceremony simply because I don’t practice the same faith as the bride and groom, I’d probably be offended.

In college, I had a friend who is Mormon and she had her private ceremony earlier in the day, and then had a more secular short ceremony later in the day with a reception that everyone was able to attend. I would suggest doing it this way if its possible.