Big reception planning

No one really knows what's going to happen with Covid. Hopefully everything is back to normal by then, but there is no guarantee. I will say I'm not a fan of having a reception/party with guests that weren't invited to the ceremony. My husband wanted to do this, but I vetoed the idea. I wanted all of our loved ones there to see us get married. His friends and family were also against this. The whole reason for a wedding is to see the couple get married so I guess I don't understand why you'd invite some people to the ceremony and reception and some only to the reception.

The only reason we are having a big party later is because of the restrictions right now or else we would have loved to have everyone at the ceremony. I say if you have restrictions than you have to do what you have to do and I think an outside wedding for next August should be totally fine.

View Quoted Comment My post was asking about timing of the later event, which a lot of people are planning for a multitude of reasons.


While I understand your perspective, and I'm assuming you're a 1st time bride, this is a 2nd wedding for each of us, in winter in Ohio, on the other side of the state from where we live. We are 37 and 47 with 4 kids and 2 grandkids. More than half our relatives are age 60 and older, so traveling in winter scares them. We both had the big 150+ person wedding the 1st time around and catered to the wants of everyone else. This time, it will be for us, the setting we want with immediate family only for the day of. When weather is more predictable and an outdoor event is possible (Lake Erie is a huge influence to weather in NE Ohio), while trying to plan to allow social distancing in case Covid is still a problem, we can have everyone together to celebrate. Your wedding can be about everyone watching you take your vows, all eyes being on you and sharing in your joy and commitment. That is beautiful and you deserve that. My perspective is a little different, and celebrating happiness is something anyone could and should do whenever they're able.

I think you’d be fine in August. While of course no one knows what the future holds, you’re at least giving it a full year to see how this whole thing plays out. And worst case scenario, covid is still around, but you would have a whole years worth of data and insight to make decisions closer to your party date.


We just made the decision to postpone our Frankfort KY wedding, originally set for 10/10/20 and we pushed it a whole year to 10/9/21. Not only to give us more time for covid to hopefully go away, but the relief of our guests when we told them only reassured that we had made the right decision - everyone had definitely been feeling anxious about attending a wedding, even though it was still 4 months away.

I'm going to assume the negativity is because of the word "reception"...how about giant party? We will be buying our house, will have been married 6 months, and Northeast Ohio will have predictable weather. It's a celebration of happiness, a celebration of family and sharing the good vibes.


If the assumption is something to do with gifts or whatever, we specified "your presence is your present" because we are only sharing joy and providing a good meal to people we care about...at both events 😉🙃🙂

View Quoted Comment Aww hun, I'm so sorry you had to postpone, but it sure sounds like you're at peace with the decision and that is a beautiful thing. Your wedding will be amazing next year ❤

I think six months after is perfectly fine (and I’m sorry about the negativity, people get so caught up with etiquette they don’t seem to really listen).
If FH and I have to postpone from 9/12 (we’re already capped at 50 with social distancing requirements), we are planning to elope on our date and have a vow renewal/party next year hoping the situation will be better. Next August seems so far away, but it’s so hard to know where we’ll be. I think the best we can really hope for is a vaccine and watch how going into cooler weather is impacting Covid in other parts of the world to see what might happen here. Good luck!

View Quoted Comment I hope you don't have to do that, but a backup plan certainly can't hurt with everything going on!! Thank you for the feedback 😊😊😊 and good luck to you, too ❤

I refuse to even discuss planning the "big celebration" until COVID is over. I do not have the energy to plan another event, that could possibly have to be postponed.

View Quoted Comment I understand that, too. In reality, I'm trying to budget because we have so much happening simultaneously, I want to make sure I don't short us on something important. That's why I thought outdoors in good weather may be the best planning option because, even if social distancing is still enforced, we won't be confined by an indoor space.


Good luck, Alex 💗