Dinner only Reception

We're doing a simple dinner with a bonfire afterwards. We didn't want a traditional reception at all. I say do whatever you want!!

We are!!!! Only 30 guests, our ceremony will be at a golf course and we reserved a room at a really nice restaurant for dinner. The restaurant allows us to bring in our own wedding cake and favors if we want to. We're keeping it pretty simple

That's totally fine! I love the restaurant idea!

I love our intimate restaurant weddings. it'll be gorgeous!

Jacks - Yes!!! And best of all the restaurant is an all you can eat Brazilian steakhouse, no one will leave hungry!!!!!

As long as you're hosting your guests properly (which that sounds awesome and like you definitely are) then dinner is perfect!

I feel less alone now thanks ladies!!

We're having a restaurant reception as well there will be 22 of us in total. We can't wait to just enjoy our family, a wonderful meal and great music playing in the background.

I highly recommend Flemings Steakhouse if you have one in your area and if it's in your budget. They have excellent food and staff. They also have a private dining room which is a plus. Our coordinator has gone above and beyond for us and we know it will be a wonderful evening.

Love the intimate dinner idea! It isn't what we ended up choosing, but I would've been happy with it

There will be less than 50 people at ours, and we are just having a nice dinner with a music playlist piped over the sound system, but we will doing a first dance of course.

I have 20 people just in my immediate family (parents/sibs/steps/nieces&nephews) so anything "intimate" was going to be impossible if we wanted to invite both of our families and some friends. My family does things big. But I like the idea of a small simple thing if I had a small family (or if FH and I were overseas or something). I'm sure it will be wonderful!

That's what we are doing! Going to rent out the party room at a brewery. Not everyone wants a big party and intimate gatherings can be really fun and special

Sunflower, sounds amazing! Love Brazilian!

That's what we're trying to plan ... having a tough time finding the right location though ... we'll probably have 30 people and want something low key ... I'd love to find a restaurant where we can have a private dinner and then mingle outside for cocktails afterwards ... anyone have any suggestions for someplace like that in Michigan? We're in the Detroit area but willing to travel for the right location ...

I'm thinking of doing the same for my wedding. If you did it, how was it?

I am not but I was just at my future brother-in-laws wedding where it was more intimate and a dinner only reception. I thought it was incredible! It was actually nice to have a smaller group of family and friends to celebrate. This wasn't their initial plan but because of COVID protocols in Chicago they made the decision to do it that way and it turned out VERY nice. In the end it's your choice as a couple and if that's what you want to do there is absolutely nothing wrong with that and it will be beautiful and special either way.

We're doing a brunch, which naturally will be less rambunctious. And since it's a vow renewal, no major dances, no tosses, the shoe game would seem silly, etc.

Planning for a shorter reception (like 2.5-3 hours) with great music, great food, and conversation. It's going to be very small, though, just our very dear friends and family (of which I have a small one - three whole guests, wowee!) so I feel like it's easier to pull just a meal off.

[For the record, guests are free to dance, as we will still have a band, it just won't be a big, raucous dance party.]

This may be a dumb question- but I’m doing the same and wondering if everyone had a photographer at the actual dinner?

Basically I have 30 minutes for a ceremony on the patio of the restaurant and then 3 hours private room rental for dinner. It doesn’t leave much room for pictures and I’m wondering if the photographer is supposed to hang around after the ceremony??