No dinner at reception...so should i have one week before wedding with guest? (small wedding, immediate fam)

How long is your wedding? What time is it at? Where are you getting the catering from?

Why do you only have 30 minutes? This is bizarre. I suppose a dinner the week before will do, are you paying for it? You should if you're inviting people.

I personally wouldn't want to come to a wedding to spend 30 minutes with the bride/groom and then go home. You can't possibly get married, talk to everyone, and take pictures in 30 minutes. Can't you book a room in a restaurant and have a formal dinner there after the wedding?

Yeah what time is this all going down and why do you have to have dinner with your FH alone. Why not just take everyone out after? If you are having a WP and all that, you need to do something.

Just take everyone to dinner after, which will save you money on the finger foods. Essentially you are going to feed everybody twice under your plan. No offense but I probably wouldn't want to give up 2 nights to attend your wedding. Go to dinner with your FH the week prior, and then feed everyone properly after your ceremony. You can wrap up early and still have the night alone together.

OK, from what you said I didnt think you were having a full reception. Also, not all wedding ceremonies are 5 minutes long.

So what is going on in the 2 hour reception food and booze wise?

No, they're not 5 minutes, unless you're literally signing the piece of paper and being done with it. Every ceremony I've been to (even non-religious) is at least 15-20 minutes between walking down an isle, the vows, the ring exchange, etc. You should have elaborated in your post that your "reception" would be 2 hours long. 2 hours is a long time for only finger foods (is this at a non-meal time?). Are you having dancing, or is everyone going to stand around and talk for 2 hours? Sorry for the questions, but you're not very clear on a lot of details in your post. I think you have plenty of time to have a real meal during your 2 hour reception. Dinner takes around an hour at pretty much every reception anyhow. You could have a real dinner ,stay under your 2 hour mark and still make it an early night to spend with your FH.

I wouldn't ask people to clear 2 nights for you, essentially wasting your money on the finger foods and wasting time when you could kill two birds with one stone and do it all together like most people.

Ok so including your reception, it's 2.5/ 3 hours total? If yes, a cake, punch and finger food reception is appropriate as long as this is not at a meal time.

I think this is fine. I wouldn't have another event on a different day. Whomever can make it will come, and those who can not will still wish you well.

To me, a 3 - 5:30 PM wedding with finger food and light refreshments is completely fine. Because it's not over mealtime, I would eat lunch before and plan on eating dinner afterwards, no biggie. I'm not sure what your guest's schedules are like, but perhaps doing a hosted dinner the night before (rehearsal dinner-style, like you mentioned in your original post) would make it feel more cohesive and less like 2 separate events?

I think this is great and you do what best fits you as a couple! I am tired of reading all the comments on this site about "that's not proper" or whatever. Bleh.

However! Maybe do a dinner the weekend after? I would much prefer to have a dinner with the married couple than a pre-wedding dinner. I wish you the best!