Ideas for after court wedding

My friend invited parents only to the court. Later that day they went to a restaurant with a few other relatives.

I know someone else who ran to Vegas and hosted a reception a year after. They read each other a letter and someone did a blessing instead of a ceremony.

You could get a private room at a restaurant. I personally love this idea.

Have a dinner or rent a hall that you could host a gathering at.

There are plenty of alternatives to big weddings that are far more romantic that going to the court.....

^^ True. You can get an officiant and take your parents, siblings, and grandparents to a nice park or beach and get married there. As far as after, go to lunch/dinner to a nice restaurant. Or have a little get together at your house.

Find a nice restaurant that will let you do a function in a private dining room.

@Elphaba wow that is a beautiful venue!!! Well the reason I asking asked this is because FH is afraid that if we throw something big no one will really show up to the wedding.. So he wanted to just do something small now.. We have a few restaurants here were I live to host a dinner for just our close family and friends..

Why does he think no one would come? At least in my family, weddings are one of the few events where people really try to come.

That being said, small weddings can be great. A private room at a restaurant would be great for your few guests after a ceremony.

There are so many beautiful places to hold a small wedding that I would suggest trying to find one before doing the courthouse. Have an intimate event, but make it romantic. We are doing it at his parent's house in the mountains of Southern CA. Their property is essentially a garden in the woods, adding our closet friends and immediate family, lights, flowers, a photographer, music for atmosphere, food and wine. No stress so far.

@Maggy G, because of the past parties we've had before no one really showed up.. But I told him a wedding is way different from a birthday party..

I have been to a couple of court house weddings - 1 weekend a month judges here will marry you at the botanical gardens. The ones I have been to than did a nice family dinner following.

@Brianna, that is what I have noticed. Of course, I don't know your family, and I'm not trying to convince you to invite anyone you don't want or can't afford to properly host, but weddings are much bigger deals than birthdays.

@Elphaba thank you for the advice! And yes I told FH if they would show up to a dinner they would to a wedding but he just wants something simple..

@Maggy G. Yeah I've tried telling him but he doesn't get it.. That's way he suggested a small dinner after the wedding..

Where I live there's a huge thing with bed and breakfast's that will plan a small wedding for you and about 10 people. The best one I found had an officiant, a two nights stay at their B&B a small cake and champagne, and a photographer for 750$. But I also live in New England so I don't know what you have where you live. Just a thought

@NightOwl I live in California (Morgan hill) 1 hour away from San Francisco.. It's a small city! Maybe I could find something like that!! I never thought of that