Invite to a church wedding, but not reception?

You are responding so graciously! It was a mistake, but that's what life's about. Live and learn, gorgeous, and enjoy this stage!

So are these friends and family or church members you sent STDs to? If they got a save the date, they need an invite to BOTH the ceremony and reception. It's my understanding that random church members that attend the ceremony aren't actually invited, just show up to the church.

I think it'd be smarter to have a smaller ceremony and a bigger reception

It's extremely rude to invite people to the ceremony and not the reception. Cut your list and invite everyone to both parts.

Guest invited to the wedding MUST be invited to the reception

Whoever you are planning to invite to the reception, only invite those people to the ceremony as well.

Wow I will never get over how crazy some people are on here. I do think that the world will not end if you invite only your closest friends and family to the reception and still invite more to the ceremony. Yes, you may have some hurt feelings but for the most part people will understand. Enjoy your day!

Ok thanks!!

Yes Tasha WE'RE the crazy ones.

OP you're going to have to make some adjustments to make this work

No Tasha, people do not understand. It's flat out rude. and hurt feelings are not what most people are aiming for when they plan a wedding.

You invite your guests to both.

That's not the situation here Tasha - READ. It's fine to have a super small ceremony with 10 people and have a larger reception afterwards. But what she did was send out STDs! So that now means she HAS to invite all of those people.

Please pay attention.

I'm getting married in my church. Our protocol is to send an STD and invite to the church and they put it on the bulletin board. People come to the ceremony and leave. Then if there are specific people from the church you want to be your invited guests, they get their own individual STDs and invites.

I think you have to stay with what you've done and save up to accommodate your other guests.

You can invite people to the reception that didn't get invited to the ceremony but not the other way...

Mrs.Coakley, she has already sent STDs. You can't just cut your guest list when you've already invited people.

Marilyn - what a mess. You said you can only afford 100 people at the reception. How many people have received STDs?

Ok. All advice can be good advice in some way. Thanks to all that commented! I did send a STD to some friends so we'll just have to add an additional amount to our budget.

Adding to your budget is great to accommodate more guests, but you can also try to pare back on your other expenses. Figure out stuff that you don't need, like personalized napkins, or a guestbook, stuff like that. You can shop around and get bargains on things instead of buying the first thing you see, too.

If they go to the ceremony they should be invited to the reception. Cut your list.

I think it's all or nothing.

I'm a pastors daughter and it was hard to not invite the whole church. But we did it and people were adults and realized where cuts had to be made.

Up your budget, get second and third jobs and save like crazy.