Who gets wedding favors?

Usually when a reception is a private event, the ceremony is also a private event.

Please come back and explain why your ceremony is so public and why you think 300 extra people will come? Most of us live in a world where you only find out ceremony details when you are invited to the whole shindig.

Robin?

I drank coffee in hopes of being the first to welcome you back.

ETA : damn it girlfriend, now everyone is going to see this post at the top and think you came back with a response ... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@Caitlyn yes! My mom thinks I'm a total weirdo that I am inviting everyone to the ceremony and want chairs for everyone! Here in Utah people invite a ton of people to the reception and put an insert in only select people's envelopes inviting to the ceremony too. even if the bride and groom aren't Mormon and having the private religious Temple ceremony. I told my mom that I'm not inviting people to just reception because that's gift grabby and that the reception is to thank the guests for coming to ceremony. Just because most people in the area do it one way doesn't mean it's not also rude. A lot of people in this area also do dollar dances (and it's not their culture), still rude.

How do you even know 500 people? Are you a Kardashian? Are you providing seats for these people or will they all have to stand?

You need to only invite people to the ceremony that will also be at the reception or it will be awkward and people who are not invited to the reception are likely to show up anyway.

OP, COME BACK. I really need to understand where these 300 people are coming from.

Full disclosure - I really want to invite 500 people to my wedding, but can't afford them, so we will have like 216 invited to both ceremony and reception.

OP, where are you? Are you not entertained? Where are these 300 people coming from?....I just want answers.

That's messed up. I buy a dress, travel to your ceremony, and I am not even invited to the 'thank you' reception. Fuck that.

The whole point of a reception is to THANK your guest for GOING to the CEREMONY...

And you're worried about party favors !?!

If I were B-listed like that, I'd tell you to shove the party favor where the sun don't shine.

This is an absolutely ridiculous conversation. Five hundred people for a ceremony? And then only 200 'honored guests.....

OP come back!

I took the time to read through all of the comments, OP I need answers, come back!

Lord have mercy...

So.

Is this a troll or...?

Well, I'm kind of mean so there's not likely 300 extra people that would just want to show up uninvited for my big day. Sorry, can't help you.

First off.... you're talking about etiquette here WHICH MEANS whoever gets invited to the wedding gets invited to the ceremony and yes favors go to everyone

ETA: I just read all the comments and I'm pretty sure that OP is a troll.... this can't be real or at least I hope not lol

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The only thing I can think for you to be expecting 500 people to your ceremony is that you posted an open invite in your church bulletin. But, even if this is the case than all of these people you invited to your ceremony should be invited to your reception.

I am completely blown away that someone would even think to do this any different. I was married before and posted an open invite in the bulletin. I also planned well and everyone had a chair to sit in at the ceremony and the reception. Everyone had drinks and food.

I promise you I can not get my head around doing this any other way. "Private reception" = "private ceremony"

Everyone

We had 550 guests and we opted to do no favors

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had a tiered wedding and even then it was tacky AF to me. If royalty can't pull it off without getting the side eye, you shouldn't.

There's no such thing as a hella open ceremony and private reception.

No need for favors