Reception with No Dinner

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If the non-dinner reception people are only coming for the dancing and not the ceremony, that will work better so they're not lingering around somewhere random for a few hours trying to kill time. Are you giving them an open bar? That usually helps with people sticking around and having fun (again, depending on your crowd).

We are planning to have a later ceremony and reception without dinner. So everyone eats supper before they show up to the wedding ceremony. We’ll still do some speeches and first dances after the ceremony. We’ll have a few food stations for people to munch on throughout the night.

View quoted message We are asking the reception only people to come for a specific time so ceremony and dinner would be before

What do the people who were only invited to the ceremony + reception do while the dinner is happening?

View quoted message That’s really thoughtful great idea because of the communication people then I’ll be having

View quoted message True!
Just want to make sure it’s a fun night for everyone since I know most people expect a sit down meal

Lol thanks

View quoted message If you want speeches go for it!


Games would be cool, maybe some kind of guess the age of the bride and groom photo contest, the shoe game (more spectating for guests, but still fun), you could probably make a loonie plinko with a few prizes (drink tickets/bottles of booze for small wins, dinner and a movie gift cards for a grand prize etc.) And then use the funds to offset the cost of the games and the wedding.

View quoted message Thanks Amelia!
Just more so worried about what people are going to do for a couple hours. We will have food stations and dancing but what else can we do to keep the party going - should we have games?
What kind of timeline should we aim for.
We were thinking ceremony (small/family only) around 4:30. Dinner for just family at 5:00 and reception for rest of guest (75 approx) around 6-6:30?
Do we still do speeches?

We're not having dinner with our reception and our plan is to clearly state on the invites that they're invited for drinks, dessert, and dancing. I think if you're clear about what you're invited to you should be fine!

As long as your food stations run all night and you have engaging activities, (bar open, dancing, photos) you may be fine. If you are planning a reception without dinner, you have to make that clear or else people will be annoyed. But how long people will say is all dependent on the type of crowd you have.