Small wedding | non drinkers

We are having a dry wedding as well. We are having a morning ceremony and then lunch after. Our most likely venue offers an unlimited juice option and we are leaning towrads that for people to drink.
We may also do sparkling apple juice instead of champagne so that all the kiddos can feel included as well

I am not a huge drinker as well... but my family is big on Karaoke. So we are definitely gonna have that. Karaoke can be fun even without drinking (at least for my family)... but then again, really depends on you and your guests’ preference on karaoke.

Also, I love board games.. so I would suggest just having games or even those giant board games look so fun. I think the day/brunch reception idea is great option for this.

however, if you really want an evening dry reception. I would suggest having fun activities that incorporate the guests... like the one where one of the couple raise the shoe game thing.

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The dry wedding I was was at night so I now I can see why my parents left to go drink with my aunts/uncles in the hotel room! At the time, I wanted to stay and dance lol. Had it been a brunch/daytime reception, it would've been a different story.

We didn't want a big after party either. We only had 40 family members as our guests, and it was an older, non-party crowd. So we went with a daytime wedding with a luncheon reception. We did have an open bar, but there wasn't a large consumption being daytime and no big dance party afterwards. For a daytime reception you can always opt for no bar or a cash bar - or compromise with wine on the table if you want to do something.

My FH and I don't drink. We will be having a dry wedding next month. We are having a morning ceremony and a late lunch and social at 2:00. It should be all wrapped up by 4:30! My youngest sister also had a dry wedding (the first dry wedding I'd ever attended) and it was lovely, very, very classy. And wow! It's real money saver!

Thank you for your input everyone! Was thinking of doing a lunch type idea! That way a big party wouldn’t be expected.

I agree with Allison that you should explore the brunch option. If you are set on having a dinner but don't want the afterparty just put a closing time on the invite. Like ceremony at 3 dinner/ dance 6 to 10.

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I agree with this, a morning ceremony and brunch reception would be a perfect way to pull of an elegant dry wedding without upsetting guests. I think most people do expect drinks at an evening reception, unfortunately. I'm not a drinker either, but we are having an open bar, just because it is expected.

I've been to a dry wedding, I was 18 at the time so I would've not been allowed to drink anyways, but I got mad at my parents since they wanted to leave early because there was no booze. So if you're going to go the dry/no alcohol route, let your guests know in the invites/wedding website, and be prepared that some will leave early/not come at all.

That being said, a brunch/mid-day reception would probably minimize the amount people want to drink, so those could be options to explore too!