Joe and I have two options presented before us. The first is a very traditional, semi-formal and quite elegant wedding and reception; the second an undeniably unusual setup with an early afternoon ceremony and a very relaxed and casual evening reception.
Let me explain them one-by-one.
The first choice would be to have the ceremony at 3 or 4PM, then head southward to a beautiful reception hall just over the Indiana border. This hall has huge ceilings, in-house catering, terraces aching to be adorned with string lights, and an incredible property for guests to enjoy all night. There would be drinking and dancing, it truly would be a spectacular night. The pitfall to choosing this, for me, is that it is all very traditional and overdone. Also, all the little numbers come together to reveal an ugly truth - this path is about $8,000-$10,000 more than Joe and I really wanted to spend. My parents have made it clear that money really is no object, they're willing to help however much they can, and Joe's family has told us their contribution. However, just because the money is there does not encourage me to go with this option. I would rather spend less on the wedding and have more to put toward a house, a car, or anything that will last more than one day. I was never the girl that daydreamed about her wedding when she was young. I haven't had a dream day in mind since I was small. A lot of girls do, and I really do hope their visions are achieved - not only does it fulfill a great desire for a perfect day, but it gives a sense of accomplishment. Yet, this was never my goal.
The second option is, I'll just put it out there, kind of weird. I've never heard of anyone structuring their wedding day this way, and while I'm sure it will be met with some opposition, I kind of like that it's relatively unique. We would have the ceremony around 2PM, then of course have time for pictures. Then our guests may go enjoy the afternoon with family and friends in our little corner of the state. The reception would start at 7 or 8PM with heavy hors d'oeuvres and drinks. The idea here being that we can save a lot of money if there is no sitting dinner, perhaps the guests can eat dinner on their own and come back for the reception and snack and enjoy dessert. The best part of this situation is that the reception could be held at the original location that Joe and I had thought of, and there really is no better fitting place. It is a live performance theatre very near the church where we will hold the ceremony, and it is exactly perfect for us. The theatre is a converted and renovated portion of an old abandoned factory, and the decor and feel of the theatre are perfect for us. It's a little offbeat, a little hippy-dippy, but then again, so are Joe and I. The theatre has built-in theatre-style seating, and there is not much room for tables. To have a full seated dinner reception here would be difficult, not to mention the price starts creeping back up when that is included. It is a strange setup for the day, and as I said, I'm sure it will be met with opposition - many people from our families are traditionalists. It's our day, however, and though this certainly isn't the final word on how we will structure the day, we prefer this second option.
My mom and stepdad are very much in love with the large reception hall with the plated dinner and everything, but it is definitely a borderline formal affair, and Joe and I are not formal people. We prefer the more rural look, more lodgy. We are small-town people after all. However, we have time to think about it, and there are many pieces to factor into the whole day. The right decision will present itself to us.
1 comments:
Jayme, I'm LOVING your blog. Where were you when I needed you? :) And, with reference to the above post, you know my opinion. That said, I felt similarly with regard to the formal affair...hence our backyard wedding. Can't wait for more!
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