Advice please

Yorkshirechick

Hi - We've got a provisional booking at or local register office for Sat 27th Dec at 11 o'clock. We're trying to quickly see if we can arrange everything in time (not too much to arrange really), but the main thing is the guests and the cost.
With just ourselves and immediate family (brothers/sisters and partners, mums and dads, and 1 gran) the number is 15. I'd like a few friends too, but OH is worried about the cost, as we are really trying to do this on a teeny budget.
We've had a few ideas about what to do after the wedding, but cant really agree which is the best.

One was to just invite family only and go for a meal after the wedding (somewhere like a tapas restaurant), order a certain amount of food and wine, and if anyone wants anything else they can pay for it themselves.
Or we could just get married, have a couple of drinks in a pub after and then leave.
Or have a buffet in some kind of function room later so we can invite more friends.
Or invite people back to ours (or one of our parents houses) for a buffet
Or have a meal and then some kind of buffet.

I'm thinking that if we get maried at 11, and have a meal and then a buffet the day will probably drag quite a lot, so then we thought we could get married and have a meal, then have a party later. Wedding date is Dec 27th, and our little boy's first birthday is Jan 8th, so we could possibly combine the two, and have a party the weekend of his birthday?

What are everyone's thoughts?

Also - what do you think about saying to people "We're getting married at .... at .... time, come along if you want, but there's no reception til 2 weeks later" There will be a meal for family and if you want to come along and have some drinks later you'll be welcome but will have to pay....." Obviously in a slightly more tactful way :rotfl:

Scruff74

Hi

I would first have a long hard think about who you couldn't imagine getting married without, people you would be really upset if they couldn't make it. I would use this as my guest list (keeps it down to the important few)

I know you said a teeeeny budget but what are you thinking? For example alcohol can really add up so if you are looking at food and drink somewhere it can come to a lot. By comparison having a small gathering at a relatives house you can feed people very well and have lots of drinks for a much cheaper amount.

Another option might be to book a nice restaurant and say to people you don't want gifts but to use the money for their meal. I've been to a wedding that did that and once you get your head round it it works

McKneff

Maybe invite people back to the house for a buffet for lunchtime forthe 15 of you and then have a party on the night with a finger buffet in function room at a pub and then people buy their own drinks at the venue. Nobody really expects to be provided with free drinks anymore, Maybe a glass of sherry for the toast but thats not even necessary on a night. Good luck on the day and for the rest of your lives together

flowerscotland

I am doing something the same as yourself, I am getting married at 3.15 with 22 guests only and then back to the venue for a meal for us, then at night we will have a reception and invite the rest of our friends and family, we are having a buffet at night.

What about getting married and then having a party in a hall with a buffet that day, inviting the rest of your friends and family for the party.

It would feel a bit strange for me going to a wedding and then the reception a few weeks later. Also it will be more prep and time consuming for yourself to have two seperate dates, I would probably just do both in the one day.

knithappens

we are on a very tight budget , and like yourself are havign a late ceremony 3.45, we hired a social club (£ 25 room hire) we rae havign close family and friends to the ceremony with cheese biscuits and wedding cake at the reception, and a buffet at 7.30 for everyone including evening guests, as we are asking others to come to the recepetion at 6.so this way it cut costs. If possible get a late a ceremony as possible. it is costign me the same for a buffet for 80 , that it would to take my few family and friends for ameal, plus there is a bar in the social club so if anyone wants to biuy drinks they can and they are less than pub and restaurant prices.

our budget is £2000 that is our maximum, i am hoping to get everything for £1500

if yours is less than that, i would say have a buffet at one of your relatives houses, or head to the pub afterwards.