Whats is the Best Wedding You Have Gone to or The Best Bits

Milly33 · 21-03-2014 3:06pm #1

Just wondering I have seen an older post in a different forum asking "What is the Best Wedding You Have Been To" and was wondering if another one here would suit. Or what was the best bits out of weddings you have gone to what makes it fun be good to know for all those planning..

For me I cant say I had a favourite one but I have lots of good bits.

A cousins wedding they had a lovely fish and chip set up for nibbles later on in the night. There were the normal sambo's at the table and then a little mobile chip stand came out, something like the sweet cart but with fish and chips you get in a cone was a lovely touch.

A friends one where they had the ceremony part in an old priory everything was lovely and relaxed, nothing too serious.

I enjoyed my sisters aswell there was lots to do for the guest's while they were waiting for the couple to arrive back. So you didn't have to sit around and wait for them, there was sandboarding, camel rides, dune bashing lots and lots.

clint_silver · 21-03-2014 3:28pm

Milly33 wrote: »

Just wondering I have seen an older post in a different forum asking "What is the Best Wedding You Have Been To" and was wondering if another one here would suit. Or what was the best bits out of weddings you have gone to what makes it fun be good to know for all those planning..

For me I cant say I had a favourite one but I have lots of good bits.

A cousins wedding they had a lovely fish and chip set up for nibbles later on in the night. There were the normal sambo's at the table and then a little mobile chip stand came out, something like the sweet cart but with fish and chips you get in a cone was a lovely touch.

A friends one where they had the ceremony part in an old priory everything was lovely and relaxed, nothing too serious.

I enjoyed my sisters aswell there was lots to do for the guest's while they were waiting for the couple to arrive back. So you didn't have to sit around and wait for them, there was sandboarding, camel rides, dune bashing lots and lots.

I love a party with a happy atmosphere.

AFAIR the places that do fish and chips in a cone for afters are

darver castle
heritage golf club hotel in portlaoise,
middleton park house

might be 1 or 2 others. nice touch.

Milly33 · 21-03-2014 3:45pm

yes there is nothing like walking into a room and feeling ah isn't this lovely

.

January · 21-03-2014 4:18pm

clint_silver wrote: »

I love a party with a happy atmosphere.

AFAIR the places that do fish and chips in a cone for afters are

darver castle
heritage golf club hotel in portlaoise,
middleton park house

might be 1 or 2 others. nice touch.

My venue do fish and chips and goujons in chips for the afters too but it's just a standard chain hotel. The Carlton hotel in Tyrellstown.

Faith · 21-03-2014 4:21pm

January wrote: »

My venue do fish and chips and goujons in chips for the afters too but it's just a standard chain hotel. The Carlton hotel in Tyrellstown.

The Carlton in Kinsale do them too, and our venue offered to sub them in for the standard evening food which I don't like.

clint_silver · 21-03-2014 4:26pm

January wrote: »

My venue do fish and chips and goujons in chips for the afters too but it's just a standard chain hotel. The Carlton hotel in Tyrellstown.

That's the one i had in my head where I'd had them in the last 2 weeks!!

Great spot since they moved the bar into the function room. Place used to be dead when they only had the one outside.

January · 21-03-2014 4:29pm

clint_silver wrote: »

That's the one i had in my head where I'd had them in the last 2 weeks!!

Great spot since they moved the bar into the function room. Place used to be dead when they only had the one outside.

Yep and it's absolutely lovely up there now... I was apprehensive, I was at a wedding there 7 years ago and it seemed so much more like a conference room than a wedding venue but it has definitely changed. Glad I looked there now because I definitely had to be convinced. The bar in the function room is definitely a plus

ankaragucu · 21-03-2014 4:32pm

Best wedding was because you had fish n chips at night?Wow, youre really setting the bar high there.....

Milly33 · 21-03-2014 4:39pm

well it is all different opinions. doesn't have to be fab

Electric Sheep · 21-03-2014 5:20pm

Ceremony in small church, family and close friends only so 20 guests, meal in a lovely Italian restaurant after. Whole thing over in 3 hours. Best wedding I was ever at.

Neyite · 21-03-2014 6:26pm

Fish and chips in the Sheraton in Athlone too.

John Mason · 21-03-2014 7:30pm

fish and chips in the Anglers Rest as well.

i have to say my wedding was the best:P

we didnt get married until 5.30pm and sat for dinner at 6.30pm none of that getting up at an ungodly hour and then none of that hanging around for hours waiting for dinner

Ann Landers · 21-03-2014 8:25pm

Fish and chips at Lough Rynn too. It's the "thing" du jour. There's always something!

Milly33 · 21-03-2014 11:01pm

There something about Fish and Chips then haha!! Think late weddings yes are the best nonsence getting up to spend the day waiting around doing nothing

Teyla Emmagan · 21-03-2014 11:10pm

A swing band playing in the hallway (more or less) of Lisloughrey Lodge in Cong, Co Mayo. The actual wedding was lovely (Ballintuber Abbey, super low key) and then we all drove back to the hotel.

Walked in on this amazing atmosphere. People laughing, champagne (or whatever) flowing, and the live music. The band made an absolutely massive difference, can't even describe it. The music went up till dinner time and just made the whole event. Lovely memory :-)

21-03-2014 11:11pm

An all expenses paid 4 day long wedding on Dubai of my rich show off cousin!
One day at the polo club, next day garden party, next day wedding in the fanciest hotel I was ever on, followed by 2nd reception on a yacht, then next day some fancy restaurant.

Never put my hand in my pocket!
Great wedding.

But not at all romantic or meaningful!
I enjoyed it because its something I'd never be at usually.
But probably not the best wedding, for meaning, I was ever at.

lazygal · 22-03-2014 12:28am

Everything in one venue, no boring mass and a free bar. And no skimping on food. Great day, helped by amazing weather.

pwurple · 22-03-2014 9:15am

The best irish weddings I've been at paid a lot of attention to the music. Pre-ceremony someone playing... Post ceremony acoustic guitar while drinks and nibbles are served. Piano guy during meal. Post dinner jazz group. Dancing to a brill dj. It keeps a great vibe going.

Most lovely wedding i've been at was in amsterdam. But... Don't think many irish people would like it. It was a sweet little protestant chapel by a canal. We stepped out of the ceremony into a canal boat for tea, sandwiches and cakes while the boat went all around the city and played music. Few speeches, all done by 6pm. Couple went to airport. No booze so my husband was a bit miffed. I liked it though. Nice and simple. We went drinking sround amsterdam with our irish buddies afterwards.

ABajaninCork · 22-03-2014 7:15pm

Best wedding (besides my own?

).

Couple of friends of mine were getting married. Reg Office do, and VERY low key. No-one from the couple's family was invited. None of their friends either. Although I knew about it, I wasn't invited either at first. The original plan as just the happy couple and their witnesses. When the bride realised I wasn't invited, she insisted I come.

Couple married in St Pancras Registry Office. Beautiful building, and my friends were the last to marry there before it closed. Afterwards, we all jumped in a taxi and went off to Novelli's for lunch.

Wicked day!

Toots · 22-03-2014 10:32pm

My husband's uncle got married recently and both he and his new wife are ballroom dancers. Their first dance was absolutely amazing! It was like watching something off Strictly but so much better because there was just so much love there (without sounding sappy) and they were really enjoying themselves. Such a lovely change from the usual couple doing the awkward shuffle in the middle of the floor.

Another great bit was at my SIL's wedding, I was one of the bridesmaids which was lovely in itself. After the reception when we were all booted out of the function room, about 15 people ended up piled into our bedroom and had a sort of 'after party'. I have absolutely no idea where it came from, but someone produced bottles of whiskey and bottles of coke and we all ended up having a great session until the wee hours. It was great because it turned out the residents bar only stayed open until 2:30 so there was no singing or anything down there.

Pistachios & cream · 23-03-2014 9:21am

The best weddings I've been at had really relaxed vibes. Ceremony times were a reasonable length, the drinks reception was in a private room/area. I never like when the drinks reception is in the lobby of the hotel as you feel kind of in the way and half the people end up going into the bar. When your in a private area I feel you relax more and chat to people.

I also like when the drinks flow and there is plenty of food throughout the day.

Gatica · 23-03-2014 6:31pm

two stand out for me, a 2 day winter wedding in Lisloughrey and a sun-filled wedding on Inishbofin.
There were lovely canapes and sparking wine, and a Christmassy atmosphere at the winter one. The next morning we had breakfast and lunch overlooking the white frosty field out front and the lovely lake. Had a walk down to the boat house, and then a delicious buffet dinner in the evening.
The summer wedding on Inishbofin was blessed with sunny weather. We walked to the church and back and sat outside having summer punch.
It was the beautiful setting and the atmosphere that made it for me, unfortunately some of that is just pure luck.
My favourite time at any wedding is actually between the ceremony and dinner, when you have a few canapes/chicken goujons and a couple of glasses of sparking wine and chat to all those friends you hadn't seen in months. It's brill...

streetcar · 25-03-2014 12:01pm

I think that the best weddings are the ones where both sides of the extended family get to spend a little bit of time together the night before the wedding (and close friends). It means that both sides are more likely to mingle together and get the craic going at the wedding. You can do everything you can to make your wedding enjoyable for the guests but the guests must also make an effort to enjoy themselves and this can be easier when they know people.

Milly33 · 25-03-2014 12:55pm

I like this idea sounds great get both sides more acquainted

25-03-2014 3:00pm

I know its not very PC to say this, but one of the best weddings I was at featured 2 bridesmaids slapping the head off each other, over a fella that was unconscious in his own drool, and quite frankly he was nothing to look at.

One of the bridesmaids was the brides sister, the other her best friend -and when they weren't bitchslapping each other they took turns hitting the man they were fighting over. the bride didn't give a toss but most of the guests were horrified, and nobody intervened!

It really did stand out for me much more than the other weddings which seem to blend into the one in my memory.

Milly33 · 27-03-2014 2:56pm

A bit of entertainment then. jes would you really do something like this at your sisters wedding.. They must have been like nope they aren't with me

Malari · 27-03-2014 3:31pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I know its not very PC to say this, but one of the best weddings I was at featured 2 bridesmaids slapping the head off each other, over a fella that was unconscious in his own drool, and quite frankly he was nothing to look at.

One of the bridesmaids was the brides sister, the other her best friend -and when they weren't bitchslapping each other they took turns hitting the man they were fighting over. the bride didn't give a toss but most of the guests were horrified, and nobody intervened!

It really did stand out for me much more than the other weddings which seem to blend into the one in my memory.

Can you book them for events? :pac:

Neyite · 27-03-2014 3:48pm

Malari wrote: »

Can you book them for events? :pac:

"Hi..., yes, I'd like a theme for my wedding. I'll have the Jerry Springer please"

ABajaninCork · 27-03-2014 4:11pm

Neyite wrote: »

"Hi..., yes, I'd like a theme for my wedding. I'll have the Jerry Springer please"

LMAO!! I nearrly choked on my toast!!

Toots · 28-03-2014 2:58am

Neyite wrote: »

"Hi..., yes, I'd like a theme for my wedding. I'll have the Jerry Springer please"

"Ok, that'll be €90 per hour. Now do you need chairs for throwing? They'll cost you an extra €50 per chair."

Milly33 · 28-03-2014 1:26pm

And Chair covers that will be extra €2.50 per chair

stargazer 68 · 28-03-2014 1:33pm

Was at a wedding in the UK - family all flew over Friday evening and had dinner in the local pub. Accompanied by much slagging etc.
She had an old red london bus to take us all to the church which was an amazing building - seats all faced inwards to the aisle like a theatre.

Champagne reception afterwards on the church grounds and then onto the venue which was a fabulous marquee. Sun shining so everyone sat outside while the served pims and canapes. She had a caricaturist and a magician - you could hear little groups of people oohing in amazement at the magician. Food was gorgeous, decor, music and they had been taught to pop champagne corks with swords which entertained us too. Open bar followed by cheese burgers around midnight!

The whole weekend was fabulous although I will confess to still feeling the effects 4 days later!

Milly33 · 28-03-2014 1:47pm

I like the idea of the chairs facing inwards nice touch

Addle · 28-03-2014 3:00pm

Milly33 wrote: »

I like the idea of the chairs facing inwards nice touch

Isn't that just the typical protestant church layout?

Milly33 · 28-03-2014 3:06pm

Guess what I am then!! We all face forward like good old worshipers.. even the idea if you have the space or kinda doing a circled seating plan, or more curved I suppose you would say would be nice

Owryan · 21-07-2014 1:42pm

Was at a wedding once where the baked Alaska went up in flames, looked like a mini volcano. I was only a kid at the time so that probably explains why I enjoyed it.

Neyite · 21-07-2014 1:45pm

Milly33 wrote: »

Must say feeling a little disappointed after sending out some Save the Dates just to family and close friends and not one got back to say ohh that's so cute or thanks we got it must say tis a bit of a bummer not to get anything back..

On the plus side, while plans were going ninety at the beginning of what we could have this and that and where can we get it I thought it is such a waste as you are left with all this stuff to get rid of when there is so much you can recycle.. So started to collect the jam jars for the flowers, did buy some buttons to decorate these.. Have sussed out the beaches and have found a great one that has these flat stones you can use as place names, and another that has loverly roundy pebbles for decoration.. The fun begins

Its illegal to remove material from beaches I thought? Be careful!

Gatica · 21-07-2014 1:47pm

I've learned that no one really cares about invites except the B&G, I think the only time it's noticed is when they're not nice (but not to the B&G's face).
There will be the initial, oh lovely, and then quickly forgotten thereafter. We'd discussed different invites with friends, and while it does come up, e.g. wasn't it nice to have this idea or that, few people think to remark about it to the B&G at the time. It's a shame, and I'll probably make a point of it next time!

Gatica · 21-07-2014 1:48pm

Neyite wrote: »

Its illegal to remove material from beaches I thought?

It'll illegal to bring up stuff if you go diving.

Milly33 · 21-07-2014 1:51pm

sorry I posted in the wrong thread so moved it over to the correct one of what has happened so far.. I don't think so,yeah if you a diving I would think but then again Id say a few stones would be ok...

xalot · 22-07-2014 10:31am

the best weddings I've been at are the ones that have something to fill the time between the church and the meal. If you dont know a lot of people at the wedding it can be a really awkward time.

Some that spring to mind was drinks and canapes in the gardens of Castle Durrow, an ice cream cart in Druids Glen and the most simple one was a table of sandwiches and tea set up outside a very rural church in the west of Ireland. It's a great way to relax and get to meet the other guests. I hate the hotel lobby / chocolate fountain thing personally.

Shedite27 · 22-07-2014 10:43am

Gatica wrote: »

I've learned that no one really cares about invites except the B&G, I think the only time it's noticed is when they're not nice (but not to the B&G's face).

I remember getting an invite with confetti inside in the envelope. Mostly remember having to get the hoover out :mad:

lazygal · 22-07-2014 10:45am

I only notice invites that haven't been proofread. One noteworthy example misspelled marriage.

Balmed Out · 22-07-2014 3:27pm

I think the best ones tend to be where the dance floor is busy which tends to happen most when the bride and groom spend a fair bit of time on it. When the two of them are about chatting to people or outside smoking it will often be slow to get going.
Ice cream outside the church or at least sandwiches, a pint with groom before the church, not going overboard on photos, a few crazy dancers, a late bar without a sing song, good weather with a good view, some bit of a distraction entertainment wise all add to the day.

The Cool · 03-08-2014 9:19pm

Best wedding was a friend's in Sligo. Civil ceremony in the hotel at 3pm, which was great because it wasn't that long a day - you know when the church service is at noon, and dinner isn't until 7pm so you have to sneak off for chips in between! Also, the groom was part of the wedding band, so the music was a massive part of the party and lots of their musician buddies took to the stage. The atmosphere was fantastic, and it didn't feel like it followed the usual formula that most weddings do.

marie12 · 03-08-2014 10:42pm

My favourite was a lovely venue on the water. The weather was fab. A lovely feel to the whole day, not a crazy number of people. Bride and groom the kind, decent sort. Upon arrival at the hotel there was the yummiest food ever at the bar. So so good. Up dancing all night. Best wedding I was at. I was also with the man I love so maybe that helped!

gubbie · 04-08-2014 4:32pm

My favourite ever wedding was that of my Czech friends in the Czech Republic.

She isn't at all religious so had it out in a field, in what was essentially like somewhere that is normally set up for camps and picnics. Everyone had a part in the wedding - I helped decorate the place the day before (which was stopped every 30 minutes for a drink... those Czechs), a neighbour made her dress, friends took it in turn to be the bar man, the grooms sister served me dinner... There were large fires going as it got dark. The music was fantastic. The one band played for 12 hours. And they had all these random games thrown in and a complete open bar all night long.

And then we all camped there that evening.

(Before you say "Ah ya but it's Europe, the weathers always great on the continent". It wasn't. It was awful. It poured rain the whole day before so everything was still soaking the next day)

Toots · 04-08-2014 6:01pm

My husband's uncle got married last year and the ceremony was different to anything I'd been to before. We all went to the hotel at 4pm and it was a cocktail hour when we got there. Then we all went into the room where the reception was going to be, and all the tables etc were set up for dinner, but the dance floor was clear. They had an aisle lined out with candles on the dance floor, and when we got into the room, everyone sat down where they would have been for the dinner, then the ceremony was held and the bride walked up the aisle of candles. Then after the ceremony there was a sort of receiving line and then everyone sat down and dinner was served shortly afterwards.

I loved it because the ceremony was so different and then there wasn't a load of faffing about afterwards. I've been to a good few weddings where there's been massive gaps between the ceremony and the dinner and people were absolutely ravenous by the time the meal was served.

mrsbyrne · 04-08-2014 9:12pm

Toots* wrote: »

My husband's uncle got married last year and the ceremony was different to anything I'd been to before. We all went to the hotel at 4pm and it was a cocktail hour when we got there. Then we all went into the room where the reception was going to be, and all the tables etc were set up for dinner, but the dance floor was clear. They had an aisle lined out with candles on the dance floor, and when we got into the room, everyone sat down where they would have been for the dinner, then the ceremony was held and the bride walked up the aisle of candles. Then after the ceremony there was a sort of receiving line and then everyone sat down and dinner was served shortly afterwards.

I loved it because the ceremony was so different and then there wasn't a load of faffing about afterwards. I've been to a good few weddings where there's been massive gaps between the ceremony and the dinner and people were absolutely ravenous by the time the meal was served.

So there was no heading off to the local beauty spot to take photos for 4 hours while your 120 guests amuse themselves then!? How strange!

Toots · 04-08-2014 10:41pm

mrsbyrne wrote: »

So there was no heading off to the local beauty spot to take photos for 4 hours while your 120 guests amuse themselves then!? How strange!

They had photos during the ceremony (obviously) and then a few of the wedding party immediately after the ceremony - you know the ones where everyone has a chance to go up and get a pic. Then while the band was setting up they nipped off to have a few more photos taken (the inside of the venue was nicer than the outside so they'd have gotten some gorgeous photos) but it was really well organised and they weren't gone any longer than when the bride goes up to nip to the loo and bustle up the dress before the first dance.

Oddly enough I've only ever been at one wedding where the B&G had photos taken elsewhere, but that was at a pier where the groom proposed and it was on the way to the venue so they arrived at most half an hour after the other guests. My brother in law and his wife were at a wedding recently where the B&G went to [local beauty spot] for the photos, but it was about half an hour away from the reception and they had the whole wedding party with them. The rest of the guests arrived at the hotel and were milling around for nearly 2 hours before the b&g showed up, then there were even more photos to be taken with family etc who weren't in the wedding party. Madness!

mrsbyrne · 04-08-2014 11:44pm

Well where I live its pretty much accepted that you can wave goodbye to the bride and groom immediately after the wedding and you'll next see them possibly 2 1/2 hours later. You can see the guests crowding into Subway and any pub that serves food because there's never now any less than 3 1/2 hours between signing the register and food being
served. The photographer is king.

Whats is the Best Wedding You Have Gone to or The Best Bits

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