Small wedding ceremony + private meal with large after party

reforming giant

Hi all,
Wondering if anyone has any experience with a small wedding ceremony and a meal after (around 20 people) and then doing a large party with friends and family after. They don't have to be in the same venue.

Milly33

My brother done this, they went to the registry office for the wedding, then onto a local restaurant where they booked the upstairs section,, There were still other tables there but they had a sit down meal with a few bevvies, then later on they went to a local bar. They didnt section off anything but they were there early so we kinda took over the back.. All went fine to be honest..

Pistachios & cream

My Sister did this many years ago. She got married in a Church with immediate family, meal in a hotel afterwards and there was a party in the function room of the same hotel afterwards. It was a big party - 300 people and they did a cold buffet supper at it. in many ways it was similar to a traditional wedding party - band etc

I attended a wedding earlier this year in the schoolhouse in ballsbridge that was similar. The couple got married in the schoolhouse and had a meal with family immediately after. Then later on friends were invited from 7pm onward for canapes and desserts and there was an area reserved in the bar for the group. This was a smaller wedding i'd estimate about 70 people overall and more casual in that the couple didn't book a band but there was music in the bar anyway.

PhoenixParker

We did it spread over 2 days.
Registry Office in Dublin & Guilbauds on Friday.
Big party (which was basically a normal wedding reception without the ceremony) on the Saturday.

The original intention was to just have something more casual with snacky bits and booze, but then people decided they were coming from the US and hubby didn't like the cheaper venues . . . and it ended up being the whole shebang albeit more relaxed with guests arriving from 4pm, no hassle with photos on the Saturday, no pressure since we were already married etc.

Wouldn't change any of it, worked really well.

uck51js9zml2yt

If you're in Dublin try the Carnegie court hotel in swords.
We had 66 people. Wedding ceremony held there and used the restaurant for the meal. People had a choice including steak and the early bird was 20 e a head plus drinks.
Held after upstairs with a DJ.

They had Slovak staff at the time which worked on the day and they even translated menus for my wife's family.
They pulled out the stops.
He had the reception floral arrangement for the wedding ceremony for photos.

The Bishop Basher

This is exactly what we did and it worked out perfectly.

Family only for the ceremony and meal..

Then we had an open invite for a big bash in a local pub with finger food and karaoke..

No suits, no gifts, no formalities, no drama and no expense for our guests..

Not to everyone's taste but it was just how we wanted it

Dick Turnip

My brother's friends got married a few years back like this.

Had a civil ceremony and meal after for 30-40 close friends and family.

Then moved venue around 6pm and another 100 or so I guess were invited there. They had drinks/canapes reception on arrival and a dj playing later. Worked really well I thought.