Ending a wedding

millie14

Hi everyone,
My partner and I are getting married in Jan, a civil ceremony, quite small maybe 35 people. We are planning to have a brief ceremony, music is a stringed trio and then dinner. Neither of us want to have a band /dj type evening. The ceremony is taking place at 4.30 and we hope to have dinner about 6.30.
My query is can we realistically expect people to just head off after dinner ?? should we plan some type of music for after it? The venue does not allow music after 11.30pm? Would love some pointers, TIA

I don't think people will all disappear after dinner. You could reserve a space in a nice bar nearby maybe if people want to go somewhere after 1130?

cooperguy

Dónal wrote: »

I don't think people will all disappear after dinner. You could reserve a space in a nice bar nearby maybe if people want to go somewhere after 1130?

I agree with Dónal. Book a small space in a venue near by if you can. Realistically people will want to stay around after dinner. I imagine there will mainly be family their who will want to catch up! If you dont organise something I imagine people will end up doing something themselves afterwards, it might as well be part of the "official" event. It doesn't have to be particularly formal or anything, just a space in a bar

s4uv3

We did something very similar last year, civil ceremony at 4, back to OH's home house for a drink, and dinner in a restaurant at 7. We had 12 guests, ourselves included.
We didn't book anywhere for afterwards, but the restaurant put us in their 'loft' area for dinner and we agreed with them that we'd have it for as long as we wanted and they'd keep the wine/drinks coming as long as we wanted. We also asked them to stretch out courses.
The way we wanted it was that there'd be no time pressure to do anything or be anywhere and the evening would take it's own course.
It worked really well, we didn't leave the restaurant until 2am, at which point the few younger guests headed to a club and the rest of us wobbled home
That said, the restaurant we used is attached to a pub, so they were happy to lay on a waiter and leave us there until we were ready to leave.

clint_silver

millie14 wrote: »

Hi everyone,
My partner and I are getting married in Jan, a civil ceremony, quite small maybe 35 people. We are planning to have a brief ceremony, music is a stringed trio and then dinner. Neither of us want to have a band /dj type evening. The ceremony is taking place at 4.30 and we hope to have dinner about 6.30.
My query is can we realistically expect people to just head off after dinner ?? should we plan some type of music for after it? The venue does not allow music after 11.30pm? Would love some pointers, TIA

It sort of depends on how well you know your crowd, how old are they? Olderish people tend to sit around and chat longer, youngerish people tend to like a song and dance. Do they get on well together? If youve decided no music, is there something else you could do to get them interacting to bring some levity and entertainment to the evening just to break it up? Hypnotist maybe? Last 90 minutes or so, lot of laughs. Might not be everyones cup of tea but can be good.

splinter65

millie14 wrote: »

Hi everyone,
My partner and I are getting married in Jan, a civil ceremony, quite small maybe 35 people. We are planning to have a brief ceremony, music is a stringed trio and then dinner. Neither of us want to have a band /dj type evening. The ceremony is taking place at 4.30 and we hope to have dinner about 6.30.
My query is can we realistically expect people to just head off after dinner ?? should we plan some type of music for after it? The venue does not allow music after 11.30pm? Would love some pointers, TIA

We were married at 11 lunch at 1.30 flight out at 5pm so left the hotel at 3.30.
Just leave.