We’re holding a destination wedding in Telluride (I’m from Colorado), so we’re trying to get invitations and other things out ASAP to give people a chance to book their airfares. But we’re stalled at one of the most important things: daytime wedding or evening wedding? We’re not dancers and our friends aren’t either, so that’s pushing us toward a more causal daytime affair, but we keep running into the criticism that if people are flying all the way out for a destination wedding, the least we can do is give them a full dinner/evening of entertainment. We’ve managed to make our (tight) budget work for either scenario, but any advice on the trade-offs of doing a daytime vs. evening wedding? Do guests seem to have a strong preference either way, or, I guess what I’m really asking—does a daytime wedding look like cheaping-out? Any major advantages to having a daytime vs. evening wedding?
Who told you that a daytime wedding is cheaping-out?? My daytime wedding and I would like have some words with them. As would Meg who wrote a whole post about why her daytime wedding was the best. And these brides. And these couples. And…
Your guests aren’t owed anything but being fed on time, a comfortable place to watch you get married and a general good time. And who, exactly is telling you that you can’t have a good time before the sun goes down? Silly people, that’s who. The fact is, most of that good time will depend on their attitude about the whole thing. The idea of a wedding being dinner and a show, in exchange for guests bestowing you with their presence, is less etiquette and more horrid. There is no reason that you can’t give your guests a good time with a casual daytime affair, just like there’s no reason that there can’t be a crazy-awesome dance fest at a daytime wedding (or you can’t skip dancing all together if it’s not your thing). Plan the wedding that you want at the time of day that works best for you, your partner and your budget. Your guests will travel if they are able and will be grateful for being there. You know why? It’s because your guests are grown-ass people, and can make their own decisions… and because your wedding is not an imposition. Anyone who is not grateful to share such an monumental day with you would have found something to complain about regardless of the time of day you held your ceremony and reception. So let it go, and do what’s right for you (hint: daytime weddings rule).
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Originally, my fiancé and I wanted to keep the wedding relatively intimate and simple, not wanting people there that we didn’t know personally and that we didn’t strongly feel were supportive of our same-sex relationship. However, this turned into a small conflict with my parents when it came to inviting their friends. After thinking, and reading many blogs, we began opening ourselves up to the fact that this wedding was very important for our parents as well, and that in a world where many same-sex couples don’t even have their parents at their weddings because they are not supportive, we wanted to appreciate and honor the fact that our parents were excited to not only attend the wedding, but wanted to invite their friends, too.
We decided that we would have each parent invite one friend (or couple) that they really wanted to be there. In the last month, however, my mother has been constantly asking me if she can invite two other friends (they are each a couple, equaling four people). I said no many times, trying to explain to her how we only want people who we feel are supportive around us, and that we really want the wedding to stay simple and intimate. The other day she called and asked once more if I would re-consider. She is willing to forgo one of the couples, but feels that it is important to invite the other couple. Basically, she feels badly that she would invite one couple (the one she had originally chosen to invite), and not the other, because they are all friends. While on one hand I feel that the entire dilemma is quite childish, I also know that it is important to me and my fiancé to have people around us that we feel comfortable with and that we know support us. I have read a lot about setting boundaries with parents, but also about recognizing that this is a day for them as well, and it is important to honor their love and support. In reality, it is only one more couple at the wedding. So, I do not know whether this is something I should hold my strict boundary with, or compromise further and allow my mother to invite another friend.
~Confused About Setting Boundaries or Staying Open
My biggest advice to you is stop reading blogs. (Well, finish reading this post, then stop. Obviously it would be awkward for all of us if you stopped right this second.) What do YOU and YOUR PARTNER think? If you don’t know this extra couple and the idea of having virtual strangers at your small wedding fills you with dread, then hold firm and explain to your mom why you made the rule in the first place, she’ll understand.
HOWEVER. (You knew this was coming.) It doesn’t sound like adding guests fills you with dread. And you probably do know these people a little bit, right? At the very least from your mom reminding you, “Judy! You know, Judy Wilkes from two doors down. She helped me when I broke my leg and we have dinner every Thursday. THAT Judy!” While it is important for you and your partner to protect yourselves from those who aren’t supportive, would your mother actually invite those type of people to your wedding? She’s happy for you and she’s excited and she wants her friends to witness this event that is not only a huge step in your life, but hers also. Let her have the extra guests. And give your partner’s parents an extra couple, if they’d like. That’s four more smiling, happy faces looking at you on your wedding day, with even wider smiles from the grateful parents. The blogs are always talking about how intimacy is important at weddings, but you know what’s even more important? More love. We can never have too much love, and if your mom loves Judy Wilkes from down the street, and Judy Wilkes wants to come love bomb you at your wedding? Well, hell. We should all have such problems, right? Yes, rules and boundaries are an important part of establishing your baby family, but it’s also okay to know when to bend them a little.
And PS: Lauren, in her last act of advice for APW, points out that the dilemma itself is a little childish because your mom has to do a schoolyard thing of PICK THE VERY BEST FRIEND. If she can invite a couple of friends and not pick her best-best friend, she might calm down a little. (Thanks Lauren! We love you! Byeee!) Continue reading Ask Team Practical: Daytime Weddings, Additional Guests, Angry Twins
My maid of honor (MOH) and I have known each other for a number of years, as you’d probably assume. And over the past few years, she has been dating Steve. Steve and I usually could get along fine, and we didn’t have much trouble until a couple of years ago. My MOH and Steve moved in together with the MOH’s son (her son has a different father and they share custody) around that time. Everything seemed fine at first until I started getting constant phone calls from my MOH. She’d be crying and telling me Steve was calling her and her son names, yelling and all around being nasty. As her friend, I’d try and give her advice and tell her to get out of the relationship and that she deserves better. She said she understood but didn’t do anything about it. She was convinced she was obsessed with him, a few months later had a child with him and continued on the path she had been going since the beginning. This was until she called me one day and asked me to help her get out of the relationship. After a long time spent convincing her, we decided to move her out of Steve’s house. Police were involved as well as about five friends who shoved her things in boxes as quickly as possible to get her out. She moved into her mom’s house and she still continued to talk to Steve. She tried to hide the fact she was dating Steve from me for a while and the cat eventually got out of the bag.
