Lets talk receptions!

[Zephii]

I wonder how hard it really is to make the cake yourself, or something. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a cake. I wanted to do cupcakes, but Obi vetoed that one. The cake is apparently an important tradition. Maybe I should start practicing now lol.

We were looking at venues last night and think we've agreed on them. Now I just have to find out the cost. We want to use the rotunda at balmoral beach Here which is free if you have under 50 people (which we will for sure!) and there's a resturant a five minute walk away called the public dining room. It's not as formal as I'd have liked, but the food and views seem great - depending on the price they want!

He's so easy to plan with, and enjoys it. It surprises me!

[nicole]

well if I get my way, and have the big ceremony in England, we'd be having the ceremony in one of rooms of the country house, take photos in the grounds and have a drinks reception in the garden... as I've always wanted to marry here: https://www.fountainsabbey.org.uk/ht...g/your-photos/

They have a load of small rooms in the house, as we only want at most 25 people, the house is perfect. I knew we would have problems with the reception- few people in a big room looks dumb, but if we have it in the rose garden, I think we will avoid that. We also wanted to hide mini gnomes round the garden as wedding favours, or just a game

As we are having so few people I like the idea of having just a small cake to cut, then cupcakes surrounding it.

[Silviar]

Oh, so to actually contribute to the thread, here's how I handled my reception for my 1st wedding:

• I held my wedding at my house. Since we only had 25 people, it worked GREAT. Way cheaper, too.
• We catered the food, which I was careful to pick out, Bought a case of wine/beer for folks, soda for the rest.
• I held my wedding on a Thursday, which was awesome because everything was cheaper.

[Silviar]

Haha Ok Ok...I PROMISE my next day off...Monday..I will dig out the wedding album...goodness that was 20 years ago...!!!!!! Someone better remind me though!

Oh trust me, a few of us will remember!

[stacyrose]

oh lord...my secret obsession show is "My Fair Wedding" with David Tutera and I am OBSESSED with his receptions...but i still have no idea where to begin XD

[Trethsparr]

But.. my inner core... just can't handle... the thought... of... fake... cake... noooooooooooooooooo

I hear you on that! It just seems wrong somehow to still pay (a greatly reduced fee) for Styrofoam and fondant. I want to eaaaaaat it...

[Karringtyn]

Haha Ok Ok...I PROMISE my next day off...Monday..I will dig out the wedding album...goodness that was 20 years ago...!!!!!! Someone better remind me though!

[lucybelle]

I have no doubt it's crazy expensive to add just one tier of cake! I think it's totally awesome you found a way around it!

But.. my inner core... just can't handle... the thought... of... fake... cake... noooooooooooooooooo

Cake Lover should have been my SN haha!

[Trethsparr]

Not all the layers are fake - just the bottom one. The first two tiers (and the sheet) are all real. It's just crazy how much a difference it makes to have that one dummy layer. It's at least $100 different in price AND if it were actually three tiers, we would have to have the bakery deliver it instead of being able to pick it up ourselves. With the dummy layer, we get the look we want AND we don't have to pay for delivery either.

[lucybelle]

I also want to see these rainbow pictures!

But Zephii-- no way! Fake cake?? NOT great idea. I love cake...

[Zephii]

Fake cake! That's a fantastic idea!!!!

[Trethsparr]

I third the request to see the rainbow wedding pictures!

For my wedding and reception, we have a pretty modest budget. Therefore, we're having both the wedding and the reception in the same room! We're having it in a small chapel directly next door to where I attend church services. Thankfully, we only had to pay once to use the building for the ceremony, so using the facilities will cost $200 total.

Since we're planning to have a pretty small wedding (say 75 to 100 attending max), we're hoping to pull this off where we set up most of the tables and stuff toward the back of the room and have the seats set up near the front for the ceremony. Afterwards, we'll tear down those seats and put them with the tables, and we'll just re-use any ceremony flowers at the reception as well.

We're having a three-tier cake (well, the very bottom is a frosted Styrofoam dummy layer - shhh! don't tell! - it's just to add to the visual appeal) and a small sheet cake as well. The second layer of the three-tier will be dairy-free since my SO has a histamine dairy reaction.

For music, we'll have tech at the church play our iPod playlist over the sound system and play a photo slideshow for us before the ceremony begins.

Fun thread, Zephii! Can't wait to see the other contributions!

[Silviar]

Agreed - show us photos!

[Zephii]

I'm still wanting to see photos of the rainbow fu-fu wedding lol

[Karringtyn]

No no no...don't let me get into my reception talk...lol remember me and the rainbow wedding?!