AboutGary & Teri Expertise My main specialties are invitations, catering, and banquet locations or in general, wedding receptions. Started as a family business over 75 years ago I now own and operate a catering & banquet facility for over 30 years and have catered small cookout events to large formal ones with everything in between. I even had an event that was attended by the President of the United States. I have been involved with over three thousand weddings and have been told that I have seen and done it all. I must reply almost, because something new always pops up.
Experience I have preformed almost every service needed at a reception from invitations, hosting and catering the event to photographing, dj and honeymoon plans with the latter being special circumstances. I have worked and hosted weddings up to 750 guest and other functions up to two thousand. With well over 30 years experiance of consulting with brides I have seen much of what works and does not.
I have also been involved with many business and orginizational functions and also have been listed in "Who's Who" business and executive edition.
Question My daughter is engaged and we were planning a wedding for next year.
I already have the reception hall, caterer and DJ. Then my daughter announces that they're getting married in 2 weeks. He's in the military and will be deployed for 8 months. They decided they want to get married before the deployment when he's home on leave. He's got another year in the service and she goes to school and will be finished in June. They want to have a civil service and there's no talking to them. I pray she's not pregnant.
Anyways, she still wants to go ahead with the wedding plans we have in place for next year. I have deposits down. I've been doing some research and it appears they could have a religious ceremony to solemnize the marriage before God. Is it appropriate to have the big white wedding with this? What about a bridal shower?
I am so at loss with this new turn of events. So is his mother.
Both families will be at the Civil service where they get married by a Judge on Sweetest Day (only in Ohio). I would like to have an Open House that evening for family and close friends with No Gifts to acknowledge the event.
I Thank you so much for any advice you could share.
Answer Hi Kathy, In lines with old tradition the answer would be no but in today's society it is almost anything goes. Most second weddings wear a white dress. Others use an ivory or off white dress. The shower can be a go too as again almost anything goes now a days but since they will be married there may be a possibility of a baby shower and I wouldn't really say to go with both in this situation.
