AboutWeddings Etc LLC Expertise Wedding traditions, fashions, ceremonies, wedding planning, coordination, customs, how to handle situations that arise, responsibilities, budget planning.
Experience I''ve been a wedding coordinator for 16 years. I authored a WEDDING PLANNING GUIDE, a Bride''s Workbook, that is available in local bridal shops. Tattered Cover Bookstores in Denver, CO as well as local Borders Books and through my website. I''ve worked with weddings from just 2 people to 350 guests and all budget ranges. I've also written and teach The Art of Wedding Coordination to those who want to become wedding coordinators.
Question I am befuddled and feeling kind of hurt.
I was invited to a wedding reception this weekend. It said "The pleasure of your company is requested at a wedding celebration reception from 5:30-7 dancing from 7-12 My partner and I were debating if we should eat before we went because it didn't mention food or not....so we decided to wait.
When we arrived at 5:30, we noticed that everyone had been there a while, drinks in hand,...in other words dinner/food had already been served. My brother informed us that yes indeed they had already eaten. My dad, step mom, sister in law, sister and her husband had all eaten. My partner saw the caterers putting the food away and almost empty plates at some tables. Since we were hungry we left to go eat and ended up not returning because the waitress spilled food all over my partner, staining his pants.
My questions are:
1. Is it normal to invite someone to a wedding reception like that?? Where some people are invited to eat and others are not? (I have not experienced that up till this weekend.)
2. We didn't return to the reception so do I need to say something to anyone?
Thanks, B
Answer Dear Belinda,
I have to say this is a first for me as well. I have heard of times when people are invited for the dancing part which would include the cake cutting etc. If this is done, the invite would generally start at around 8pm when the guest would have already eaten. To invite someone at 5:30 pm and not include them in the dinner would appear to me to be extremely rude! This is the dinner hour and you did right by expecting to have something to eat.
Did you notice if anyone else arrived at the same time you did? It could be that the couple's budget allowed for only so many meals but they wanted their friends there as well so invited them (including you) for the later portion of the reception.
I certainly wouldn't encourage this sort of behavior. In my opinion, if you want people at the reception and not the ceremony, that's one thing, but if inviting people to a reception, include them for the entire reception or not at all.
As for your friend's pants, contact the caterer and ask them to pay for the cleaning of them.
I wouldn't say anything unless the bride/groom mention they didn't see you at the reception, then I'd just say that your friend had to leave because something was spilled on him.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
