I think ours was among the best. We had a DW in Cabo with 3 nights of hosted dinner and bar for 130 guests (Beach party with bonfires, Sunset cruise and bar hopping, and wedding night.) Our hotel was a boutique hotel with only wedding guests staying there. It was really fun and relaxed.
Things we cared about: food, bar, entertainment (we had a DJ, live band, fireworks at the wedding), making our guests feel welcome and making sure everyone had fun, and invitations were a big deal to me and I spent entirely too much money on them. Things I DGAF about: my dress (Monique Lhuillier bought on Ebay), flowers and decor, anything pretentious.
8.5 years later people still talk about how much fun they had.
Post by penguingrrl on Nov 16, 2015 12:28:30 GMT -5
Mine was fabulous! Not the fanciest or most expensive I've been to by far, but really fun. Fantastic food and an amazing DJ. It's been almost ten years and guests still talk about how great ours was.
I mean, we had tons of good food and free booze, a short ceremony in a beautiful indoor chapel, no gap, so I think everyone was pretty happy with it. My uncle was the DJ and he got smashed so the music was questionable (lots of oldies mixed with random techno). We had minimal speeches and didn't do the garter/bouquet or special dances beyond our first dance. H and I don't really like dancing so we mostly hung out and chatted with people.
Everyone had a good time, but I don't think we're going down in the history books or anything.
The best I've attended, but it's my definition of what constitutes a good wedding. Like, a 300+ person wedding in a hotel ballroom is anxiety-inducing for me.
Objectively (is that even possible?) it's probably considered above average to most people. The food was amazing though. My H had the meal re-created by our caterer for our first anniversary.
I think my wedding was a blast. We had a DJ from a swing dance club we frequented. We had him come an hour before the reception (during the dreaded gap) and offer a swing dancing class to anyone who was interested. The lessons had a great turnout and people seemed to love it. My people usually aren't ones for dancing, but our dance floor was full with people trying out their new moves.
I haven't been to all that many weddings so my comparison group is small. I enjoyed it greatly, but I doubt anyone is gushing about how much fun they had at it. One of DW's aunts told MIL that our wedding was "the most elegant wedding" she had ever been to. We rented a historic mansion wedding space, whereas hotel ballrooms and those sorts of venues are more common in their family.
Our was the best I've been to as an adult. My cousin's was probably *the* best but it was a HUGE $$$ Italian beach club wedding with a Venetian hour straight out of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Plus fireworks. She was 6 months pregnant. LOL
Ours was fun and the food was awesome. Most people liked the booze cruise around the lake the night before better than the actual wedding, which sort of makes me regret not doing that option as the real wedding as that was only $6k v. like $30k but lol, at least those bills are paid now. We had crab cake sliders, a kickass band and the best cake I've ever tasted in my life.
I voted average - it was average among my friends/family and probably a little above average for H's friends/family. Cash bars and jeans a fairly common in his hometown.
Post by antoniamarchette on Nov 16, 2015 12:52:15 GMT -5
I think mine was pretty average. I wanted to make it easy so we did the ceremony and reception at the same place which was a hotel. H and I also hate being the center of attention so the shorter the ceremony the better! We had an open bar and I wanted people to be able to enjoy themselves without having to worry about driving. We didn't do speeches and just did a first dance and father/daughter dance. I wanted the formalities out of the way quick so everyone could have fun!
We had a small destination wedding on the beach. 50 guests. Reception at this really great restaurant afterwards. Since our party was so small they let us order off the menu and made the food to order. The food was exceptional as far as weddings I've been to go and we had an open bar (we mixed our own drinks tho) and tons of wine. But no dancing, no dj or band, no bartenders, no cake cutting, no garter business, no wedding party, etc. Its hard to judge because it wasn't very wedding-y. It was basically just a regular party with people who happened to be dressed up as a bride and groom, lol.
I would say that we did well on several counts (all one location, no gap, plenty of food - apps, followed by 4 courses, followed by a late night food spread, open bar)
I would say the less ideal part was that our venue was only really close by for a few of our guests. For many it was about 25-30 minutes and others it was more than an hour. And there were essentially no options for an overnight stay nearby (except for both our immediate families) and no public transit (we got married at a golf course in the middle of farm country.
Our was the best I've been to as an adult. My cousin's was probably *the* best but it was a HUGE $$$ Italian beach club wedding with a Venetian hour straight out of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Plus fireworks. She was 6 months pregnant. LOL
Ours was fun and the food was awesome. Most people liked the booze cruise around the lake the night before better than the actual wedding, which sort of makes me regret not doing that option as the real wedding as that was only $6k v. like $30k but lol, at least those bills are paid now. We had crab cake sliders, a kickass band and the best cake I've ever tasted in my life.
Our was the best I've been to as an adult. My cousin's was probably *the* best but it was a HUGE $$$ Italian beach club wedding with a Venetian hour straight out of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Plus fireworks. She was 6 months pregnant. LOL
Ours was fun and the food was awesome. Most people liked the booze cruise around the lake the night before better than the actual wedding, which sort of makes me regret not doing that option as the real wedding as that was only $6k v. like $30k but lol, at least those bills are paid now. We had crab cake sliders, a kickass band and the best cake I've ever tasted in my life.
TOTAL shot in the dark -- Minne-ha-ha?
Same boat company but the smaller boat! The Horicon I think was the name.
Post by cleosprite on Nov 16, 2015 13:22:50 GMT -5
I love love loved my wedding. It was very us, and very fun and I wouldn't change a thing.
But objectively, it was probably not the absolute best wedding I've ever been to. I mean, our food was buffet, and we only had beer and wine, and it was outside...I'm sure I've been to better.
I would say that we did well on several counts (all one location, no gap, plenty of food - apps, followed by 4 courses, followed by a late night food spread, open bar)
I would say the less ideal part was that our venue was only really close by for a few of our guests. For many it was about 25-30 minutes and others it was more than an hour. And there were essentially no options for an overnight stay nearby (except for both our immediate families) and no public transit (we got married at a golf course in the middle of farm country.
Having attended a wedding at your venue, I can confirm what you've said here. We managed to snag one of the onsite rooms and that definitely made things way better.
Yeah, we had the inn on site for my dad, step mom, brothers and one member of my party. DHs family got the one B and B nearby. His friends stayed at the motel 6 not far away. The rest went home that night. But we still had people dancing til quarter to one and we had to shut it all down at one anyways (bar closed at 12:30) b
We started the ceremony and reception on time, didn't have a full mass, minimized the gap as much as we could, had ample (and good!) food & booze, had a plated dinner, didn't have too many speeches/toasts, and had a chance to talk with all our guests. Our venue was also off the beaten path for our circle (a boutique-ish hotel in downtown SF rather than a chain hotel near the airport).
It was our ability to spend time with our guests that most people commented on. Most Indian weddings are so large, and have so many demands on the couple's time (outfit changes, tons of photos, etc.), that people were really pleased to actually be able to us during the receiving line and throughout the reception.
Mine was a little rinky dink, really. Both H and I hate being the center of attention and we were young and didn't know any better. We didn't serve a meal and just had a cake reception. No alcohol because my family has a little too much fun when they're drinking and his doesn't drink. If I could do it over again I would change a LOT of things, but in the end we ended up married and it seems to be sticking so...oh well.
I also knew that many of my friends woudln't make it (too far to come) so I was less inspired, as sad as that is. We knew it would be just family and then a few of DH's friends.
I have never been to another wedding with an ice cream sundae buffet though. I win in that catagory.
I had one, too. And I think it was one of the highlights! Dessert was one of my priorities. I also had a blue wedding cake.
I also had the (short, but religious) ceremony right at the reception site (country club), and they served wine before the ceremony started. Points for that, too!
Honestly, our wedding was great. We had great food, an OPEN BAR (thanks to my generous dad who didn't want his friends to think he was cheap, haha), a fantastic DJ, and it was at a hotel so everyone could just spend the night. The speeches were short and sweet and my BIL put together a fantastic slide show. The reception started at 6PM and they finally kicked us out at 2AM.
It was 2007. Everything looked great, open bar and the food was very good (it was all at a restaurant). Two of four speeches were really really good - like people talk about them still. The music at my ceremony made people cry.
Post by runblondie26 on Nov 16, 2015 14:41:40 GMT -5
Mine was average by NJ standards, extravagant based on what I've experienced elsewhere in the country.
Open bar, cocktail hour with passed h'orderves, seated 4 course meal, plated dessert plus cake and Viennese table, live band. Par for the course in NJ.
Post by MadamePresident on Nov 16, 2015 14:43:09 GMT -5
I think my wedding was really fun we had a great DJ and a lot of people enjoy dancing. The food was also really good we had the best meal they served. But the venue was not overly fancy, and it was a lunch reception.
Post by spunkarella on Nov 16, 2015 14:43:14 GMT -5
I loved, loved our wedding. I think it was the best in our normal circle.
Objectively, the best wedding I have ever attended was in Hawaii for a friend of DH's family. The rehearsal dinner was a full luau, the wedding and reception were at the Grand Wailea with an incredibly delicious and fancy dinner, and they hosted us for lunch the next day at Mama's Fish House. Every detail was crazy nice.
Yeah, I am so over being in weddings - as a bridesmaid or as the bride (lol). H and I have each been in about 6-8 over the last three years and I am DONE.
I just want to go to as a regular guest. No rehearsal dinner, no taking up my entire weekend, no responsibilities, wear whatever dress I want, no STUPID ASS POSED PICTURES. NO I AM NOT JUMPING INTO THE AIR I AM A GROWN ASS WOMAN GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE.
My friends and I all decided that while our own weddings might have been our favorite, our second best weddings were the first weddings we each went to after our own.
"You mean, all I have to do is show up on time, appropriately dressed, bring a gift, and in exchange you will feed me, booze me, keep me entertained, and provide a discounted rate on a hotel? WELL FUCK YES." :-)
It was fine. There was ample food and tons of booze. Everyone I talked to had a good time. It was not particularly cute or Pinteresty (predated Pinterest, in fact). Also, I overlooked some details that would have really improved the enjoyment of my guests, like transportation from the hotel to the church to the reception and back.
It was probably above average, but certainly not one of the best. I think the best weddings we've been to had some mix of really nice reception site, good music, and lots of our friends there. Our reception site and music were meh (small town).
People still refer to our awesome bar and the cigars BIL brought (which I was SO PISSED about at the time). We chose a place we provided the alchohol and the facility brought the mixers and we paid a fee and for the bar tender. My dad paid for everything except the bar, which my FIL paid for. He went to the Class 6 and stocked up on top shelf everything. It was pretty awesome. For this I put it up pretty high.