Party like it’s 1999

Obviously, a large number of our guests would be traveling to our wedding. I really wanted to do something else for everybody. It doesn’t seem fair to me that they should come so far and only have the wedding to attend. I realize that most folks invite extended family and more friends to the rehearsal, but I wasn’t too keen on turning our rehearsal into a pre-wedding wedding reception (or having this many peeps there). My aunt and uncle hosted brunches at their house for my cousins who were married in 2005. I also wanted to have a hang-out place Sunday morning post-wedding for friends to nurse their hangovers.

Source

What to do? What to do? I obsessively read Weddingbee (if you haven’t noticed) and was inspired by Miss Eagle and Mrs. Sparkler. If you didn’t click the links, Miss Eagle decided to host a barbeque rehearsal at her home, and Mrs. Sparkler hosted an open house after their rehearsal. This seemed like the perfect idea for us.

I priced out hosting a barbeque or other casual dinner at our home versus a cocktail type event. At this stage in the game, we were still looking at 140-150 guests, and we were ballparking 80-100 folks to attend an open house. My pocketbook was crying at the prospect of paying for a large dinner on Friday, a full cocktail hour and dinner on Saturday, and a brunch on Sunday.

Top left Top right Middle Bottom

Given the cost, Mac and I chose to host a cocktail & dessert party on Friday and a light brunch on Sunday. Our caterer is giving us any left-over food, so we can eat it up then. I know it sounds weird, but we ate the extra food after the wedding of one of my sorority sisters. It worked out really well for her parents who hosted the wedding.

Now to plan three separate menus…

Any of y’all host multiple wedding events?