Hi everyone, can I ask for some advice/ideas?

My fiancé and I are having a lunch time reception (in the same venue as the ceremony) and not having an evening reception, and we are limited to space for approx 100 guests so we need to keep it to closest friends and family. However, we are more than happy to have everyone attend the ceremony.

How do we word the invitations so that the people who are only invited to the ceremony don't assume that they are invited to the whole thing??

Any thoughts much appreciated!

Julia xx

Won't that be a little awkward if it's in the same venue?

My invites will read something along the lines of being invited to the ceremony bla bla bla and later for an evening reception at...., for those who are not invited to the wedding reception - we only have 35 at the day reception anyway and they will have wedding keepsake/order of the day booklets. So a majority will be invited to see us wed and then to join us for the evening, however I appreciate that some may not decide to dress up watch the wedding go home, and get dressed up and return for the evening, invitation to the ceremony is a gesture really as we know most will only be travelling in for the evening reception - which is fine by us. It's a tricky one though... does google have any answers?

i personally wouldnt do it... id invite only those u can cater for as there may be very many upset ppl as a result.

I need to do this for my evening guests as they are more than welcome to watch us get married and join in with the rest of the day but the venue won't hold them for the sit down meal. I think I may make the invites saying evening invite then just putting inside the evening details and then saying guests are more than welcome to arrive early and watch us get married then go to the hotel bar while the wedding breakfast is held as the venue doesn't have the capacity to hold any more for it.

You could always do something like: Unfortunately due to room capacities of the venue we are unable for everyone to attend but would love you to join ......... & .......... while they say their vows at such a such time etc.

Hmmm difficult one Julia - I wouldn't necessarily send invites out unless guests were invited to wedding breakfast or evening reception. If you really do want to send an 'invite' as such, be careful how you word it.

I would just put something along the lines of "We are getting married at (venue name) on (blah blah date) at (such a time) if you would like to come along to watch us get married / become husband and wife / tie the knot etc etc...maybe try to put a nice spin on it but be firm in what you say so the guests know they are not invited to stay after the ceremony.

Although, be very careful about who you give these notices too, as I'm finding it hard enough limiting my daytime guests to 40 when I have a huge family and we both have lots of friends and know we are going to upset some who are not invited to the daytime, but I have told them limited in budget, and subsequently numbers for the wedding breakfast. I would advise you to warn these guests how small your celebration really is so they at least have some sort of idea.

Good luck!

have you checked how may people you are allowed at your venue? mine is only liscensed to have 60 - so you may need to be carefull not to invite to many xx

To be fair if one of one of my friends was getting married I would rather go and watch them get married and not go to the party after if I knew that they couldn't afford to invite everyone. After all its better than missing out on it all. The wedding is the best part.

Most people who are invited to the ceremony automatically presume that they'll be catered for as well. After all, what's the use to dressing up, making the effort and travelling to attend a ceremony for maybe half an hour then only to be told that that's it - nothing else.

Personally if I were only invited to the ceremony but then downgraded and not invited to the reception then I wouldn't attend the ceremony either.

yeh must agree with the other ladies im afraid..its a tough call here hun ..u and h2b need to sit down and think about whehter it will be worth sending "ceremony only" invites ...and you know what word of mouth from other guests can do..someone that will be attending the wedding breakfast will blab to someone else who will end up blabbing to one of these "ceremony only" guests and it can turn nasty!!!

but completely up to you but i would only invite thouse that are gettin to the wedding & the meal xx

if ure havin an evenin do then its easy... my mate at work invite all collegues to church then to evening do ( we just went on a little pub crawl til nite do lol) but if ure not havin an evening do i wudnt invite them just to the ceremony! as i wudnt persoanlly just wanna attend a 45 minutes ceremony! sorry hun thats just my opinion really and wiv it being in same venue i wud be little miffed!

yea i know someone who is doing this, what she is doing is inviting eveyone to the service and after the service serving Tea and the weding cake, actually in the church!! then the night time do is actually where there will only be a few invited. I was wondering if i will get a invite and if i only get a invite to the church then im thinking, there is no way im making a huge effort or anything i.e with outift or present, also getting all the kids dressed up i wont be doing this for an hr. Hope u manage to sort out ur invites hun xxx

I think I would send your invites to the people you want there after the ceremony and for those you only want to come to the ceromony, just tell them they are more than welcome to come and watch you get married if they would like to.

Hi Julia,

Can't really think of anything better to put other than what the other ladies have already put- but just wanted to mention that you must be very in vogue as this is exactly what Kate and Prince William are doing for their wedding, so no matter what the outcome know you are in very classy company.

:-)