Wedding Wrap-Up
April 23rd, 2007 @ 4:41 pm by Mrs. Kiwi
This weekend Mr. Kiwi and I went to a wedding at the same venues as our wedding (both ceremony and reception). It was the first wedding we’ve been to in our chosen church, and it was marvelous. It really was a great learning experience for us, as we could see how the guests react to the very long intro, and how awkward it was for me to have to go up to receive a blessing, but not receive communion (I was the only non-Catholic there). This led us to decide that we want the shortest Catholic ceremony possible–no mass, and shorter readings.
The choir director has come up with a cool idea for our wedding–getting some of Mr. Kiwi’s former students together (he’s been teaching for nine years) for an alumni choir. I think that is the coolest thing ever! Not only would we love to see some former students, but it would be so sweet to hear them all singing for us. Luckily, Mr. Kiwi is much loved, and the students he still talks to would love to do it–so it may be easy to persuade others!
Anyway, the reception (six hours after the ceremony) seemed a little delayed, the food was cold, the centerpieces were too large to see over, and the DJ was the worst I’ve heard. Still, I didn’t say any of this aloud, who am I to criticize anyone else’s day? (Like I’m doing right now, the hypocrisy isn’t lost on me. 
) This wedding helped Mr. Kiwi and I decide what we do and don’t want.
For instance, they had a cake gazebo that we were thinking of using but after seeing it at the reception, it didn’t look right for our wedding. So that was nice to know. The only problem was a bitter guest at our table, loudly criticizing everything: linens, cake, dresses, music. It got to be too much. When we got home, Mr. Kiwi and I talked about this guest because she’s also invited to ours. It was rude and cruel of her to make such a spectacle, so now we’re rethinking our own guest list.
So, while it was fun and a learning experience, it was hard to look at the wedding as a guest, and not a future bride. What about you? Have you been to a wedding at your venue?
Related Posts
9 Responses to “Wedding Wrap-Up”
Hahahah, it’s a smaller gazebo than you would find in a yard, but has the same round with opening shape to it. It’s white and has white lights on it. It’s like… a little gazebo with the cake table inside it. 
About a month after we decided on a home wedding with a tent, we went to a home wedding with a tent. The yard was a hair larger than ours will be, but they used the same size and style of tent, and invited the same number of people.
And yes, I looked at it more like research than I would have were I not newly-engaged. I learned the value of having a rehearsal, and I confirmed that I don’t want a rental arch. I learned that I don’t need to rent separate chairs for the ceremony setup in one corner of the yard and the reception setup in another corner–somehow, the chairs get moved.
Dozens of little (and not-so-little) things went wrong at this wedding. I actually started listing some of them here, but it doesn’t matter: the point I wanted to make was that although dozens of things went wrong, everyone had a good time. That was the most important thing I learned.
so there was a 6-hour wait between the ceremony and reception? that’s a super long time! i would have hated to be an oot for that…that slows the momentum from ceremony to reception. plus trying to find something to do. hmm. but that was rude of that woman to complain. couldn’t she have at least waited until she was in the car at least?
i would love to see a wedding in my proposed venues. it would give me a better idea of how things would look and maybe help create new ones
I also went to a wedding this weekend with a “researcher” mind. My take-aways:
-The favors were overkill–jordan almonds AND bags of chocolate covered pretzels at each sitting, AND a candy bar, with not only candy but cannolis, cream puffs, etc.
-Napkins in the wedding colors with a design on them were cute and festive–they now seem to me to be “worth” the investment.
–I WILL be out on the dance floor for the majority of the reception and WON’T be more than an arm’s length from my sweetie. (Unlike the poor bride and groom at the wedding I attended, who spent a lot of time greeting guests…)
my parents went to a wedding at my venue. my mom spent a ton of time grilling the bride’s mother about the place; mom is in a ton of pictures with the bride’s mom! oh, mom!
however, because we are close to that bride, they shared with us a ton of info on the vendors as well as stuff they wished they had done.
How refreshing to meet a bride who’s excited about the free pre-view, rather than “No fair, they’re stealing our thunder for our big day!!” It’s so true that little things do go wrong, but if the focus and hospitality are right, that’s what matters.
I totally empathize with the issue about wanting the short non-mass Catholic wedding so it’s not awkward that you’re not Catholic. I think most priests would recommend what you are opting for.
Haha I’ve been contemplating showing up to my venue some Saturday night and essentially crashing a wedding to see what it’s like (of course, I’d peek in the chapel and wouldn’t eat any of the food - they’d never know I was there!)
I attended my soon-to-be SIL’s wedding last year. She was engaged after us, but really rushed to put her wedding together (just to get married before us? who knows?!….). I didn’t go thinking about it as research, because I knew it would be different than ours.
But, boy, I did learn a lot!
Like why people pay florists and caterers and stylists!! My mom was pretty set on doing our own flowers and centerpieces. After she saw how exhausted and beat we all were from the copius amounts of work put into setting up SIL’s wedding, I said, “we are hiring people. we are not doing this. I want to relax on my wedding day, not look like an exhausted zombie like I do now!”
Turns out, hiring all these people is working out better (and cheaper) than DIY’ing it!!
Mrs. Kiwi, Los Angeles
Age and Occupation in 06: 27, Bookkeeper
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, P.E. Teach/Coach @ private schools in LA
Engagement Date: March 31, 2006
Wedding Date: November 3, 2007
Venue: Radisson Hotel
About Me: I'm a bookkeeper who failed high school algebra. I'm currently living in Los Angeles, literally a street over from where I grew up with Mr. Kiwi, my honey of three years. We have a jumbo mini-dachshund (seriously, he's huuuuge), and we're planning an autumn themed wedding on a shoestring, paid for by ourselves. The wedding date is my late grandma's birthday, I needed her there somehow, and that seemed like the best way for us. I can't believe I'm a Bee! I couldn't be more proud!
Whats a cake gazebo??