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I know the wedding blog world is totally shunning me right now, but we’re considering not doing a formal send-off at the end of our reception. *gasp!* I know I won’t get photos like these, but I don’t know that I really care.
I mean, why do we really need to do it? I have no plans for sparklers, or bubbles, or ribbons on a stick. Don’t get me wrong, I think those are all super cute and make for some amazingly adorable photos. We will certainly have been the center of attention the whole entire night…can’t we just slip away into the dark? Or better yet, hop on the shuttles we’ve arranged to take our guests back to the hotel? I mean, we are all going to the same place. It seems silly to pay for our own limo or other transportation to take us separately.
OK, sure, I get that after the long night, it would be nice to have our own private drive back to the hotel, but I have a feeling that we’re going to be having so much fun with our friends and family that we will be just fine boarding the party bus and going back to the hotel with them. The way I see it, the DJ announces the last song, we all get our groove on, then we exit. Not a big deal, right? I could even see us being the first ones out the door, stationing ourselves just outside the entrance to the minibus, greeting guests as they board, and then hopping on.
Maybe I’m making this sound way more than simple than it is. Am I missing something? Is anyone else planning on doing the low-key, anti-climactic send off that I’m thinking about? Or better yet, did anyone do it and regret it?
We had no send off (we were the last to leave!) and it was perfect! We jumped on the trolley with the rest of our guests to be shuttled to thier respective hotels (we paid for the trolleys to do that) and we got off at our hotel, went to the bar there and had an informal afterparty with friends that were staying at the same hotel! It was perfect!
We are not doing a send off either and I don’t think we’re going to miss it. Our plan is to stay at the reception till our last guest leaves. After all the planning that goes into a wedding, I want to be there until thevery end and enjoy every, single moment.
Although we did do bubbles when we left the ceremony we didnt have one for the reception…like cheert16…we were the last ones to leave!!! 
Lol… Hippo, your posts make me laugh.
We didn’t send off either. I wanted pretty sparkler pictures but I also wanted to have fun with our family and friends.
After the reception, my hubs and I stayed for an extra 1/2 hour, helped clean up a bit and then went to my parents house. We opened our cards (because I couldn’t help myself) and then went to my Aunt’s condo to party it up with some of our friends and family. That was SO much better than any send off picture.
We didn’t do a send off and were among the last to leave. Originally we were going to ride off on a tandem bicycle, but that fell through. Instead, we said goodbye to people we missed spending a lot of time with during the reception who were still there. It was nice.
We had a send off and it was one of my favorite, most memorable moments of the whole night. BUT I think it’s really important to know what kind of crowd you have. We had lots of party animals who were around until they were kicked out (for the send off, that is)… but I’ve been to other weddings with a quieter crowd that only had like 15 people left by the time of the send off and that seemed pretty anti-climactic.
We are the exact same way. We’re not having a receving line at the church and we’re not doing a formal send off. I plan on dancing until the very end and then hopping on the bus with everyone else.
We aren’t having one either. I’ve never actually been to a wedding where there was a send-off at the end of the reception. I’ve been to one where they did the bubble thing after the ceremony, but then everyone has to wait around. I have a feeling most of the people at our wedding will be too intoxicated by midnight to do anything organized anyway.
Eh, I don’t think it’s a big deal at all. If it’s not for you, it’s not for you. Simple as that!
Just make sure you have a ride. I was a guest at a wedding last summer and the poor bride and groom did not plan a send off, or have a limo waiting for them. They were staying at a different hotel than their guests so they couldn’t take the party bus back. They ended up getting a ride from the grooms “Friend From the Internets” whom they had never met in person and only knew from playing World of Warcraft. They were lucky they didn’t get murdered.
To be honest I have never even heard of a send off till WB! I don’t personally get it? It makes for a cute pic but does the couple come back afterward?? What about all the stuff at the venue?
We didn’t have a send off. People kept coming up to us going, “So, I guess I’m gonna go….” until there were only a few die-hards left. Then we all went to a bar. I mean, you pay all that money, why leave earlier than everyone else, right?
Agree completely! You’ll have lots of other cute pics beside the send off.
What about a send-off from the ceremony? Seems like it might be the best of both worlds, if logistics will permit it.
We didn’t do a send off and we definitely didn’t miss it. We really just didn’t want to kill the vibe of the party by trying to herd all our tipsy revelers and organize them into some sort of group for our benefit. Plus we knew we would be sticking it out until the bitter end (duh it was OUR wedding) but figured plenty of our guests would want to leave a bit early, and our shuttle started running an hour before the party ended. I didn’t feel anticlimactic, but rather it was fun to ride the shuttle back with our most dedicated guests who also stayed to the end!
I love how simple you’re making this! Sounds like from the comments, too, that nobody who didn’t do it, missed it! I doubt you guys will either!
We didn’t do a send off. We took the last bus back to the hotel with other guests.
To be honest, I didn’t miss it. We weren’t rushed out and the last dance provided enough of a finale to the evening.
Plus, the bus ride home was pretty amusing
I’ve never been to a wedding where they had a send off (except from the ceremony). I don’t think we’re planning on having one and I’m not worried about it. I say do what you think will work the best for you and be the most fun!
@sparks: Me neither come to think of it. The photos are cool but maybe it’s not much of a tradition among the people I know.
One of my favorite weddings had the bridal party plus some friends getting into a bunch of cars and going downtown to some bars…and jumping the line cause we were with the girl in the big white dress!!
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Mrs. Hippo, New York City/Dallas, TX Age and Occupation: 34, Event Planner for a Non-Profit Fiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Finance IT Engagement Date: August 8, 2009 Wedding Date: March 2011 Venue: Samuel Lynne Galleries and Marc Events About Me: I’m a thirty-something bride living in New York City and planning a modern-ish wedding in Dallas, Texas. I love trashy reality television (Jersey Shore, anyone?), online shopping, Sunday brunch, Central Park, and random celebrity spottings on the streets of Manhattan. While I love NYC, I miss good Tex-Mex, my college friends, central A/C, and being in close proximity to a Target. I’m thrilled to finally be planning an event that’s not work-related and to be marrying my best friend in what I hope will be a unique and personal ceremony followed by a reception with plenty of good food, good drinks, and dancing (regardless if it’s good or not).
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