I would love some advice ladies! My FH and I booked Insignia for our wedding which is on a Saturday, ceremony starts at noon and from 12:30-5:30 we have the whole restaurant to ourselves for cocktail hour, dinner and dessert. Then Insignia opens up to the public and our guest are welcome to stay at the bar and drink or take the shuttle we will provide back to the hotel. We can pay $125 to our hotel to keep their bar open until 2 am but I don't think the hotel bar is very big.
But my question is do you think a formal after party is necessary? We have a lot of out of town guests, some flying internationally and my FHs parents are concerned that 5 hours isn't enough time to celebrate and isn't fair to our guests. What do you guys think?
karebear1
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
I am going through the same thing. My wedding ends at 6:30pm and we have a 5am start time! FH and I have been back and forth about an after party. We were so stressed out with everything and broke so we decided to play it by ear. There is a bar down the street from where we live so the bridal party and close friends will probably come for a few hours. I think its a bit different for you since you have international guests....I feel like the hotel bar would have been a great idea....maybe you can find another hotel with a bigger bar or something? Sorry, I am not much help!!!
Rc5087
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
Depends on your crowd. This is one of the reasons we did not have a daytime party. My family and friends are partiers and we would have had to do the afterparty - still might have a bar open at the hotel after. $125 isn't bad. I know certain venues charge a couple thousand and some bars can charge up to $500 to keep the bar open.
Nicole0408
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
Our wedding ends at 8:00 so we are spreading the word that at the hotel we will be going to the huge bar they have and continuing the party. Promoting staying at the hotel as we have a shuttle that will be transporting everyone fromt he reception back there. However my dad is already going to run a tab at the local bar next to my venue for the in between time from ceremony to reception so after the reception people will have to cover themselves
JessicaP07
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
I'm having a day time wedding from 12-5:30 & not doing the afterparty. Hair & makeup is starting super early since we're taking pictures before the ceremony so I know I'll be exhausted. I have no problem giving people suggestions of places they can go in the area, & maybe if I'm on a wedding high I'll stop by for a little, but I'd hate to set something up & then be too tired to go. I don't have many people coming from out of town (maybe just 1 family) & I don't even think we'll be doing a hotel block.
chrisandwill2015
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
We had the same issue but at the end of it all - we realize that during the wedding, we won't get to spend a lot of QUALITY time with our families (my FH's is from Illinois and he only sees them once every year or so).
So - we decided, since our venue has the restaurant/bar/deck next door - we're going to do an after party. It can get pretty costly, so what we're thinking of is having the DJ announce it and we'll pick up the tab for the 1st round or 1st hour for everyone.
I think it depends on the budget and the place you're having it.
We just knew that we wanted to spend more one on one time with everyone and the after party gives us the opportunity to keep the party going.
chrisandwill2015
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
Oh - and our wedding ends at 5...so we'll just walk next door and continue the after party (which we reserved the outside bar and deck area) until around 8.
Jsabbatino
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
You could also do something informal, just make an announcement saying you are going back to the bar at the hotel to hang and ppl are welcome to join you. What time does the bar at the hotel normally close? I dont think you need to pay to keep the bar open until 2. Usually hotel bars are open until at least 10 or 11, which is alot of time after a 5:30 end for a wedding. Also, as a former bartender - if the bar is busy you stay open so i wouldnt worry about paying the hotel to stay open
Jsabbatino
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
You could also do something informal, just make an announcement saying you are going back to the bar at the hotel to hang and ppl are welcome to join you. What time does the bar at the hotel normally close? I dont think you need to pay to keep the bar open until 2. Usually hotel bars are open until at least 10 or 11, which is alot of time after a 5:30 end for a wedding. Also, as a former bartender - if the bar is busy you stay open so i wouldnt worry about paying the hotel to stay open
summerbridejen2015
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
Our wedding ends at 5,no after party here just one with me and my new husband lol(sorry lol)
chrisandwill2015
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Re: Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
Posted by Jsabbatino
You could also do something informal, just make an announcement saying you are going back to the bar at the hotel to hang and ppl are welcome to join you. What time does the bar at the hotel normally close? I dont think you need to pay to keep the bar open until 2. Usually hotel bars are open until at least 10 or 11, which is alot of time after a 5:30 end for a wedding. Also, as a former bartender - if the bar is busy you stay open so i wouldnt worry about paying the hotel to stay open
Definitely great advice.
ls2015
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
All daytime weddings that I've been to have had an after party. All except one took place at the bar on the property of the venue (a lot of east wind family weddings and a fox hollow one too). The one that didn't take place at a bar on or nearby actually took place at the brides childhood home. They hired someone to prep and walk around with appetizer foods and it was actually a lot of fun! They had a deck and a nice size yard so it wasn't crowded. It was also really relaxing and we got to spend time with them. I understand the last thing some people want is to prep a house for an after party, but you could always hire a cleaning service, get a server, and save a lot of $$$.
lizandmario
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
Thanks for the replies ladies!! I just sent emails to Inisgnia and our hotel to see what it would cost to have a formal after party and I guess I will make my decision dependent upon the price. I just want everyone to have a good time! My FH and I chose Insignia because we LOVE food and aren't big partiers but I realize our guests still may want to celebrate so idk what the right decision is....
ss451378
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
My wedding is the same time and my side of the family is big partiers and all from the area and my fiancé's family doesn't drink like at all but they're all from out of town so my mom is just going to get hero's and some food and hire a bartender at our house after because we have a huge yard and pool for everyone to enjoy!
ss451378
Posted:
Member since
Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
My wedding is the same time and my side of the family is big partiers and all from the area and my fiancé's family doesn't drink like at all but they're all from out of town so my mom is just going to get hero's and some food and hire a bartender at our house for after because we have a huge yard and pool for everyone to enjoy!
killerqueen
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Day time wedding, do you need an after party??
I think its completely up to you. Ive been to a few daytime weddings and none of them had after parties. Personally, I don't think we are going to have one either. After all that time with everyone, FH and I want to be able to just relax alone! We will probably do a breakfast the next morning somewhere (probably just meet at the complimentary hotel one at a certain time) but I don't think you have to. Once again, it's YOUR day - do what YOU want. If you want to keep the party going - do it! If not, everyone else should respect that.
