All-in-One ceremony & reception

Yes I have been to wedding like that and it was beautiful. The tables for the food was placed on two sides of the hall, then the tables and the chairs were placed in the center and it was enough in the middle for the wedding party to come throug. The wedding party was seated in the front but a bit off to the side and the set up was really lovely. It depends on how big the place you are looking at is.

Yup they are cost effective and beautiful! It can be done for large or small groups too. Please check the costs of the different locations in your hometown and ask caterers where they recommend and what their costs are.

Hey look at it on the bright side---your guest will love the idea of not having to drive to the reception. Oh and welcome to the site :-)

Hi Robbin and welcome to the boards. My FH and I are also on a tight budget and we will be having our ceremony and reception in the same place to save money. I am taking extra care in planning now to ensure that things will runs smoothly. My wedding is 11/11/06 and I have plenty of time to get things together. When is your wedding?

Girl it will be fabulous, If I was a guest I would love the idea of a one stop wedding---my only problem would be trying to control myself and staying away from the chicken wings during the ceremony :-)

I went to a wedding and reception that was held in the same place. It was beautiful. We were seated at round tables and they were arranged in such a way that there was an aisle in the center. The hall already had a piano so one of our friends played the pre-ceremony music, and she hired a DJ for afterwards. The food was in the back of the room. The only problem was that after the wedding ended,but before the reception began people were hungry or a little thirsty. Of course this was while pictures were being taken. The wedding started at 5pm.

If that was me--I would have brabbed the waiter to give me a drum stick or something, especially if I came with my belly in gear to eat and the photos were taking too long.

Oh my goodness! You have brought back some memories of that day, and now I can't stop laughing. We tried to get something to drink because there was a small bar right by our table, but the person who was standing behind it said they did not pay to have a bar. Okay, so why was he back there? I mean not even a cup of water. As for the food, they didn't even bring it in until after the ceremony was over. Of course we had to wait for the bridal party to be served first.

Sweet girl...they say a hungry man is an angry man...but a hungry black voluptuous woman WILL kill for food. Sweetboy behind the bar was in harms way, I probably would have taken a bite out of him if he did stand in my way.

Oh my goodness Charlotte you're gonna get me in trouble in here. I am laughing so loud that my co-workers are looking at me as if I am crazy! Girl you are so crazy!!!!! After viewing these comments, I know what mistakes not to make!!!! I don't want any angry, hungry or voluptous women taking down any of the attendants (lol)!!!

A word to the wise is also sufficient. Girl when I am hungry, can you imagine a little tiny waiter telling me I gatta wait...I would have waited alright....right on his arm taken a chunk out of him...

My Oldest Uncle had his Wedding and Reception together and it was BEAUTIFUL....it was also an Outdoor Wedding on my Grandmother's Property. It was breathe taking. I'm thinking of doing the same thing myself with less people. But it was perfect.

"TP"

You Sistas keep me in stitches.I'm holding my stomach from laughter.My fear is that I'll smell food during the whole ceremony.When it's time for me to say "I do", my stomach will growl and everyone will hear it.

Welcome Newbies! You are so right Platinumstyle! Smelling the food can be distracting, but most sites you can't even SEE the reception area from the wedding site so all is cool. Make sure to ask for that when you check caterers and locations for your wedding.

Platinum girl you are too funny!!!!

Platinum...girl do not worry, your stomach will groal but it will not be because you smell food but from nerves so do not even worry yourself.

We were thinking of using one location for both ceremony and reception. We only saw one place actually. We had a choice out of two chapels that would be included for $300 and they were seperate from the reception area. Downstairs there were maybe 5 different rooms for the reception based on the size of the guest list. It's convenient for you as well as your guests.

MrVFiance, gurl that sounds like a steal. My venue is costing me $1,500 (a big chunk of my budget). I'm curious where do you live? In any event, keep us posted!

Rony...I hope this venue is including food in that $1500 or at least decorations with all tables and chairs and cutlery....that is a lot!

It doesn't include food and decorations. We will be having it catered. It does however include security, tables, chairs and clean-up. I want things to be really elegant, I don't like the "community room" scene or a dingy church basement. Sorry I know that's kind of strong, but we have shopped around and the prices in the NYC area are quite expensive. $1500 is actually very reasonable, since we are having the wedding and reception there.

i think that would be a great idea. did anyone see juanita bynum's wedding on tbn a couple of years ago? now that was a beautiful wedding. you could have round tables decorated nicely and turn the lights down within the audience and have a big spotlight shining on you and your fh.

Rony I understand....TonyaL, girl I saw the wedding and the ambience was WONDERFUL......I got bored thou after the 10th or was it the 20th bridesmaid in the sammmmmeeeee dress. But other than that, the flowers and the room was somethign brillant. Not knocking Mrs Weeks - much respect due to her.

Thanks TonyL and Charly! I did not see Juanita Bynum's wedding. I know she got married, but I missed it!!!! I know it was something to behold. We will be very creative in our decorating, I want it to look and feel like I spent a million dollars on the place. (although of course I don't have it like that, but perception is everything!!!!)

Rony I understnd what you mena but do not hurt your head....Mrs. Weeks and Her husband has money so there was flowers all on the floor...honestly it was too tooo much...I think more is less but watch TBN valentines...they may play it again becuase that is when I saw, last year valentines.

Gurl I will not hurt my head, you see my Daddy (God Almighty Himself) has everything I need (even if it comes out the dollar store LOL)!!!!! I'm still riding on the high after he worked out the apartment situation for me -- He just keeps on amazing me!!!!

And he will continue to amaze you casue He is just that kind of GOD.

Amen!

My wedding date is September 1, 2007. I too am doing an all in one. The wedding/reception will be outdoors in the backyard of a historic museum and the reception will be inside the community center. And it was less than $800 to do it.

We are having our wedding and reception at the Gilbert House ( on the listing of historical houses) It's owned my the city, so our deposit is $200 and our rental fee is $600. We get the deposit back after we clean up. The wedding is going to be outside ( the house sits on a huge wooded lot) the reception will be inside. It is a really beautiful place that was built in the 1860's.

Sounds lovely but who will be responsible for cleaning up?

We are responsible for the clean up. We too get back the deposit afterwards.

When you say "we:" does that include the bride????? seriously?????

Help me I am having the same problem. Do I need to go and scout out the hall to figure out some ideas for the set-up????

[quote="threjolyn"]Help me I am having the same problem. Do I need to go and scout out the hall to figure out some ideas for the set-up????
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You don't have a venue yet? Your wedding is in 2 months, where are you located?

Good question Niquey.

It seems as though she has a venue. It looks like the question is should she look for someone (or even the hall) to clean up for her.

WE HAVE A VENUE... I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR SUGGESTION FOR THE SET-UP AND CEREMONY I WOULD ALSO LIKE SUGGESTIONS ON IF OUR CHILDREN SHOULD PARTICIPATE. WE HAVE A DAUGHTER AGE 9 AND TWO SONS AGE 7 AND 6. I HAD THE PLACE FOR THE RECEPTION BEFORE I HAD THE CHURCH

I am planning on this one myself -- I am having the event at a hotel and having one large room...half the room will be set up for the ceremony, the other for the reception. Saves on the need for transportation, as when we walk back down the aisle together, it will be right to the reception area, and the guests can go right to thier tables, thus cutting down on time of the event (and cost), contracting two different venues, guests confused with trying to get to two different places (especially out of towners), and they can also stay in the same hotel after the event. Even saves on decorating, since I only have to decorate one place. I say go for it!

I am planning a wedding/ reception in one venue. My intermediate family are the only one's wearing the theme clothes.Everyone else can just come formal. My wedding is mideavil so it will go great with the tables and food already being there. Every one will be seated where they will eat. My intermediate family and I are pretty much putting on the show. The groom will arrive on a white horse as a duke. My son's 3 and 6yrs old will be dukes. My neice will be a littl dtches or something. I am all about keeping it simple. I will decorate the tables myself. The food will be a buffet. I just want everyone to see how great our family is. I really don't need a lot of folks to have a part in it.We just want to look good and show divesity and class.

[quote="victorian66"]I am planning a wedding/ reception in one venue. My intermediate family are the only one's wearing the theme clothes.Everyone else can just come formal. My wedding is mideavil so it will go great with the tables and food already being there. Every one will be seated where they will eat. My intermediate family and I are pretty much putting on the show. The groom will arrive on a white horse as a duke. My son's 3 and 6yrs old will be dukes. My neice will be a littl dtches or something. I am all about keeping it simple. I will decorate the tables myself. The food will be a buffet. I just want everyone to see how great our family is. I really don't need a lot of folks to have a part in it.We just want to look good and show divesity and class.
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Welcome to the site Victorian66! Sounds like you have a plan! What are your colors and when are you getting married?

welcome to the family victorian. My cousin got married last year and had an all in one wedding/reception, it turned out very nice. I am thinking of doing the same, I don't know. I wanna do so much stuff and so many things sound wonderful.

Hello ladies I am a bride-to-be and am new to this site.I came across it while looking for a hairstyle for the big day.We are getting married on December 9th,2006 in the lovely Carribean.It will be a garden wedding (provided no rain) and the reception will be in the reception hall next to the garden.If it rains the hall is big enough to accomodate everything with the help of the wedding co-ordinator (my best-friend).While our guest are enjoying their cocktail hour and the lovely music of the saxophonist (not hired yet)the bridal party will be driven to the nearyby beach for our photos.Songs good in writing hope it works out.Nice meeting you all.

[quote="NikkiG"]Hello ladies I am a bride-to-be and am new to this site.I came across it while looking for a hairstyle for the big day.We are getting married on December 9th,2006 in the lovely Carribean.It will be a garden wedding (provided no rain) and the reception will be in the reception hall next to the garden.If it rains the hall is big enough to accomodate everything with the help of the wedding co-ordinator (my best-friend).While our guest are enjoying their *bleep*tail hour and the lovely music of the saxophonist (not hired yet)the bridal party will be driven to the nearyby beach for our photos.Songs good in writing hope it works out.Nice meeting you all.
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Hey there Ms NikkiG and welcome to the boards. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. My wedding is just about a month before yours. It sounds like you have an excellent plan in the works. Good luck and I pray that your day will be all that your heart desires!

welcome to our family nikkig... congrats on your coming wedding... it sounds lovely.

I am having my wedding and reception all at the same place because I am getting married on a Friday evenig and didnt want to make my guest commute back and forth. Ask the banquet hall manager if he/she has an outside gazebo, or has another room or a chapel that you to get married in. If not my co-worker got married in the same room as her wedding reception and it was very nice. The quest was seated at there tables and the wedding party came down this winding stair case. It was nice and diffrent. Girl anything is possible.

I know that's right Housewife, all it take is a little creativity!