The Party That NEVER Ends!!!!!

I like to look at a lot of “trends” when it comes to weddings, and then compare them to the actual weddings that I witness. One of the 2011 trends (according to www.onewed.com) is a Revved-Up Wedding Reception. After just reading that first ceremony, I thought that would mean a really wild and crazy reception that would end at midnight…and then I read it and can tell that I am getting older. What the article meant was actually an after party for the reception!


There are a couple of ways I look at this, #1- who wouldn’t want this night to NEVER end, especially if you are the bride or the groom…keep the party coming! Point #2) Pass the Red Bull…that is one long day!

Going back to the first point, I think that many of the time, at the actual reception the bride and groom are on their “better” behavior, I mean…grandma and that strict Aunt Dorothy might be there watching every move you take. Have an after party would be more of a way for a couple to really let loose and be themselves around the people who can hang! Also…I mean, come on…don’t you want to wear that beautiful wedding dress as long as possible!

Now, where to have it.... For all of the venues out there, I am going to respectfully ask that you keep the reception and the after party in two separate locations! As a person who moonlights as a waitress on the side every once in awhile, I am also going to ask you to call ahead to any bar or restaurant that you feel you may go to…in fact, treat it like a reservation. This will only make the night go smoother. There is nothing funnier or more traumatic (depending on which side of the bar you are on) than watching the bartenders face when a group of 40 people come in at the end of the night and they are not prepared for it. If the after party location knows about this, than they can properly staff the venue accordingly. Just remember, you want well wishes on your wedding day, not death threats from the bar staff!

So, keep the party going! Just make sure you have a proper driver.