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Dry Reception

posted 3 years ago in Reception
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    1.
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    Helper bee
    leenmachine    October 3, 2009  

    Our reception (starting at 5pm) is at the church fellowship hall which means absolutely no alcohol. A part of me is getting worried that guests won't have fun or get loose without alcohol. FI and I's families don't really drink (and have too much fun without it) so I'm not worried about them but our coworkers and other guests are. Some of them already know there will be no alcohol and seemed okay with it. I'm considering serving virgin drinks (pina colada, daiquiris, etc.).

    Has anyone ever had or attended a dry reception? Did it prevent you or your guests from having fun?

    Also, anyone know of any other delicious virgin drinks I could do?

     
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    Worker bee
    sarakat28    6/6/09   washington, DC

    It's a different kind of wedding than most people are used to, and a lot of people wont dance without a few drinks, but that's ok, they'll get over it.  Not every wedding needs to be exactly the same and what's important is that you and your fiancee enjoy the day.   

    Carla on Top Chef had to make a cocktail as part of the challenge last week and made a non alcholic one that won over the judges that sounded good:

    http://recipes.mt.bravotv.com/top_chef/season_5_1/episode_13_2/cranberry_ginger_spritzer.php

     
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    yookie    8/15/10   Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    My first wedding was a dry reception, and we all had a blast. (Too bad the marriage didn't stick!) You don't need alcohol to have a good time-- and I am sure that your guests will prove that to you :) They're there to support you and show you that they love you, so I am sure they won't mind. You could have a bunch of different virgin cocktails or punches that are fun and fruity to keep them interested as well.

     
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    Helper bee
    MissStellar    May 2, 2009   MI

    I'm sure they'll get loose and have fun. You should enlist a few of your more outgoing friends to get out on the dance floor and cut loose. Sometimes it just takes someone else doing it to get everyone else involved. :)

     
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    Buzzing bee
    flamingred    June 19, 2010  

    I've gone to one. I'm not going to lie and say it was the best time of my life because it was actually really boring and the food stunk (not that that had anything to do with the non alcoholic drinks),  but I was there for my friend and to sing in her wedding, and after the reception we had an afterparty at their house. ..the reception was more for the parents.

     
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    Bumble bee
    BeachBrideT    5/09   Florida

    I think it can still be fun! I think you just need to set the tone. If you set things up to *feel* fun, then it will be. Plus, it sounds like your family and your FI's family will take the lead and *get loose* so I'm sure your guests will follow!

     
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    MrsCPT    08-08-09   Texas

    I have been to lots of dry receptions (they are the norm in my family), and I can honestly say that they can be absolutely as much fun as any reception with alcohol.  If you have all the other elements of a great reception (plenty of tasty food, well-planned seating, etc.), you don't need the alcohol.  If you plan for the kind of fun that your families have, other guests will join in. 

     We're having a "Mocktail Hour" before our reception.  We googled mocktail, found some sites with great ideas, and are going down the list trying various recipes.  I think we'll probably have a spritzer like sarakat28 posted and one more complicated beverage (with layers).

     
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    Buzzing bee
    bunny    July 3, 2009  

    I'm in the same boat. My venue is necessitating a dry reception, so instead of focusing on dancing (you're right, people will have a hard time loosening up enough for it), we're going to have board and card games (and maybe some lawn games outside) at the reception. I think it will be a good way for our families and friends to get to know each other. Plus I'm not big into dancing and always wish when I'm at weddings that I could play cards without it seeming strange! Dry Reception :  wedding Icon Wink

     
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    Helper bee
    leenmachine    October 3, 2009  

    Ahh! Thanks for the mocktail idea! I just googled it too and got a LIST of non-alcoholic drinks! That'd be fun to have a mocktail "buffet" for the guests...and we're thinking of having karaoke during cocktail hour too...so hopefully that will loosen the guests up before we even get there!

    It's funny that you mention playing cards cause my family have a Saturday play card club! They meet EVERY Saturday like clockwork, play mahjong like it's a religion and they only have beer, sometimes. 

    I've also been thinking of having an after party at a bar somewhere if the party ends too soon. I'm thinking of deciding this the day of depending on how the party feels. It might just be for our coworkers and well, people around our age. 

     
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    Kelliejeanne    09/12/09   Boston

    We are non-drinkers and are planning on a dry reception. We are going to try to keep it "homey" with buckets of glass bottled soda / lemonade / iced tea / Pellegrino water.  A couple of things I'm taking into consideration while planning:

    * A fun DJ - we are booking a more experienced DJ who shouldn't need to do anything "gimmicky" to keep the dance floor packed.

    * Ways to connect guests to one another. I like the idea of "ask me about..." name-tags featuring fun facts about our guests that could be used as icebreakers. But we don't like the idea of a bunch of nametags in the pictures so we are trying to brainstorm on that idea. We could apply it to tables somehow if we decide on a seating plan (which I'm against). But I love the idea.

    *An after-reception destination - we are planning on announcing that we will be at a downtown bar (one that has live music or karaoke) at a certain time after the reception. It's laid back and casual and the guests who want a drink are more than welcome at the bar. 

    Good Luck!  

     

     

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