Ceremony Only Invites

Tell me, what do you think of "ceremony only" invites?

x

A few months ago I was on an American Wedding Forum and a girl asked this same question.

She was attacked

"It is so rude, why invite them at all! The whole wedding is about the reception/party"

"I would find it offensive to be only invited to the ceremony"

x

Are we different in Australia? I think that Ceremony Only Invites are perfectly fine?

People understand how expensive receptions are nowadays, but would still feel privileged to come to the ceremony and have a part in your special day.

x

I have created our Ceremony Only invites on Vistaprint.

These will be for close friends parents, my aunties and uncles (bah), and work people (we work in a 40 strong department - inviting 3 to the reception)

So tell me - What are your thoughts on "Ceremony Only Invites"

Ceremony Music

Our celebrant has asked us to give her between 10-15 songs for the ceremony

Did your jaw just drop?

30 minutes of this music is for "before" the ceremony, and after the ceremony as she likes to create "the mood".

I must admit, I am having one hell of a time thinking of 10-15 songs.

----

Here is what has been decided so far:

----

Sea of Love - Cat Power

(Sorry, this video is a cover)

YOU TUBE HERE

----

Sticking with You - Velvet Underground

(Another cover, sorry!)

YOU TUBE HERE

----

Army of the Sun - Roadrunner

YOU TUBE HERE

----

Be your Husband - Jeff Buckley

YOU TUBE HERE

----

Let's Stick Together - Al Green

YOU TUBE HERE

----

And then I get stuck.....

Please suggest some artists to me (or particular songs)

Ingrid Michaelson is one I am trying to hunt down the CD of (Ta Stace!)

----

As you can tell we have a rather errrr varied list of artists so far!

In our own eyes - Ceremony Location

Today we went and saw Emerald Lake Park and it was more beautiful than we dreamed (well, than I dreamed - BF#1 was just excited I found out you can fish for trout there).

We will book in The Gums (above) and also the "Lions Den" (A 120 people undercovered area - our "wet weather back up") on Monday HURRAY.

It was so beautiful and relaxing! There were birds everywhere (rosellas and kookaburras to name a couple), beautiful streams and trees as far as the eye could see!

x

Things we must remember when doing the invitations:

• Tell guests to wear comfortable shoes (in other words - NO HEELS). It's a hike to the ceremony from the car park, on a gravel pathway.
• Note that parking is $2 per hour or $6 a day (but ample).
• We need direction signs on the side of the road - all the way from Menzies Creek (we were confused, even with a map)
• We also need direction signs in the actual Park ("This way dummy")
• 2 Maps need to be included in the invitation - one for how to get to the park - one to get from the carpark to ceremony
• If our budget persists - Pay for everyone's parking

Another exciting part of all of this - Our "wedding cars" will now be a great big steam train (http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/) Ooooooooh yeeeeeeeeah.

(p.s - Jadey, we will absolutely ask about permits! Thank you! xoxo)

Ceremony Location - The Risk

We don't love the Old Cheese Factory anymore. I bet you knew it would happen.

We haven't even gone down there to check it out, but after seeing their brochure we were really not impressed.

x

I have contacted a few other places - Jells Park - Boronia Park - Emerald Lake Park - asking for more information.

x

Boronia Park

x
Emerald Lake Park
x
I don't know why I am so obsessed with getting married in some sort of Garden/Park - but I honestly couldn't see it any other way. I can imagine the birds singing in the trees while we are saying our vows.
x
I was hooked on Boronia Park simply because of the Amphitheatre. I contacted them yesterday via email and received this response:
"The Arboretum can not actually be booked, it is sort of like a "first in best dressed" basis on the day."
WOW........ This does mean it is free.... but would you want to save $500 to risk having 10 kids on skateboards crashing your ceremony? Or to have everyone turn up and a family is sitting there having a picnic........ What is your opinion?
x
Jells Park is going to be a tricky one. I completed 4 pages of forms yesterday in order to just query having an event there. I haven't heard back. One good thing about Jells is that it is SO close to our house and a lot of the guests will be familiar with where abouts it would be. The minus is that we would need to hire chairs and bring them in.
x
And then I discovered Emerald Lake Park. I am in LOVE. Please please please let the Amphitheatres for our size event be available on our wedding day. Please let the largest undercover area also be available! Please please please! You "Hire" the areas so no doubt the Ranger would make sure no one crashes it. Oh please please please. The total charge of the hire (including the backup covered area) would be $303.00
x
I will keep you posted.

Ceremony Venue

I think I have found our Ceremony venue....

Please tell me what you think of it.

Introducing......

THE OLD CHEESE FACTORY (Berwick)

There is a little crappy website HERE (this is where the pics are from)

I am awaiting to hear back in regards to prices etc.

UPDATE:

Just heard back

$450.00 to hire the gardens for 2hrs

They aren't available on the 6th of March

But the GARDENS are available on the 7th of March

The 8th is a public holiday in Melb!!!!

Will go check it out tomorrow I think!