I got married back in April this year but have been left with a feeling of disappointment at the evening reception. We got married at 12:30pm and had 70 people at our wedding during the day. The daytime went so smoothly and was lovely! The weather was even so warm. Our wedding was on a Saturday. We invited 30 more guests at the evening reception. 10 evening guests did not turn up but I’m not too bothered about that. We had around 90 guests by the evening time.
Our evening reception was to finish at 12 midnight. At about 8:30/9pm after the first dance and cake cutting but before our evening food, I had a few guests coming up to me telling me they were leaving. One was a really good friend and her partner. Another was a friend who was quite drunk and was taken home by her partner. Then a few older family members left. I started to notice that the venue looked less full later on but my mum reassured me that people were dancing and people were sitting outside the venue and people were queuing at our pizza van. I was a little tipsy so my memory is hazy.
I had 7 bridesmaids. One of my bridesmaids had her 10 month old baby and was looking after him with her partner so I think they went back to the room at the venue about 9pm as I don’t remember seeing them after then which I did understand. Another bridesmaid who only really knows the bridesmaid with the baby, stayed with them and went back to her room early with her partner too. My other bridesmaids looked like they were having a fab time. One bridesmaid however went to her room with her partner at 10pm as they said they were so full from the pizza. Another with her partner left at half 10. The other 3 bridesmaids stayed more less to the end of the night dancing.
My friends are usually party people and expected them (especially bridesmaids) to be there more less to the end. However, my husbands friends were all more or less there till the end. I normally don’t leave weddings till the last hour so just expected the same. I believe we had around 60-70 people there at 10pm and then about 50 at 11pm. There seemed to be lots of evening food left over and people took some home with them.
I feel bad writing this and know I should be grateful that my wedding day went so well and we were able to have everyone there that we wanted. I think I just put pressure on myself for everyone to have a good time. My partner was dancing and so were people all night but can’t remember too much as I was a bit tipsy so not sure if I’m remembering it quite right. Anyway, am I overreacting about being disappointed? Has this happened to anyone else or is this something that normally happens at weddings at the evening reception?
