The Big Day : View Experience

The "real" wedding reception

Last year, one of my good friends got married in Washington, DC. The week of the wedding, there were all kinds of typical pre-wedding events, but while there was plenty of alcohol consumed, I could tell that my friend/groom was just not fully enjoying himself. He was just too stressed about the big day. He was finally able to relax a bit at the wedding reception, but the wedding reception was a fairly formal affair, with lots of older family members. It wasn't until the "real" wedding reception that I felt like my friend let go and properly celebrated his wedding.

Basically, the way the "real" wedding reception worked is that my friend had an early afternoon wedding and the typical wedding reception immediately afterwards. And then about an hour after the typical wedding reception ended, the bride and groom rented out a wine bar for just them and their close friends for the "real" wedding reception. It was a casual affair, as everyone had time to change clothes before it began. And even though my friend was exhausted, I really felt like my friend was able to relax and enjoy the wedding experience.