Invite work colleagues to wedding?

[JOEYGREEN]

I work in quite a small friendly office and have been here for five years. I am getting married soon and I was planning to just invite them and their spouses to the evening do but the gaffer said something which assumed they were invited to the service. My mum has suggested I send them an evening invitation and just put a note inside to say that they are quite welcome to come and watch us get married at the church and then in a polite way say that the meal is just for family and close friends (which it is) but they are invited to the evening do. We are putting on a buffet in the evening as well so everyone gets fed. Do you think this is ok to do and if so, how could I word this please? Thanks in advance.

[natalie_1982]

I had this problem too; and actually said that the day was for family / close friends and the evenings was for everyone. Nobody seemed to mind, and all came along to the evening and had a good time. I bought invitations that specifically said "Evening", so that there would not be any confusion.

Hope you have a fantastic day - mine will be a year next week and I want to do it all over again!

[DJerba]

I used to plan weddings and I'd say that was fine. Most people dont expect to be invited to the meal maybe if you send them a 'programme for the day' so eg

2pm - service, all welcome

4pm - Sit down meal, family only

7.30 - Buffet and evening entertainment (or whatever you're having) all invited and guests welcome.

And just say to them as much as we wanted eveyone to come to the sit down meal we were limited to how many people we could invite so we decided to keep it to family only. How does that sound?

[4getmenot]

Yer at end of day they would be very rude to complain. Really the wedding is the only important bit and anyone can watch that even complete strangers as its a public place.
I'm sure now you can actually get invites to just the church and evening starting at whatever time.

[DJerba]

Get them printed. Go to a local printers with a template or tell them what you want actually they may even already have templates. it's more personal then as well

[natalie_1982]

I wrote personal notes on the opposite side of the printed card to people whom I would have liked at the ceremony, but not the breakfast.

[Octavius]

Agree with all the above. You might also like to suggest a nice pub or bar where they could get cosy (and tiddly) whilst waiting for the meal to finish.

I had guests waiting in the bar of the hotel where I had my reception and they didn't mind at all. We even had some spare champagne sent out to them in the bar.

[Hellion]

I think what you suggest is fine. I think people appreciate how expensive weddings are these days and no-one takes offence at 'variations' to a day anymore. And frankly if they do take offence that's their problem not yours!

[JOEYGREEN]

Thank you everyone - I feel a lot better about it now. I've just printed on some square bits of card:

Please note that the service details are as follows:

Time Church
Church address

You are very welcome to attend the ceremony.

JOEY AND MR JOEY

This ok?

[joko]

joey - no, thats not enough.

you need to spell it out.

if there is any scope for assumptions and misunderstandings, there will be some embarrassing moments when some turn up at the meal expecting to be sat down