I'm curious about wedding traditions in other parts of the country!

1. Do the majority of weddings you do cakes for have the wedding ceremony and the reception back to back in the same location with one guest list? (The cake being displayed at the ceremony).

OR

2. Do the majority of weddings you do cakes for have the wedding ceremony and the wedding reception in different locations in the same day with 2 different guest lists? (The cake being displayed at the reception not the ceremony).

3. Other

Well I don't do cakes for a living, so I've never done an actual wedding cake, but the tradition I used to is, have the ceremony, (usually a church), no cake, the reception follows, where the cake is served along with the food/drinks. also the same guest list is used.

wedding at church.
Reception at another facility, with very few exceptions.
All food is at the reception.
Same guest list.

Only heard of one wedding (friend of a friend thing) where they had:
- wedding at the church.
- cake reception in church basement.
- Then they did the big tacky thing .... they ANNOUNCED, "Ok, those of you who are invited to dinner at the restaurant, we'll see you there in about 15 minutes. To everyone else, thanks for coming!"

This story should go on www.etiquettehell.com!

I'm getting a LOT of weddings this year where the bride and groom are getting married in Florida, Jamaica, Cancun, etc., and then having a reception at home 2 or 3 months later. I bet I've got 7 weddings this year that were set up this way.

I've never heard of two different guest lists for the wedding and the reception... And here in the midwest, whether the reception is in the same locale as the church often depends on the size of the church! Oh, and whether they want alcohol, because most churches (that I've been to) don't allow alcohol at wedding receptions, some don't allow (or have room for) dancing, etc. I didn't care if we danced or not, and I'd rather NOT have drunk people at the wedding, so I just had mine in the same church I got married in. Fewer people can get lost that way...

Most weddings here are in a church/chapel, then the reception is at another venue where there is a catered dinner (plated, stations or buffet, about even) beginning with a cocktail hour. The cake is displayed at the reception. Same guest list for both. Two different guest lists would be considered the height of tacky around here.

However DD's wedding and reception were at the same venue (no church.)

is there even tradition any more? sorry to sound cynical, I think it's best to expect the unexpected these days.

but to answer your question it is more common in my experience that the wedding invitation is for the guest to attend the ceremony and reception.

the cake is displayed at the reception venue, which sometimes is also the ceremony venue.

Of course there are different set ups for weddings here in Utah but because many many of the people are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (The Mormons) Many of the weddings here are performed in their Temples. Only people who are active members of that church may go into their Temples for a ceremony. Plus the marriage rooms aren't that big so that can limit the guest list also. Thats why so many weddings here would have two separate quest lists.

It would go like this:

1. Guest list for Temple wedding.
2. After ceremony in Temple - pictures OUTSIDE
3. All people from ceremony usually meet for a brunch or wedding luncheon at a resturant (no wedding cake yet).Food paid for by the grooms family.
4. Quests from Temple ceremony are also invited to nighttime reception
5. Nighttime reception with MANY other guests who were not at the Temple ceremony. (Wedding cake displayed here)
6. Guests arrive anywhere in a 2-3 hour period and are served food (many different styles) buffet, single deserts etc.
7. Wedding cake cut sometime in the evening at the reception
8. If bride and groom decided on fake cake (cake of course would not be cut )
9. Cake will sometimes be part real and part fake.

Sorry, that word on #4 is Guests!

...anyone else?

Hi
i'm facinated by the difference in 'traditions' i know from hearing about my husband's cousins wedding we do things quite differently in the UK. In Scotland generally speaking the wedding ceremony takes place in the church / hotel/ registry office similar, i imagine to the US. The wedding reception is usually in two parts - the main reception ( guests sit down to 3 course meal) this is usually for family and close friends and usually takes place about 30 mins to an hour after the church bit ( immediately after church service the photos are taken hence the delay) the cake is on display and is ceremonially 'cut' by the happy couple - this involves sticking the knife in to the cake and taking photos but the cake remains intact. After the meal and a quick tidy / sorting of tables etc by hotel staff the evening reception takes place. This involves a band/ ceilidh/ disco ( the party bit really) a buffet is provided and evening guests are invited (in addition to the guests who are already there)- these are usually work colleagues, neighbours, other friends etc. and the cake is cut and distributed - it is also considered bad luck to refuse a piece of cake - you don't have to eat it but you have to take it lol! Then it's just one big party!

AnneMarie