What do you gals think of Wedding Luncheon on a Sunday ?

Jopp
I agree with annabella. Gatecrash as early as possible.

For us, we went back to the groom's place after our luncheon, then went back to mum's home after that.

Our tea ceremony was done before the luncheon in the hotel function room for both families. We have a big family, too and it took under 45 mins to complete. You must gather your tea server and jiemeis to coordinate the tea ceremony well.

Our schedule

* Make up
* Gatecrash
* Outdoor Photoshoot (2 locations closeby)
* Reach hotel, freshen up
* Tea ceremony
* Change outfit, 2nd make up (touch up, hair re-do)
* Lunch Banquet
* Grooms Place
* Mum's Home
* Dinner for close family & VIPs

Tea Ceremony done in one location, i.e. hotel will save you and your family a lot of time running around as a luncheon schedule is tighter than a dinner one.
 


Hi jopp,

My tea ceremony was done during the luncheon event, right at the stage... We actually wanted it after the lunch event, but my mum insist during the event, so we did it right at the eyes of our guests.

I would suggest you have it after yr luncheon event (so you have more time to mingle ard with yr guests). Reason why i didn't do it after that, becoz I didn't pre-inform my relatives abt the tea ceremony event. So do remember to inform yr relatives abt the tea ceremony during yr card delivery.


If I would do it again, my ideal schedule :
1. Make up
2. Gatecrash
3. Groom place (I would leave this out b'coz my parents-in-law is alright that we proceed to hotel immediately)
4. My new home
5. Outdoor Photoshoot (2 locations closeby)
6. Reach hotel, freshen up
7. Lunch Banquet
8. Tea ceremony
9. Mum's Home (on the 3rd day)
 
Jopp,
Sorry, I missed out my ROM which was also done on the same day. Our day was madly packed but we managed somehow without a hitch!

We did provide a separate invitation for ROM/Tea Ceremony for selected guests. If you do intend to hold your tea ceremony after your luncheon, be careful as people tend to want to leave earlier.

<font color="0000ff">Our schedule (amended)

* Make up (6am)
* Gatecrash (7.30am)
* Outdoor Photoshoot (2 locations closeby) (8.15am)
* Reach hotel, freshen up (9.45am)
* ROM in the Hotel function room (10.30am)
* Change to Kua (11am)
* Tea ceremony in the same Hotel function room (11.20am)
* Change outfit, 2nd make up (touch up, hair re-do) (12:00pm)
* Cocktail Reception (12.30pm)
* Lunch Banquet in the Ballroom (1pm)
* Grooms Place (4.30pm)
* Mum's Home (5.30pm)
* Dinner for close family &amp; VIPs (7.30pm)</font>
 
tks annabella and kazooie! have noted down all ur tips and will plan my program accordingly then.

cheers!
 
Pls convince me of a weekend lunch.

In fact my mom is so supportive of the idea, she suggested that to me. I do not know if I want a weekday dinner or weekend lunch.

My mind is kinda set on weekday dinner as the special day is my anniversary! Also dinner allows more time for gate crashing &amp; I need the express highlights for dinner. If lunch = no express hightlight liao.

Also everything will be very cramp as I still needa solemnization b4 the banquet.

I also scare APs as I want it to be in Fullerton.
Fullerton weekday dinner is like normal 5* de weekend dinner rates.
Fullerton weekend lunch is like normal 5* de weekday dinner rates.

Both also scare lose alot. How much do you all set aside to lose?
 
hi Diana,

There are pros and cons for both wedding lunch and wedding dinner. As you mentioned, for wedding dinner, you will have more time to prepare, have morning express highlight, more time for gate crashing, etc. While for wedding lunch, although the timing between the fetching bride, tea ceremony and lunch will be tighter, but the good thing is that you have more time to rest and enjoy the day after the event. (The whole evening will be your and your hubby).

As for the Ang Pao issue, i will suggest that never never expect to cover your banquet cost with ang pao received, cos you will never know how much people are going to give especially during this economy downtown period. Do everything within your mean. If can afford, then good. If not, no need to force yourself to go for those 5 or 6 stars hotel but end up worrying for the bill to settle. Remember that there are still many other costs beside the banquet (SDJ, Dowry, GDL items, Angbao for helpers, etc). There is still life after the wedding day. So, be wise with your money.

For me, i am preparing to lose 100% of my banquet cost (haha, not kidding), cos mine is just small number of tables (10 tables), at 4 star hotel, the cost isn't that high, so not hoping any recovering from the ang bao. Any amount received on that day will be like bonus to me.
 
Diana
Re: Lunch vs Dinner Banquet
This really depends on what you and your hubby want for yourself. As jolinr mentioned, both have advantages and disadvantages.

Factors as you've pointed out some already:
* Weekday vs Weekend
* Day vs Night
* Rush vs Rest in between the day
* Cheaper banquet vs more expensive banquet
* 8 course vs 9 course meal
* Dress vs Evening Ballgown
* Re-Touch Make up/ Hair-Do vs Redo make up/ Hair-Do
* Less alcohol consumption vs more alcohol consumption
* No catering vs home catering for lunch
* Less angbao vs more angbao received

Go with the one you're more comfortable with.

Re: Gatecrashing
Even for a lunch banquet, you'll have enough time for the normal gatecrashing in the morning, (unless you're planning a 2 hr amazing race kinda gatecrashing). Just have to work out a program timeline for the day.

Re: Lunch Express Highlights
It is possible that some PG/ VG can help to rush out the morning highlights for you. You will need to look around. There were a few we met up with which can accommodate this for lunch. We had a picture slideshow for lunch express highlights which was nicely done.

Re: Angbao issue
I think that lesser angbao received for lunch is justified being that it will definitely cost you less to hold a lunch vs a dinner (when comparing apple to apple). But guests will guesstimate the price difference of a banquet held at Fullerton, vs a banquet held at Novotel, for example. It also depends what kind of guests you invite at the end of the day. If they are generous in nature or close to you and your family, naturally, they will give more, and vice versa.

Re: Wedding Expense
You need to budget how much $$ you can part with in the event an average angpao is say, $70-$90. Indeed, if you decided on top hotels like the Fullerton, it is most likely, you will have to fork out part of the banquet expense as well. Bear in mind, most couples who choose the top hotels will part with much more as they have additional things, such as additional decor, prestigious car, wedding planner, entertainers, edible groomscake, custom made bridal bouquet, flower girl/ ring bearer attires, dresses for jiemeis, brothers, parents, etc. So you and your hubby will have to consider what you're after for your special day... extravagant vs realistic?
 
i've just started looking at venues for a lunch for about 30 tables. am trying to find a venue with natural lighting so it feels more casual and less like a normal wedding dinner.

anybody with any suggestions on venues which would be suitable? is it totally unrealistic to try to book something for aug / sept 2009 for a lunch?
 
Hi Char,
I had my wedding lunch at Marriott Hotel last oct. I like the overall effect. I think their lighting effect is quite impressive.

I think you are still able to book for aug/sept wedding lunch, open up your selection and start calling up.
 
jolinr &amp; kazooie,

I was initialy very not open to wkend lunch is bcos i had ardy bk my AD VG &amp; PG which comes in a package of animation, express highlights etc..

Also, i spend like almost $10k on my bridal shoot, if lunch like very not formal like that lo. Den the bridal package like kinda wasted..

I do hope they can do the express highlights for me but scare sia.. They written in contract need 7hr production time.. Hopefully able to nego..

Angbow.. God I v scare sia.. I hope they know what 'Fullerton' means.. Scare those $50 APs.. Summore our major no of guests are relatives, &amp; relatives are the 'sure-lose' situation with their families etc.. Eg: A family of 4 bao $200.
Lose till xiao.. But is ok, forseen liao.. Haix..

Car is not a problem.. Relatives drove a CLK.. lend frm her foc.. haha.. Dresses for jiemeis, i believe they wont mind to pay for themselves.. What r fren for?

Anyway end of the day, we decided to hold it twice on e same day!! LOL!! Fullerton for Hi-Tea with all e relatives, Shangri La for night wedding party event with frenz... Abit stress that day..

Dono can work a not.. Still planning. Hope is gd..
 
Hi Diane
Sounds like fun what you've have planned! Just take note that you and your FH have plenty of energy as a whole day affair can be pretty exhausting. My hubby was a bit tipsy from the lunch banquet yam seng, come dinner time, we were both like real zombies and had very little energy left to entertain our 20 dinner guests which was a specially invited close family and friends. Luckily the food and service at Shang Palace kept them happy.

Good luck!
happy.gif
 
Kazooie,

I don have to worry that my htb will gt drunk cos he don drink! He hates alcohol most, a drop he will drunk le. He should be worrying about me.. LOL!! I drink like nobody business. haha...
 
Diane,

LOL, then must eat lots before you start drinking to "dian4 di3"! Maybe I'm old liao (31yrs last year, hubby 35) so was tiring for us la... that day we both didn't sleep from 2am till midnight!
 
Just to share my findings...I did a survey among my friends and guess what? They're still stuck in the 90s..they still think wedding lunch will cost at most $12-$30 per person if it's a buffet and $50/pax for a sit-down lunch.

When I mentioned it's a 5/6 star hotel like Ritz, Fullerton, they still think at most a few bucks more per pax. Majority of them seem to think economic downturn, hotels have also lower their prices. Duh!
 
wow...may i know how old are you carebearz?

i am going to do a wedding lunch also...for my next year wedding!! going to do solemnisation, tea ceremony followed by lunch at the hotel.

fast fast settle everything then enjoy the hotel room. hehe. i like to stay in hotels so i reckon it's a gd idea to hold everything earlier part of the day!!
 
flyingstar,
I'm in my early 30s. And most of my friends/relatives belong to the middle/high society.

It tells a lot of what the general public think about wedding lunch. Oh well, I suppose in the first place, we're inviting guests to share out joy so we can't expect them to fork out ang pows that can at least cover our cost. That's one thing that I can never understand about Chinese. It's like we want to throw banquets for face issue and yet we hope to at least break-even?

In other cultures, like the ang mohs or Japanese, to them a party is a party. They invite guests to a wedding party and they certaintly don't expect guests to foot the cost.

I think it's high time the hotels re-consider the minimum no. of tables required, particularly as families are now smaller. Where to find 30tables of guests?

Same here, flyingstar. I'm doing the same thing as you. Can enjoy the hotel with my friends.
 
flyingstar,
I'm in my early 30s. And most of my friends/relatives belong to the middle/high society.

My survey showed that if its buffet at home or some event hall or a beach wedding, most people think it's less than $20. If its a hotel buffet, general perception is $50-$70, even for 5/6 stars hotel.

If its sit-down menu, they add a couple bucks more. Scary right? Doesnt help when the news, 8 days etc all been saying prices have dropped when only the lower end restaurants/hotels have dropped their prices. High end places still maintain or even increase their prices!

It tells a lot of what the general public think about wedding lunch. Oh well, I suppose in the first place, we're inviting guests to share out joy so we can't expect them to fork out ang pows that can at least cover our cost. That's one thing that I can never understand about Chinese. It's like we want to throw banquets for face issue and yet we hope to at least break-even?

In other cultures, like the ang mohs or Japanese, to them a party is a party. They invite guests to a wedding party and they certaintly don't expect guests to foot the cost.

I think it's high time the hotels re-consider the minimum no. of tables required, particularly as families are now smaller. Where to find 30tables of guests?

Same here, flyingstar. I'm doing the same thing as you. Can enjoy the hotel with my friends
 
I'm holding my luncheon soon and till date I have no regrets choosing lunch over dinner. Even though it may be a bit rushed for the morning activities (gatecrashing, tea ceremony etc.), one very good thing is that I don't waste time sitting down in the hotel waiting for dinner to start, the flow is just nice. After lunch ends at ard 4pm, the rest of the time is btw me and my wife liao, can go anywhere we like. If its dinner, by the time we send off guests also ard midnight liao, whole day on our feet sure exhausted. Bridal suite also cannot enjoy much also, just shower and plonk on the bed, next day check out liao.

Wedding luncheons are getting popular, a few of my friends also chose lunch over dinner
happy.gif
 
Wow.. I'm surprised to find that the Lunch reception is so popular these days.. Even since 2003.. The pioneers..! *Salute*

I'm shocked to read that the lunch reception was so cheap in the past. Of course, Dinner back then was considered cheap when compared to today's pricing.

When my htb and I proposed to hold a sit-down lunch reception, his brother-in-law advised us to find one under $700. I told him that the cheapest tt I have found in a reputable hotel is at least $750 nett. He had a shock.. Hee!

I am so relieved to find tips on the schedule.

Since I'm planning to have solemnization at the hotel before Lunch, I will do the tea ceremony for both sides before everything. I am not sure if this will go against the Chinese tradition. Need to convince both sides of our parents of course.

Er.. Though times has changed, parents' mindset are STILL THE SAME..!!! Argh..
 
Am also deciding on a lunch but so scared no time!
Gatecrashing, Solemnization, Tea Ceremony all within few hours in the morning!
 
Hello Lala and Baby D'elegance

Im also having tea ceremony, solemnization, lunch all in one morning and afternoon!

Have you girls got any schedule already? It is a bit rushed, but partly it is cos of the second make up before the lunch. I guess make up take like 1.5hrs?
 
Hi ladies

I'm thinking of a lunch too but because we are hosting quite a large church wedding, I thought of doing it on separate days. So church wedding + reception on saturday and then sit-down dinner with close family and friends on sunday.

Do you think it's too troublesome to have the wedding spread over 2 days? Would appreciate your thoughts!
happy.gif
 
actually best thing is to get the feedback from your friends and family..but like tat they have to get ready two outfits and two makeups..
 
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