Not "sometimes done", I believe, but the norm. My mother was recently telling me how confused she is by this invitation-to-reception-but-not-wedding idea. In her day (ie marrying 40 years ago) it was unheard of - but very, very common to invite someone to the wedding but not to the reception.
I think this was as you say largely because the wedding part is free, but the reception must be paid for per-head. It also makes more sense if most of your guests are local and can easily pop to the church (church weddings were still very much the norm) for half an hour.
Modulo constraints on space, I'm not sure what people's reasons are for inviting someone to the reception but not the wedding.
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Date: 2008-12-02 12:43 am (UTC)Not "sometimes done", I believe, but the norm. My mother was recently telling me how confused she is by this invitation-to-reception-but-not-wedding idea. In her day (ie marrying 40 years ago) it was unheard of - but very, very common to invite someone to the wedding but not to the reception.
I think this was as you say largely because the wedding part is free, but the reception must be paid for per-head. It also makes more sense if most of your guests are local and can easily pop to the church (church weddings were still very much the norm) for half an hour.
Modulo constraints on space, I'm not sure what people's reasons are for inviting someone to the reception but not the wedding.