Modulo constraints on space, I'm not sure what people's reasons are for inviting someone to the reception but not the wedding.
It really is just space! There is far more choice of venues-where-you-can-have-a-party than there is of venues-licensed-for-marriage, and the latter cost a lot to hire, and the bigger the venue, the greater the cost (obviously). Even the smallish room at the registry office is not cheap (well I don't think it's cheap but then I don't really know what I'd expect) on a Saturday. If money (and hence space) was no object, we'd be very happy for everybody who wants to be there to come along. (Okay, there are one or two people who I wouldn't exactly be happy for them to be there, but if space wasn't an issue then I wouldn't stop them coming along.)
And yes, if we were getting married in a church then there'd probably be room for a gazillion people; no idea what it costs (if anything -- can you charge people to go to church?). I would have been willing (albeit with some reservations) to get married in church; Owen is a staunch atheist and (entirely reasonably) wasn't prepared to compromise on that.
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Date: 2008-12-02 01:28 pm (UTC)It really is just space! There is far more choice of venues-where-you-can-have-a-party than there is of venues-licensed-for-marriage, and the latter cost a lot to hire, and the bigger the venue, the greater the cost (obviously). Even the smallish room at the registry office is not cheap (well I don't think it's cheap but then I don't really know what I'd expect) on a Saturday. If money (and hence space) was no object, we'd be very happy for everybody who wants to be there to come along. (Okay, there are one or two people who I wouldn't exactly be happy for them to be there, but if space wasn't an issue then I wouldn't stop them coming along.)
And yes, if we were getting married in a church then there'd probably be room for a gazillion people; no idea what it costs (if anything -- can you charge people to go to church?). I would have been willing (albeit with some reservations) to get married in church; Owen is a staunch atheist and (entirely reasonably) wasn't prepared to compromise on that.