The venue D and SIL chose had a back-up indoor cocktail hour option in place in the event of inclement weather. Otherwise we would not have booked there.
I did attend one very expensive wedding where the rain plan was 'mud." Guests were miserable – wet and cold. Literally threw out my shoes afterwards. Can’t comprehend how intelligent people plan a big occasion assuming weather will be good.
I mean I also understand the choice of a small budget wedding by choice or by necessity - but they had a dang miniature cow there! LOL. I told D2 (she is/will be my last to get married and I do suspect that will happen with BF) that hopefully our budget will include some indoor space and heat/AC. 
My nephew has the next wedding, which is in about 2 weeks, so October. I’m hoping the weather cooperates because it will be outdoors (at least I think it’s partly outdoors). I’m a bit fuzzy about their wedding and probably need to re-check the invitation. His older brother is performing the wedding and younger brother and a niece with be co-emcees. Younger brother is unclear as to whether he’s in wedding party or if there will be any wedding party.
I think the sauce is everyone being calm and not trying to fix every little thing that goes wrong, and there will be things that go wrong.
My niece had a very nice wedding in August. The groom is Chinese and his parents hosted a Tea Ceremony that was lovely, and then surprised the couple with a Lion Dance at the reception. That was fun. The couple was chill about everything and were having fun so then everyone else was having fun. There was enough food. The music was a little loud but tolerable.
The parking sucked. I’m all about the parking.
Yes, we went to last night’s wedding at 3, even though the wedding didn’t start until 4:30 because we were concerned about getting a parking space (we did). The parking at the venue can fill up and there were other events at the venue, so we wanted to snag a self-parking spot for ourselves and we did. Challenging parking is indeed difficult, as is getting rained on!
D2 went to 5+ weddings in the last 6 months, and 3 of them were overseas.
There was an outdoor wedding down in Florida with no AC. People were going to D2’s hotel room to get cooled down. It was buffet style meal and they ran out of food.
The biggest complaint I’ve heard is bad or not enough food, and then drinks - long wait at the bar or limited drinks.
At the end of the day, wedding is just like any other parties. It is all about food, drinks and music. I told both of my girls no outdoor wedding without a backup.
D’s wedding was in an urban downtown. Parking was free at the church. The reception was very close to the church, so people could park there & walk to the church or park at the church & then drive a very short distance to the reception. There was a parking deck right next to the reception … and the reception package included free parking for all guests. It was awesome!
D’s and SIL’s wedding was outdoors in NoVA in late October. We had plans B and C if rain. Reception was indoors on the same property although there was an outside patio.
There was a lot of good food, drinks were plentiful and a great DJ. People seemed to have a great time. That was the goal.
I went to three weddings this year. For me, the secret sauce is good music (I love a band) and guests who are up on the dance floor. I love seeing people from all the generations dancing to both new and classic tunes!
Also, selfishly, I like weddings (receptions) that move along smoothly & timely. Unless I know the B&G very well and have been involved in the various stages of their lives, I don’t want to get bogged down in endless long speeches (I know, I’m Grinchy that way). I like the concept of doing the longer speeches at the rehearsal dinner and just doing the obligatory toast and FOB speech at the reception. Wine me, dine me and get me to the dance floor! 
I’m sorry to be a grinch, but could music be just a tad LESS LOUD, so conversations can occur and ears don’t ring at weddings once the music starts?!?!?
D married a man from an Arabic culture. Oh, the music and dancing! 
It was alternated with current music and classic rock so that everyone ended up on the dance floor. So fun.
The reason classic rock is good is because our kids grew up with them while riding in the backseat
Secret sauce for me is being fed in a timely fashion. We went to a wedding that started at 4 and we were not served dinner until 9:30. Hangry me!
I like a mix of music. S2 had a great playlist but it was all uptempo so older folks never danced (DH included). I don’t like drunk guests so no open bar for me.
I love personal touches that are explained to everyone: all our kids and cousins cut their wedding cakes w my parents’ knife, for good luck. Also, as mentioned above, a willingness to roll with the inevitable snafus is a key to success.
@greenbutton the late dinner would be a deal breaker for me!
Going to a wedding on Sunday with the service at 11 at the Temple, then a small snack there, then the reception at 1 that will be over at 6 so I think the food will come promptly and there will be a lot of it.
Parking should be okay because they are having a shuttle bus for anyone who wants it and there is an overflow lot that is for a business next door and this is a Sunday so the venue can use that lot.
My two concerns, food and parking, are covered.
I once went to a wedding at a culinary school, and of all places, they were the ones who couldn’t get their act together with the food. We didn’t get fed until 11 o’clock at night. I wanted to order pizza from Domino’s, but that would’ve been too rude. I didn’t think of meeting the delivery driver in the driveway andsneaking out to my car for 20 minutes to gobble up a couple of slices.
I can tell I’m getting older. 20 years ago, I would’ve said it would’ve been a real bummer to have a midday wedding reception. Now, it sounds like it would be quite a lovely day.
Wow, that’s amazing. Most venues shut down at 11. I would have left by 9 if there was no food.
We were at a wedding that couldn’t start until sunset. Cocktail hour started close to 9PM – big lines and and people were crazy hungry. Nobody ate the main course which arrived after 10:30. Such a waste of food.
We had a band, an open bar, and a great selection of passed appetizers and crudite. The dinners were served cooked well (according to our guests). I still wonder how they served 125 guests their meals…and all were still hot.
The band was awesome…and was the only thing I insisted on (DD thought a DJ was fine…I wanted the band). A DJ would have worked, but this band was great.
it rained the evening of the wedding so the ceremony and cocktail hours had to be indoors, and we were sort of disappointed about that. But it worked out fine. It was still raining later…so no s’mores either.
Parking was plentiful. And we were lucky that the hotel block of rooms was right across the street from the wedding venue so folks staying at the hotel didn’t have to drive at all.
Best part, the bride and groom had fun…but so did the elders at the party!
