Anna + Matt's wedding this past October was such an incredible day filled with SO. MUCH. LOVE. What made this day so amazing was that A + M chose to use the time they had that day to the fullest potential. They wanted to make sure that they had enough time to spend with all of their friends and family, and to make that possible, they decided to have two separate receptions in the same day. We know... this sounds crazy, right? Well, it wasn't. It was definitely one of the best ideas EVER.

What did a timeline look like with two different receptions? It was seamless. We worked with A + M to make sure that they could get the most out of their time that day, and also the most out of the venue they had booked. Ambiente Gallerie has a guest capacity of 150, and the newlyweds had a lot more important people than that in their lives who they wanted to celebrate with!

The day started off at their church, where they made it official! From a behind the scenes perspective as an event planner, I was stationed in the back of the church watching / wiping tears from my face. Immediately after they said their "I do's" our team tore down their ceremony backdrop to recycle at their reception venue. We hustled back to Ambiente to put the finishing touches on their first reception.

A + M's first reception was reserved for their extended family and family friends. They made it a priority to be able to spend some quality time with those people who have been in their lives since day-one. The first reception was donut (yo-yo donuts) + coffee themed. Since the party got started early - they didn't have a bar service. Since this first reception was meant for family, it hugged the traditional side, they kept it simple with a cake cutting, first dance, and heartfelt speeches. It was the perfect amount of time, and by the time people were done mingling it was time for the bridal party to leave and go take pictures. When the party was over, we decided the best way to let guests know it was time to leave was by doing a send off for the couple. It was the perfect transition into dinner for the bridal party (next door at Red Stag) while our team reset the venue for reception number two.

WARNING, WEDDING PLANNER PRO TIP AHEAD! Splitting the reception in half has more benefits than just being finding a loophole through the venue capacity limitation, though. YOU GUYS, having two receptions is the best way to cut costs when you're tight on a budget! A + M didn't spend a penny on catering an actual meal. They had desserts, but no sit-down or buffet. Their programs at their ceremony included a fun list of their favorite local restaurants and told their guests to "go explore the city where they fell in love". That way, guests were still entertained while the other reception was going on! So many dollars were saved because they chose to go this route!

Reception number two was when A + M really brought their A-game and got the party started with their close friends. Bar service was ready and open as soon as the guests arrived at 7, and Angel Food set-up their dessert spread while the bridal party was eating dinner. It was a recipe for an amazing night. The happy couple and their friends are all super talented swing dancers, so we made sure the dance floor was big enough for lots of seriously legit dance moves. This reception strayed from the traditional side, but still had (hilarious) speeches from the maid of honor and best man. There was also another first dance, because I'm not kidding when I tell you A + M are AH-MAZING swing dancers. They partied late into the night and celebrated big because these two are SO in love.

It was the best day ever. Congrats, Anna + Matt!! ♥

Vendor List:
Coordination + Planning: Essen Events
Floral: Essen Events
Photography: MRD Photographic
Ceremony Venue: Hope Community Church
Reception Venue: Ambiente Gallerie
Donuts: Yo-Yo Donuts
Bartending: Liquid Motion
Desserts: Angel Food Bakery
Lodging: The Depot Renaissance Hotel

An Unordinary Timeline