Before our wedding, I hadn’t really realized that going to someone else’s wedding is and entirely different experience than going to your own.  You’d think that would just be common sense, but it wasn’t for me.  I did not anticipate how overwhelmed I would be.  I was beyond overwhelmed from the moment that I stepped out to walk down the aisle to the moment that I stepped into the bar for the afterparty.  Being overwhelmed wasn’t a specifically good or bad feeling — it was just intensity, really.

I think that feeling of intensity was why receptions were created. Receptions are meant to be the release that follows an incredibly emotionally intense experience.  The problem is that, unless you have a planner, you’ve probably put more energy into planning the reception than the ceremony, so the reception feels like a continuation of the wedding — not just a party afterwards.

If you think this might be the case for you, I strongly encourage you to plan an afterparty.  I hadn’t realized how important it was going to be for me.  As soon as I got into the bar after our reception, it was like a giant weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I promptly spilled beer on my dress (and didn’t care) and started loudly toasting with my friends.  For me, it turned out to be an absolute necessity.