On Attending
So you've been invited to your first wedding social! Here's what to do:
- Get your ticket in advance; don't forget to bring it with you.
- Bring cash for liquor and draws. It's a fundraising event, be prepared to spend money.
- If you plan to drink, plan a safe ride home.
- Be dressed for dancing!
What to wear
Typically at a wedding social, the happy couple will be dressed up fairly fancy, for example a nice dress for a bride and a suit and tie for a groom. Attendee attire is much more casual - you can wear a dress or a nice shirt and pants or just show up in a t-shirt and jeans.
When to arrive
If you arrive right at the start time on the ticket, you'll probably be disappointed. At a wedding social usually only the wedding party and the couple's family will be hanging around right at the start. Arrive at least an hour after the start time if you don't want to spend an hour milling about to oldies.
Drinks and drink tickets
You'll see a bar and a separate table selling drink tickets. Buy your drink tickets at the table an take them to the bar to exchange them for drinks. Most socials stock a small variety of popular/cheap beers, basic hard alcohol (rums, rye, vodka, etc) and mix. Most often if you get a mixed drink you'll get the alcohol from the bar and add the mix yourself either at a soda fountain or from 2L bottles of pop.
Food
During the evening there will be snacks on the tables, usually pretzels and chips. Around 11pm there will be a table of food set out for guests to eat. The cost of the food is covered by your entrance ticket. Typical "social food" spread includes deli meat, garlic sausage, rye bread, pickles, mustard and cheese cubes.
Prizes
Off in the corner you'll see a long line of tables with "regular" and "grand" prize packages. You buy your prize tickets at the ticket table, and there are separate tickets for regular and grand prizes. Tear off the "keep" portion of the tickets and distribute the other halves into the bags for the prizes. Sometimes this prize set up is called a "silent auction" although it is actually a raffle.
You'll also likely be asked if you want to buy 50-50 tickets during the evening, or tickets for a "perfume draw". The perfume in a perfume draw is actually liquor, typically a Texas Mickey (3L bottle) of Rye whiskey. Tickets are often sold individually or in a "wingspan" as measured on you (or your longest-armed friend).
Prize draws happen around 11pm or midnight, and if you aren't there to collect your prize, it will be redrawn. Winning ticket numbers are either called out over the PA system, or are posted on a large board for you to check.