Michael Bates Brandon Keilen wedding

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Honestly, I find Fundie wedding threads hysterically funny. People weigh in on how things "should" be done and the regional/cultural expectations are so widely diverse.

Time was when I found Fundie weddings rather cute. I mean they were affordable and didn't cost an arm and a leg (see Kristina). But they are nasty. I'd much rather snark on the transfer of authority (fuck that), the first kiss (fuck that too), Gothard's presence (or not), and Steve Maxwell preaching about DEATH, than the fit of the bride's dress, or the food and seating, or the lack thereof.

My opinion is just roll with the flow because family expectations often control the wedding. The Jill/Jessa gift grabs were OTT. I have not looked at other Fundie wedding registries, but 30K for Jill? :pink-shock: .

I've been to no-booze Fundie-lite weddings; traditional UK weddings (watch 4 Weddings and a Funeral); a Catholic/Jewish wedding (shit, the happy couple tried their best but those particular families wanted to kill each other and the open bar did not help); Quaker (Friends) weddings; JoP weddings for small numbers; and an Indian (Hindu) wedding. That last was the best party but the bride was so stressed that she could not enjoy it.

Yeah, I've been to far too many weddings. Actually, these days I'd almost rather face a firing squad than attend another. I pick a nice pressie off the registry (thank Dog for registries because they were verboten in my day) and send my regrets. Much though I love you, I am just so weddinged out. :lol:

I may be recalling incorrectly, but I remember that when Jill put her registry up, a whole bunch of leghumpers who weren't even invited to the wedding were buying up all the gifts. I think the registries for her and Jessa were largely driven by both having to continue adding options for their guests and by a general feeling of "why not see what I can get." I think most people would do the same if they were in their shoes.

[Jana814]

Reading everyone posts r great!! Has for the topic at hand she looks really happy in the photos I've seen.

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Honestly, I don't blame any of these kids for having a large wedding. Everyone in their culture has a large family, and no one can attend anything without the rest of the family. If you want to invite any of your friends, their entire family has to come, too. And, the bride and groom aren't the only ones deciding on the wedding guest list. The parents determine it as well. Their friends, people they want to impress, potential suitors for other children, etc. Plus, I imagine that if you're invited to a wedding, you have to invite that person/their family to your wedding. And, if I remember correctly, Michael and Brandon both worked at HQ, so I'm sure there were all kinds of people they had to invite from there as well. Obligation invites probably make up the majority of that list of people.

I remember Jessa had two receptions, one for everyone and a separate one that was much smaller immediately afterwards. I imagine that's probably fairly common in their circle. Greet, schmooze, and thank the obligation guests, and then send them home before going and really enjoying time with the people you really care about.

As for the whole "oh it's a gift grab," I'm not sure how many gifts they actually get. As someone stated when Jessa was getting married, people are probably willing to give gifts to the first girl and first boy of a family to be married, but after that the willingness probably dwindles. Especially if they're happening one after the other, as is happening with the Bateses, and happened with Jessa. And, many of the families aren't particularly wealthy, so if they bring gifts it's probably something small and cheap; especially if they are part of the obligation invite list.

[RosyDaisy]

I had a small early afternoon Irish themed wedding at my church. The reception was held at a new banquet hall owned by a friend of my dad. I had a full sandwich bar with different kinds of meats, cheeses, veggies, breads, and condiments. There was also finger foods, fresh fruit, sweets, mints, the wedding cake, my grandmother's secret citrus wedding punch, sodas, tea, and water. No alcohol. My dad paid for the reception, and alcohol was out of the question. I also had food cartons, so guests could take a meal (or 2, or 3) home. Oh, and there was music and dancing. Everybody had a good time.

[Mama Mia]

I agree with the general idea of this...I think number of guests is one of the things you limit when money is a factor. No one is close 1000 people. Don't have a huge guest list and then scrimp on the most basic courtesies. But in the case of the mega fundie weddings...who are these 1000 people who show up for a wedding of people they barely know? I kind of think they don't deserve much. They're fundies, they know what's up; they want to attend a wedding so they can brag that they went to the wedding of fundie people who have a tv show. Anyone outside of the family or close friends who actually travels for these weddings is getting exactly what they want for their troubles.

Yeah, I think they get a LOT of "guests" who should really more accurately be called "fans" . But they are families they see occasionally at various functions and feel they need to invite them. Just like other people struggle with where the cut-off is with co-workers or extended family -- if you invite the women in the office you eat lunch with, and not the co-workers who you actually interact with the most during the workday----feelings will be hurt, but if you invite that group too and there are only 3 more people in the office, you can't leave them out, because that's an obvious snub---- so you end up inviting all of them . Or none of them.

I think the big difference with the fundamentalists, and why it easily adds up to a 1,000+ people is because 1) An invitation to one is an invitation to the entire family - Parents, kids, married kids and their spouses and kids - everyone. and 2) Those families tend to be huge and 3) If they can afford to travel they will probably come. They don't have the usual declines because someone can't take the time off work (most of the Dad's are self-employed) , or a kid has a soccer tournament that weekend, or you can't make a long trip because you won't get back in time for school on Monday.

If Jessa wants to invite her friends Laurie and Beth who were her besties at ATI conferences growing up, and who remain her good friends, and if Laurie and Beth are still good SAHD's -- she's also inviting their parents, and their combined total of 15 sibilings. So those 2 close friends equal 20+ guests.

Where if Jessa non-fundie and was inviting her two closest friends from work, she'd either have the two friends show up together, or maybe with a partner and any children they have. Very, Very different.

Actually, just looking at it that way, I don't know how Michael got away with her "small" wedding of 700 :shock:

I actually think the fan thing is why they had those scores of "helpers", I think they likely fell all over themselves to scoop melting ice cream if it meant they got to see all the big fundie celebrity names up close.

[Vivi_music]

I have to admit I learned a lot through all the fundie weddings we've discussed on FJ. I like it. I love to read about all the different styles of wedding, traditions, cultural differences. At least, I think I have a better idea of the different kinds of weddings thanks to all the discussions these fundie weddings have generated. And overall, I agree with everyone who said that weddings can be celebrated in so many different way. From big receptions with dinner, so a simple ceremony at the courthouse, it's all good. My sister will get married in September and it will be the most low-key wedding I've ever been too. I'm still super exciting for her. :)

I'm not American. I know the USA is a very diverse country, where a lot of your culture depends on your ethnicity/region/faith. I'm aware that it isn't an homogeneous country. I just don't know what those differences are. I'll give you one example: I know the Midwest culture is not the same from the South, but I couldn't pinpoint what makes it different (just one example here! Please, I imply no bias nor prejudices on neither of these two regions). :lol:

So I think it's also OK that some members on FJ are asking about what the Bates and Duggars wedding traditions; simply because they want to know if these traditions are regional, cultural, religious or even familial.

[MalteseBaby]

These mega- family fundy weddings are a lot different from any wedding I've ever attended. I can't imagine 1000 people with ice cream sundaes in a parking lot because there wasn't any other room.

In many old, established families, there are certain obligations to add many of the people who end up on the guest list. My mother and I worked on mine and cut it down to a reasonable size about 4 different times ( mainly because I was in college and was going to be writing all the thank you notes by hand and on time). I also had a huge amount of the invitations to address.

I wanted to keep it manageable so my studies didn't suffer, as I was taking advanced courses that summer.

With all that said, Mother and Daddy did invite many people from our church, and the number of people they had known from our former hometown was equally as large at that time. My daddy was a deacon, my mother was a Sunday school teacher, and we were a prominent family in both cities for several reasons. So those were their guest choices.

Lo and behold, not 3 weeks from the wedding, a pretty petite young blonde lady whom I didn't know well at the time ( her husband would become president of our bank for many years starting in the 80's) approached my mother before services one Sunday and, in tears, asked if she had done something to offend our family, as they had not received a wedding invitation nor had she received any of the tea or coffee soiree' invitations. Her sister in law, whose family were also prominent church members, had received all invitations to the events.

It turns out that my mother had simply forgotten this one son's branch of three brothers of the same lovely family, and amends were made and it was made right. I've never forgotten that this sweet young mother cared enough about my wedding to ask about an invitation. Those are the kinds of memories I have.. and I'm glad.

Sometimes, when putting three cities together, it's hard but necessary to draw lines. My parents were extremely generous to me and to the groom's family's guests, but for us, the stopping point with the wedding and reception invitation list was around 450 I think. ( I had the type of wedding where it's written on the wedding invitation that the invitation includes a light reception to follow at the church. ) No one was " wedding only", or " reception only" but I think that does exist for extremely formal weddings.

We anticipated maybe 250 or so guests but at least 350 people attended the wedding, and presumably, close to that many came to the reception. I don't remember much about the reception except that we stood in a reception line and welcomed everyone for what seemed like hours, and introduced many people to the groom's relatives. I remember how beautiful the tables and chairs with organza bows covering the backs looked, and the gorgeous flowers everywhere.

I was terrified I was going to step on my dress's huge heavy train, which in today's world, would be detachable for the reception.

[zadie]

I don't even think the original poster asking about the wedding custom was being rude. They were just expressing incredulity at a custom they have never seen, which is normal. Just like cake and punch weddings are normal in some circles, in other circles it is EXTREMELY RUDE to not give your guests a meal.

And I want to be clear that this has nothing to with money. I come from a LONG line of poor family members who barely had weddings but still managed to feed their guests. And if you really want a big wedding, then everyone pitches in to help. You don't ask for donations for your honeymoon, you ask for help feeding all of your guests.

I do think this is worth criticizing because fundies use weddings as a status symbol. So they want to show off to as many people as possible. Also they wouldn't have all these guests to invite if their religion didn't require women to be baby factories.

Beyond being rude, I also find the honeymoon donation thing VERY weird. Honeymoons aren't something that is required for marriage. It is a nice perk. And if people close to you want to gift you a small honeymoon that's cool. But passing around the hat for something so unnecessary is very odd to me. But whatever. That's the least of their problems. :shrug:

I also seem to be the only person who really likes the top of Michaela's dress.

[sockinshoe]

I think the problem with a lot of fundy weddings is that they want it all: pricey dress, big wedding party, lots of guests, intimate feeling, exotic honeymoon, etc. Some of those things are just not compatible. At least not without spending lots of money, which is why these weddings can look messy. Something's got to give, and I feel like it's the hospitality.

But then I also think that fundy weddings are often primarily about the look of things (especially in this Pinterest saturated age).

I feel like at fundy weddings, there is an in-group and an outsider group. The in-group consists of like 200 people who are actually close to the couple. I imagine they are well looked after (first in line for cake, getting seats at the front, being in pictures, getting to speak to the couple, etc). I would think the outsiders are less looked after. They're there for the present/because they came with so-and-so/because we have to invite them. They're lucky if they get a half-melted float and a pic with a fundy celebrity. They probably wouldn't know the bride, except she's the one in white.

A good wedding, no matter the style, makes every guest feel welcome and wanted (or makes an effort to). Fundies don't. They focus so much on the look of a nice wedding, that they lose the feel of one.

[Lewy]

How the hell isn't this just as judgmental, if not more, than the people who criticize the fundies for not feeding their guests? I'm also really surprised, and disappointed, that Mama Mia liked this post. If you're going to argue that cake and punch receptions in gyms are a regional thing and criticizing it is a form of bigotry, fine. But your whole point is completely lost if you then turn around and criticize people for having big weddings and paint all of those groups as materialistic, pretentious, and soon to be divorced.

I thought MamaMia made good points in her post, but comments like Lewy's frankly just come off as bitterness and envy with a whiff of class warfare (I hate this term but can't think of a more precise one at the moment). Make no mistake, you are not some social crusader, you're just judgmental of people being different from you.

Edited to explain rhetoric.

I'm not saying all big weddings are materialistic or pretentious or a sign of impending divorce, but that of the weddings I have attended, quite a sizeable proportion of them were clearly extremely expensive occasions despite the couples being working-middle class (and nothing wrong with that, I'm from a working-middle class background!) where the couples blew their savings to put them on and where the weddings felt more like a 'showy status display' than a wedding. Not ALL big weddings have been like this, but a fair chunk of the expensive weddings I have been to HAVE been like this....and many of the divorcees have admitted since they were so wrapped up in the attention and the ring and the white dress and princess wedding day that they didn't look beyond that to the marriage itself.

I'm in my twenties and very much from 'generation instagram' and the rise of social media has really contributed to this need that many young people have to impress others and weddings are one of the situations where the pressure is on because it's one of the biggest days of your life. A lot has been written about my generation and the need to present their life as 'awesome' to their peers (google Facebook/Instagram Depression and Social Media Image Crafting) and social media and how the rise of celebrity culture has made every day people want the fancy things they see in magazines....not just to have them, but to show them off to their peers.

I'm not bitter or envious, but you can't deny that the combination of 'social media image crafting' and the wedding industry/Pinterest convincing people they need the very best of everything is pressuring people wanting to impress others with their weddings and blowing budgets to do it.

[nelliebelle1197]

But I still maintain they should not have been invited in the first place. That is the real issue. And it impacts the 150 or so who should have been the guests. And it shows complete lack of caring for your guests.

This is not really a fundy thing but an ATI thing.VF weddings usually had a ridiculous amount of attendants but a more modest number of guests, well, partially because everyone was an attendant. But these ATI kids seem to invite everyone in their age group from Big Sandy, which apparently means inviting the entire family. So they become a big ATI JTTH reunion!

I agree with the general idea of this...I think number of guests is one of the things you limit when money is a factor. No one is close 1000 people. Don't have a huge guest list and then scrimp on the most basic courtesies. But in the case of the mega fundie weddings...who are these 1000 people who show up for a wedding of people they barely know? I kind of think they don't deserve much. They're fundies, they know what's up; they want to attend a wedding so they can brag that they went to the wedding of fundie people who have a tv show. Anyone outside of the family or close friends who actually travels for these weddings is getting exactly what they want for their troubles.

[freethemall]

Moving along.... does anyone know where they're going for their honeymoon? I'm assuming a few days in the smokies first since that's what the others did, than on to somewhere else. Has Kelly mentioned where?

[formergothardite]

I was just thinking that they likely did NOT greet all their guests because J-Rod would have had a Jillerizing pic up of HERSELF with the happy couple in an instant. I know she was awfully busy chasing DQ down but there is some prestige in getting a snap with M&B!

J-rod hasn't put up a picture with any of the Bates, which makes me think that they weren't circulating around talking with folks. Or the whole family just avoided Jill like the plague. But if they dislike her that much why invite her?

[Jana814]

I wonder where they will go on their honeymoon also. Where do Fundies normally go. Isn't more most of them the first time they r ever alone.

[nokidsmom]

J-rod hasn't put up a picture with any of the Bates, which makes me think that they weren't circulating around talking with folks. Or the whole family just avoided Jill like the plague. But if they dislike her that much why invite her?

When a wedding is a big gift grab, another way to grift off of people (and yeah that's what the Duggars and Bateseses weddings are about) then it's not going to matter if they like someone or not.

Both families will take whatever they can get from people, liking those same people is completely optional.

[formergothardite]

I hope Jill mentions what gift she gave. I could see her springing for a nice gift in hopes that it would help get her closer to the family, but I can also see her giving something like one of those rugs Nurie makes.

I'm guessing most of the guest were not offended at the reception, they were probably just happy to get an invitation.

[FoxyMoxie]

I am unlikely to get married (I looove living alone) but if I did, I would hate a receiving line because of my anxiety (I can barely make it through sharing the Peace at church) - but that's why I would have a small wedding so there would be no need for a receiving line.

I agree with others that you don't need to spend a lot of money to at least put on more food - surely church ladies could bake some pie or make a ham? Or even just have a BBQ.

I don't mind long weddings but they are tiring - I like a simple church wedding with a brief reception in the church hall afterwards, but they don't work if people are travelling far. In some churches it's common for the congregation to attend the wedding as well as family/friends, so often there's a general reception afterwards (usually this is mid-afternoon so tea and cake and sometimes alcohol - depends on the church as UK Methodist churches don't allow alcohol on church premises for example) and then an evening meal for family and friends.

UK weddings vary too according to religion or background - my family background is working-class and weddings do NOT look like Four Weddings & A Funeral type weddings! No big hats, church or registry office (like US City Halls) wedding and then a cold (but substantial) buffet and disco in a local hall, like a working men's club or rugby club or something.

[FoxyMoxie]

Oh and the UK contains four countries, a Scottish Free Presbyterian wedding is going to look different to a Welsh Italian Catholic (lots of Italians settled in Wales in the 50s and 60s and set up coffee bars) wedding, which will look different in turn to a rural English wedding in a country Church of England church (everyone in England is entitled to marry or have their babies baptised in their parish Anglican church, regardless of church attendance). Outdoor weddings are also not legal in England and Wales, but permitted in Scotland, so that makes a huge difference.

[quiversR4hunting]

I wonder where they will go on their honeymoon also. Where do Fundies normally go. Isn't more most of them the first time they r ever alone.

The ones we have seen on tv- yes it seems most of these it is the first time being alone.

I don't think anything is typical. IIRC - Dillards went to the outer banks; Zach and Whit went to Hawaii; Bessa went to Europe; I can't find where Alyssa went.

Edit to add- Alyssa and John spent time in Gatlinburg (viewtopic.php?f=101&t=22008&start=360) and same thread mentions Chad and Erin going to Europe.

[Pretzel]

The ones we have seen on tv- yes it seems most of these it is the first time being alone.

I don't think anything is typical. IIRC - Dillards went to the outer banks; Zach and Whit went to Hawaii; Bessa went to Europe; I can't find where Alyssa went.

Didn't Alyssa and John go to Lake Tahoe?

[quiversR4hunting]

Didn't Alyssa and John go to Lake Tahoe?

Yes, you are right. I finally found the post here: viewtopic.php?f=101&t=22008&p=745954&hilit=lake+tahoe#p745954

[Fascinated]

I would rather not attend a wedding when I don't really know the happy couple, and I certainly wouldn't want a large number of people my groom and I don't know at my wedding. And I would make sure my guests had adequate seating, with shade if it's in the middle of summer. Finger foods, punch, etc. are fine if it's in the afternoon. I have been to one dry wedding and did not enjoy it. (Knowing I couldn't have a glass of wine made me absolutely crave one!)

These fundie weddings are fascinating. I do agree with those who have stated that the dress and ceremony and such do not match the reception. That's really the crux of it, I think. I agree that the couple should be able to speak with all of their guests. But, that is obviously not how these families, or their guests, presumably, view it. So, they don't give a shit what I think on the matter.

[Growelly]

I have to admit I learned a lot through all the fundie weddings we've discussed on FJ. I like it. I love to read about all the different styles of wedding, traditions, cultural differences. At least, I think I have a better idea of the different kinds of weddings thanks to all the discussions these fundie weddings have generated. And overall, I agree with everyone who said that weddings can be celebrated in so many different way. From big receptions with dinner, so a simple ceremony at the courthouse, it's all good. My sister will get married in September and it will be the most low-key wedding I've ever been too. I'm still super exciting for her. :)

I'm not American. I know the USA is a very diverse country, where a lot of your culture depends on your ethnicity/region/faith. I'm aware that it isn't an homogeneous country. I just don't know what those differences are. I'll give you one example: I know the Midwest culture is not the same from the South, but I couldn't pinpoint what makes it different (just one example here! Please, I imply no bias nor prejudices on neither of these two regions). :lol:

So I think it's also OK that some members on FJ are asking about what the Bates and Duggars wedding traditions; simply because they want to know if these traditions are regional, cultural, religious or even familial.

I don't think anyone could really answer that for you because there are many differences even within the regions, as evidenced by this thread. For instance, in the Midwest, we have some very urban cities: Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Minneapolis, for instance... And we have huge stretches of farmland in some places, and forests in other. Generally the land is flat, but when it's not, it's merely hilly - no real mountains.

We have a different dialect of course, but even that varies within local regions. While I could probably be identified as being from the Midwest by how I speak, I have a cousin that grew up 30 minutes from me that has the "typical" Wisconsin accent. Which is different than you'll hear in Chicago, which is different than you'll hear in Ohio.

Backgrounds in my area of the Midwest is heavily German and Polish, like I said... But also French Canadian, Belgian, Irish, and Native American. There are pockets all around that vary region by region, thus the different cultural expectation. Midwesterners were typically farmers, loggers, and manufacturers originally - but of course I'm painting with a very large swath here.

And I refuse to speak for the Southerners here. I'm not even sure I did a very good job with the Midwest, lol.

Sorry - wedding derail over. I just really, really like this stuff. And linguistics was one of those college courses I really enjoyed.

[Mama Mia]

Another question set off by this stream - but are receiving lines still done?

I can only recall going through a hand full of them in all the weddings I've been too - and if I'm remembering correctly almost all of those few were back in the 80's .

And my opinion hasn't changed that they seem to be having exactly the type of wedding and reception, and the types of refreshments, and the type of guest list, that seem to be expected and the norm in their circle. I think they likely have a far bigger guest list than families that are less visible - but that makes sense because they meet more people. I would think they also get a far bigger turnout because of their status as well.

I really think it would be far ruder for them to throw a full meal wedding reception, if every wedding their guests go to is just cake. It would make them feel awkward and like maybe they need to step it up too. These aren't people who step outside their group, or even watch television, so I would be very surprised if it was common for them to go to weddings with a range of refreshment types, venues, length etc.( hell,even here it's apparently unusual!). If the one wealthy person you know is the first one to mix it up - it sends a message, and it's not a very nice one.

If their group usually does just punch and cake and suddenly all the Bates and Duggar brides throw in a b-b-q because the interwebz say it's rude not to offer food , all those Fundie mothers and SAHD's are thinking now they NEED to offer food too. So suddenly now they are at costco pricing out the buns, and burgers, and all the damn condiments and now you need plates and on and on and suddenly they can't afford to have the wedding they wanted. Or they can corral their Aunts and mom's to make the food - which is fine, IMHO it's the most common type of wedding set up I've been to - but their entire wedding culture just changed. Because Jessa-fucking-Duggar didn't want to look tacky .

And it has zero to do with whether other lower income/ dirt poor/ working class/ middle class groups provide full meals or not . Believe me, I know lots of people with very little money who provide food and booze for days ( sometimes literally) - because it's the norm in their group and what they want to do. The point is that it isn't the norm for them.

But the particular format isn't about money or social standing. Look at Maltese's posts about her very lavish, very swanky, very appearance driven wedding reception with her very upper crust family.Invited 450 people. Basically cake and punch and at the church.

And I do think people "question" it MUCH more harshly than they would if it was some wedding custom they read about in National Geographic.

I really am enjoying this thread though. I love hearing about different wedding customs. :)

....hey, wait, didn't Jessa have corn dogs at her reception :? ... are we even sure the infamous parking lot was the actual reception ....

[quiversR4hunting]

Another question set off by this stream - but are receiving lines still done?

I can only recall going through a hand full of them in all the weddings I've been too - and if I'm remembering correctly almost all of those few were back in the 80's .

And my opinion hasn't changed that they seem to be having exactly the type of wedding and reception, and the types of refreshments, and the type of guest list, that seem to be expected and the norm in their circle. I think they likely have a far bigger guest list than families that are less visible - but that makes sense because they meet more people. I would think they also get a far bigger turnout because of their status as well.

I really think it would be far ruder for them to throw a full meal wedding reception, if every wedding their guests go to is just cake. It would make them feel awkward and like maybe they need to step it up too. These aren't people who step outside their group, or even watch television, so I would be very surprised if it was common for them to go to weddings with a range of refreshment types, venues, length etc.( hell,even here it's apparently unusual!). If the one wealthy person you know is the first one to mix it up - it sends a message, and it's not a very nice one.

If their group usually does just punch and cake and suddenly all the Bates and Duggar brides throw in a b-b-q because the interwebz say it's rude not to offer food , all those Fundie mothers and SAHD's are thinking now they NEED to offer food too. So suddenly now they are at costco pricing out the buns, and burgers, and all the damn condiments and now you need plates and on and on and suddenly they can't afford to have the wedding they wanted. Or they can corral their Aunts and mom's to make the food - which is fine, IMHO it's the most common type of wedding set up I've been to - but their entire wedding culture just changed. Because Jessa-fucking-Duggar didn't want to look tacky .

And it has zero to do with whether other lower income/ dirt poor/ working class/ middle class groups provide full meals or not . Believe me, I know lots of people with very little money who provide food and booze for days ( sometimes literally) - because it's the norm in their group and what they want to do. The point is that it isn't the norm for them.

But the particular format isn't about money or social standing. Look at Maltese's posts about her very lavish, very swanky, very appearance driven wedding reception with her very upper crust family.Invited 450 people. Basically cake and punch and at the church.

And I do think people "question" it MUCH more harshly than they would if it was some wedding custom they read about in National Geographic.

I really am enjoying this thread though. I love hearing about different wedding customs. :)

....hey, wait, didn't Jessa have corn dogs at her reception :? ... are we even sure the infamous parking lot was the actual reception ....

The church weddings I have been to either there is still a receiving line or the bride and groom go back into the church and dismiss each row and use that as a receiving line. The non-church weddings if they have it set up with a center aisle I have seen them do the same thing but another one we went directly to our tables to eat (same room) and then the bride and groom came to each table to greet the guests before dinner was served.