random question about weddings in Canada

[girl 37 7]

I've been to lots & lots of weddings in BC and gifts have never been opened at the reception; like someone here said, there's too much partying! I think gift-opening parties the day after the wedding are typical, but my husband and I opened our gifts with my parents a few days later. (Well, the day after our wedding was New Year's Eve, so we still had some partying to do!)

Edited April 4, 2007 by girl 37

[Amy and Brian 1]

All of the weddings I've been to have been in Ontario and I can't say I've ever heard mention of a "gift opening party". Gifts were never opened at the reception and there was definitely never talk of gifts being opened the next day. I'm pretty sure it's not just my being "out of the loop" either, as some of the weddings were for very close friends or very close family I've always thought the bride & groom opened the gifts on their own at some point after the wedding and/or honeymoon.

Speaking of which, does no one go off straight on their honeymoon anymore? What's all this "getting together with family the next day" stuff, eh? I'll be newly married... I won't want to see my family again for at least a few days!

[Autumnchik 6]

I would LOVE to go off on my honeymoon right away, but I have missed too much work at a relatively new job (less than a year). I have gone to BC twice since I have been working at this agency ... so I don't have the vacation time accrued to take the honeymoon. We are taking ours in August or September.

[evilcanuck 0]

It is actually considered tacky to open the gifts at the reception, especially gift cards. Gifts should be opened the next day, probably best with family and bridal party, but the gift cards are to be opened in private, just bride and groom.

My totally classless aunt opened her gifts at the reception including cards, announcing how much $ was in each card, every guest was appaled (sp) at her lack of tact and class (they knew her tho they shouldnt have been surprised lol).

Ppl who do leave for honeymoon immediately after the reception would entrust a family member to pack up the gifts and deliver them to thier new residence the next day so they are waiting for them post honeymoon for the opening and thank you cards to be written, of course thegiftcards go with the bride and groom.

[girl 37 7]

Ppl who do leave for honeymoon immediately after the reception would entrust a family member to pack up the gifts and deliver them to thier new residence the next day so they are waiting for them post honeymoon for the opening and thank you cards to be written, of course thegiftcards go with the bride and groom.

I don't imagine any of our (Canadian) families would want the job of delivering our gifts to our new residences the day after the wedding.

With all of the traveling back & forth & time off work, we couldn't afford a honeymoon until almost a year later (in Montreal).

[zyggy 9]

Yeah.. My mother-in-law was pretty shocked when I told her we weren't having a gift opening party because I thought it was very inappropriate and tacky... She eventually got over it...

[Reba 2]

for my sister and b-i-l's wedding, a bunch of us stayed overnight at their house, (the wedding party plus a couple friends and cousins) and they spent the night at a local hotel. The following afternoon they opened presents and I had to write it all down again (like the bridal shower). They didn't take a honeymoon. Ever.

A couple friends did the same thing. The wedding party stayed over at their house after the wedding (it was in their backyard), they stayed at a hotel, and the next day they opened presents, with the lot of us moaning and groaning from powerful hangovers.

Neither announced at the reception if/when this would happen, it just worked out that way.

My hick cousin opened gifts at the reception. Tossing paper all over the place, declaring whether or not she actually liked the gift...no couth that one, none t'all.

Other friend's weddings its been a week later when they get home from their honeymoon, and the wedding party and immediate family will be invited back to their house to watch them open gifts, or it is an entirely private affair sometime whenever they get around to it. I know more than a few couples were opening gifts to decide who's going to get them in the divorce

[Sharon 1]

It's gotta be a regional rather than a Canadian thing then, because I'm from Montreal and have never heard of a "gift-opening get-together thing". lol

Far as I know, bride and groom opened their gifts at their leisure.

[KarenCee 3]

Our wedding was small...no partying or major drinking going on. We opened our gifts there, never really thought about it yanno? Everyone seemed pleased to see what we had been given so I don't suppose we made a faux pas. Anyway, I think it's all about what YOU want to do...not what everyone else tells you to do or not to do. Its YOUR wedding.

[Marilyn. 340]

Our wedding was small...no partying or major drinking going on. We opened our gifts there, never really thought about it yanno? Everyone seemed pleased to see what we had been given so I don't suppose we made a faux pas. Anyway, I think it's all about what YOU want to do...not what everyone else tells you to do or not to do. Its YOUR wedding.

[together2love 0]

Other friend's weddings its been a week later when they get home from their honeymoon, and the wedding party and immediate family will be invited back to their house to watch them open gifts, or it is an entirely private affair sometime whenever they get around to it. I know more than a few couples were opening gifts to decide who's going to get them in the divorce

That's a joke. . . right?!

[Catou1181 0]

Ive been to a few weddings in Montreal, and never saw anyone open the presents at the reception. I was a bridesmaid at my brother's wedding and he didn't have a party the next day to open the presents. It's something he and his wife did on their own, and I think that's what my husband and I will do as well after our "second" wedding(religous ceremony). We are taking our honeymoon in October

[Cassie 8]

Speaking of which, does no one go off straight on their honeymoon anymore? What's all this "getting together with family the next day" stuff, eh? I'll be newly married... I won't want to see my family again for at least a few days!

My brother had to fly out the next morning (Mon), my best friend flew out from OKlahoma City tuesday, and my parents flew out on the Thursday. Somebody had to make sure they all got to the airports with no problems -- that was us. That, and we wanted to hang out with our families as long as we could while they were here. That, and we couldn't at the time afford more than a Thursday-to-Sunday honeymoon. You take what you can get.

[Reba 2]

That's a joke. . . right?!

nope, dead serious. I know couples who never did get around to opening their gifts until a year or two later, when they were dividing up possessions in the divorce settlement.

[together2love 0]

That's a joke. . . right?!

nope, dead serious. I know couples who never did get around to opening their gifts until a year or two later, when they were dividing up possessions in the divorce settlement.

Wow!