Best: My aunt’s wedding. Super quick ceremony. I and my cousins were all in the 6-11 year old age range. She had a piñata for us at the reception. We devoured candy and danced and ran around like maniacs, it was glorious.
Worst: Years later, one of those same cousins mentioned above gets married. In July. In Massachusetts. Outside. The heat and humidity were unbearable. And they KNEW the weather was gonna be shit, because the wedding program they handed out to everyone before the ceremony began was shaped like a fucking fan. THEY KNEW.
The ceremony finally ends and the catering staff makes everyone wait outside the dining hall in the heat for unknown reasons for another full hour. When we’re finally let in, the AC is struggling to keep up and it’s hot as hell in there, too. When the dinner is served, it is NOT the vegetarian lasagna I chose on the wedding invite, no, it’s a portabella mushroom burger. I hate mushrooms, I would have never chosen such a thing. They switched the menu out and didn’t tell anyone. Also, no open bar, wtf.
I must have been lucky because of the many weddings I’ve been to between family and friends, none stand out as obvious worse ones. Sure, some were not the most exciting affairs with a standard ceremony + meal + dancing formula, but they were by no means bad.
As for the best, it’s a tie between two, both friend’s weddings. What stood them apart is that after the usual ceremony the party was held outdoors with bands playing music live, with the focus not on fancy and expensive stuff, but on letting people have fun with the newlyweds.