- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
When I'm at a wedding (usually I'm an out-of-towner) we usually head to a bar close to the reception site and hang out there until the cocktail hour starts! We grab an appetizer or something and just hang out for awhile. I usually don't mind having lag time in between!
If it was close to my hotel/home, I'd just go home and come back for the reception.
I really hate lag times between ceremonies and receptions as a guest, so if there is no cocktail hour or something, usually we hang out at a bar and wait.
I've never been in that situation but I think I would go to bar near the reception, grab an appetizer and a few drinks.
There is a public park/beach right next to resort. I was thinking of bringing appetizers there and outdoorsy games like bocce ball or horseshoes. Do you think guests would attend that? What time should I start that? My ACTUAL cocktail hour starts at 6:30 PM. Your input is appreciated!!
I've never had to wait. It's not done very much in my area. I would probably go have a few drinks at a fancy hotel or something. I'd already be looking spiffy! :) I would really try to cut down the gap as much as possible or have some organized activities for your guests to do if they want.
Yep, I'd grab some of my friends (assuming that there are people I know at the wedding!), and head to a bar, restaurant, somewhere like that and just hang out for a while. If you're all dressed up, you might as well be out and about!
set up an area for your guest, I would have appetizer, music, and let it be a social gathering before going to the cocktail hour...just a thought!
What seems to be #1 on the many lists of guest complaints that you read is long gaps between the ceremony and reception. Since it sounds like the church is not willing to budge on the time, will the reception site allow you to move the time up so there is no gap other than the driving time? Otherwise, you will have some people not even attend the ceremony and go to the reception only, or you may have some people not attend at all.
I have never heard of anyone who went home to freshen up, take a nap, or the like between the ceremony and reception, nor have I ever heard of anyone sightseeing or walking the mall in their formal clothes. But everyone is different.
I'm having a break in between so guests can get something to eat before they get there. We didn't feel like making people sit forever at the reception doing nothing while the family and wedding party take pictures. Plus, we don't want to buy a bunch of food.
Every wedding I've been to, there has been at least 2 hour lag time...
If there is no time in between, then when are you supposed to take pictures and not miss any of the reception?
Alot of photographers nowadays say they are taking all pictures beforehand to make sure there is no gap for the guests' comfort.
oh the joy of planning a Catholic wedding! I'm going to have the same problem...I just hope my guests are understanding cause it is pretty much going to be unavoidable!
i've never been to a wedding where there was that much lag time. the ones i've seen have a cocktail hour between the ceremony and dinner. that's when the bride and groom take family photos / formal portraits. the rest of the guests head directly to the cocktail reception from the church. could you move up your reception to narrow that time gap?
that big a gap between the 2, i usually go to the ceremony and decline the reception
My friend went to a wedding where the wedding was in the morning and the reception was in the evening. So in between, they had all the guests go wine tasting since the wedding was in a vineyard. She said that she really enjoyed it and it gave her a chance to relax and have some fun before the reception. Maybe you could have food and activities provided. If it's on a golf course, maybe you could set up an 18 hole course pairing up couples in 10's so they could get to know each other.
I really hate time lags between ceremony and reception, even though I know they can be unavoidable and I would *never* say anything to the couple. One of the reasons we chose our venue was so we could go from one to the other (will be about 1 hour 15 minutes in between, drinks and a jazz band will be provided), I really like the flow you get from that. When we've had gaps, we've gone back to our hotel room, gone and done the grocery shopping, or gone home. Once I went to my parents house and read the newspaper with a cup of tea, because FH was in the bridal party and my parents house was closer the wedding than my own. I guess if we were attending with a bunch of other people we knew and neither of us were in the bridal party we might go hang out at a bar or something.
We're having a gap between our ceremony and reception. I've seen a lot of opinions both ways on the boards. I think what people have to realize, is that with a Catholic ceremony the gap is almost inevitable. Our church had a ceremony at 12 and 2, we took the 2. Our reception will start at 5. Luckily we're having a denistation for 90% of our guests, and there's plenty to do in downtown Nashville. We're going to make a booklet of fun things to do downtown (for free), and places we like to go.
I think the people who make really rude comments regarding "gap" brides need to put themselves in the gap bride's shoes. The most important part of the wedding, IMO is the ceremony- hello?!?! And if that causes a bump in the day, so be it. I'm sure your guests will love the time to catch up with each other and explore the city. And guess what? If they're going to skip out on one or the other because they're bothered by the gap- frankly, they aren't that great of a friend anyways.
I am also having a Mass which will be at 10am (yeah, i know... but its the ONLY time they do it, no matter what day it is) and our reception is at 3 so we will have about a 3 hour lag also. Nothing you can do about it...the only option was to start the reception closer to about 1, but we are serving dinner so that wont really work.
Do either set of parents live/getting a hotel room near the reception? They could hold an informal get-together between the ceremony and reception. We had a Catholic wedding as well, and my parents invited guests back to their hotel room for wine and cheese. About 80 people actually showed up, forcing my parents to move the party into the hotel bar downstairs!
I voted other. Two weeks ago I attended a wedding with a large gap (ceremoney at 11:30, reception at 6) and we ended up skipping the cereomoney. Since we were traveling 5 hours to get there it was either get up at 4 am and be tired for the reception (it lasted until 4am the next day) or arrive late. We were going to drive the night before but couldn't get out of previous commitments. If they were back to back, we would have gotten up early to attend both. I am not a fan of the gap.Our solution was to move up the reception and cocktail hour and take photos during cocktail hour so our guests have a place to be.
uh, at a RESORT?! Is there an option for me to go get a mani/pedi, or facial, or hang out at the pool?
I think you are fine with the timing. Many people have a few hours between the ceremony and reception to take pictures. We usually go back to our hotel rooms or some mutual person's place and pregame :)
I'm also planning a full mass Catholic wedding. We're not having a gap. Wedding mass at 3pm, reception immediately following (we're estimating 4:45-5:00 before everyone gets to the reception venue.
As a wedding guest, I hate a large gap between ceremony and reception. There isn't really anything you can do in the middle unless you go home and sit, then leave again.
I second Ember78's suggestions.
this happens alot at catholic or episcopalian (aka catholic "light") ceremonies.
one word for you on what i do: BAR.
Hm, I've been to a ton of weddings and never experienced any lag time between the ceremony and reception. I had no idea that happened! Usually there's a cocktail hour immediately following the ceremony if the reception isn't right away. I guess if I were in that situation, I'd go grab food or a drink. I mean, I'd be all dressed up and out already, so why not?
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| ellisrobertson | 24 |
| fishbone | 22 |
| ndreighton | 18 |
| Brielle | 17 |
| mypinkshoes | 17 |
| Samantha7 | 16 |
| ladyartichoke | 15 |
| takemyhand | 15 |
| lionskitty | 15 |
 rdownie1 |
15 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| Samo12 | 5 |
| Mrs.McMac | 3 |
| les105 | 3 |
| nerdysarah | 3 |
| fishbone | 3 |
| pengoala | 2 |
| rachie205 | 2 |
| vorpalette |
2 |
| bakerella | 1 |
| PinkPinstripes | 1 |
My ceremony will be a catholic mass starting at 2:00PM. It will probably last an hour and a half...The reception site is at a resort, 15 minutes away. Most of the guest live in the city. Cocktail reception starts at 6:30 PM.
I feel bad that the guests have to wait 3 hours before the festivities begin. What do you do as a guest who has had to wait long in between? What should I do to help relieve guests of that down time??