We hope to put a deposit down for a reception site in a couple of weeks. Since a LARGE # of guests are from out of state, convenience and "reduced chance of getting lost" are important to me.
That being said, our church is ALSO very important to us, so I can't imagine a wedding anywhere else. The closest place (all times on google maps) is 11 minutes away, but it isn't near a hotel, and it isn't our favorite. Would it be OK to be 30 minutes away (actually going away from the city, so less chance of traffic) be reasonable? One place says 20 & one says 27, but they are closer to hotels. I feel bad making them drive that far, but I feel it is more important to pick a place we like & the drive from reception to hotel.
(If it helps, the 27 mins is a nice country HW, the 20 mins is in a suburb & some interstate.)
There is a convention center nearby, but not very exiting...Thanks for feedback!
I have driven 45 minutes to an hour (through saturday traffic) to get from the church to the ceremony. So I think that anything under that would be good.
Ditto on the hour. Most people would love for everything to be in one place, but we can't all have that. I'd say that everyone will be fine with the 30 mins.
In a big city, an hour is doable, considering you can be traffic forever and not go far.
I'd consider an hour too far in suburban / rural areas - 40 minutes would be my max in terms of convenience. BUT if there's nothing in the area, a longer drive is understandable if the reception's closer to a hotel, so in that case up to an hour would be fine. Just give people the head's up about the time it'll take.
pick the venue that works for you - agree with the others that anything under an hour is great. if it's 30 mins or less, even better!
the only concern i would have would be return transport should any guests overindulge. you may want to have some taxi numbers handy or a back-up plan if it is far from the reception to the hotel(s).
We drove almost an hour from ceremony to reception once (and it was an out of state wedding)... i think it's ok, we'll do what we can to be w/ our loved friends on their special day :)
I would just have the hotel next to the reception venue, not the church. People can drive 30 minutes from the hotel to the church for the wedding (they'll be sober) - and then get in their car and drive another 30 minutes back to the hotel where they can hopefully cab it to the reception. I would keep in mind that it is round trip - so people are driving an hour (not just 30 min). To be honest, of the 20 weddings we've gone to in the past 2 years, none required more than a few minute drive, and one that we were invited to (but didn't go because we had 2 weddings that day in different states) did have a 45 minute drive, and boy did we complain about it. If it is avoidable, I wouldn't do it. I would like to have a few glasses of wine and not worry about driving 30+ minutes in a city I don't know, at night, etc. Can you arrange transportation between the hotel and reception venue? I am using school busses - not fancy, but the price can't be beat.
I am looking into transportation, but I like the idea of people going back to the hotels before the reception! That makes me feel less guilty, too, about picture time!
Hi ladies,
We hope to put a deposit down for a reception site in a couple of weeks. Since a LARGE # of guests are from out of state, convenience and "reduced chance of getting lost" are important to me.
That being said, our church is ALSO very important to us, so I can't imagine a wedding anywhere else. The closest place (all times on google maps) is 11 minutes away, but it isn't near a hotel, and it isn't our favorite. Would it be OK to be 30 minutes away (actually going away from the city, so less chance of traffic) be reasonable? One place says 20 & one says 27, but they are closer to hotels. I feel bad making them drive that far, but I feel it is more important to pick a place we like & the drive from reception to hotel.
(If it helps, the 27 mins is a nice country HW, the 20 mins is in a suburb & some interstate.)
There is a convention center nearby, but not very exiting...Thanks for feedback!
posted by cannotwait 228 posts 3 months agoI have driven 45 minutes to an hour (through saturday traffic) to get from the church to the ceremony. So I think that anything under that would be good.
posted by missbean 131 posts 3 months agoAgreed. I wouldn't drive more than 45-60 minutes.
posted by Niki 433 posts 3 months agoI think that anything under an hour is reasonable.
posted by jennifer0031 29 posts 3 months agoDitto on the hour. Most people would love for everything to be in one place, but we can't all have that. I'd say that everyone will be fine with the 30 mins.
posted by NYAmber 40 posts 3 months agoI think that is a perfect amount of time..I definitely would be happy with anything under and hour
posted by AprylHzle 43 posts 3 months agoIn a big city, an hour is doable, considering you can be traffic forever and not go far.
I'd consider an hour too far in suburban / rural areas - 40 minutes would be my max in terms of convenience. BUT if there's nothing in the area, a longer drive is understandable if the reception's closer to a hotel, so in that case up to an hour would be fine. Just give people the head's up about the time it'll take.
posted by Krista 102 posts 3 months agopick the venue that works for you - agree with the others that anything under an hour is great. if it's 30 mins or less, even better!
the only concern i would have would be return transport should any guests overindulge. you may want to have some taxi numbers handy or a back-up plan if it is far from the reception to the hotel(s).
posted by missm 485 posts 3 months agoWe drove almost an hour from ceremony to reception once (and it was an out of state wedding)... i think it's ok, we'll do what we can to be w/ our loved friends on their special day :)
posted by superstar 156 posts 3 months agoI would just have the hotel next to the reception venue, not the church. People can drive 30 minutes from the hotel to the church for the wedding (they'll be sober) - and then get in their car and drive another 30 minutes back to the hotel where they can hopefully cab it to the reception. I would keep in mind that it is round trip - so people are driving an hour (not just 30 min). To be honest, of the 20 weddings we've gone to in the past 2 years, none required more than a few minute drive, and one that we were invited to (but didn't go because we had 2 weddings that day in different states) did have a 45 minute drive, and boy did we complain about it. If it is avoidable, I wouldn't do it. I would like to have a few glasses of wine and not worry about driving 30+ minutes in a city I don't know, at night, etc. Can you arrange transportation between the hotel and reception venue? I am using school busses - not fancy, but the price can't be beat.
posted by enmoore66 217 posts 3 months agoI am looking into transportation, but I like the idea of people going back to the hotels before the reception! That makes me feel less guilty, too, about picture time!
posted by cannotwait 228 posts 3 months ago