Between ceremony & reception ideas for guests

I've been to weddings before where there was a gap between for the wedding party to take pictures. We used that time to check into our hotel, get some drinks, and make it to the reception!

Sorry but there's no way I'm standing in line for an hour to see you for all of 2 seconds and if I have to go to a bar to kill time I'm not leaving the bar. You should have picked a reception area that coordinated with your ceremony time.

I've been to plenty of catholic weddings and never experienced a gap. Don't blame the Catholics for poor planning.

OliviaP, I am very thankful for all of the great advice that people have given me. and I respect the opinion of everyone who thinks I'm a terrible planner for leaving a half hour gap, but I also don't think that the negativity is necessary.

LOL, looks like I ruffled "D.Young's" feathers. I'd urge the moderators to double check the IP on that account. Usually brand new posters who've never posted before don't choose to make their first post so volatile. Something tells me D.Young is someone who doesn't have the guts to post under their own name.

Emily it's called honesty. If that's not what you're looking for, you're going to be terribly disappointed on this forum. You really should lurk more and read the CGs before posting.

Thank you Olivia!

My apologies! I appreciate the honesty and like I said, I respect the opinion of everyone!

Start cocktail hour at 4:15 since it's just down the street

Not trying to be negative at all. We are just speaking from a guests perspective. I definitely don't want to have to figure out something to do between a ceremony and reception. Can your venue let you start your cocktail hour earlier? We are not doing a first look either and our photographer said an hour is plenty of time for pictures. I'll also be doing pictures with my family and BM's before. FH will do pics with his family and GM's before so all that's left is a couple pictures all together and pics of the happy couple.

UO--I wouldn't mind an hour gap. I'd either stop at my room if it was nearby, walk around the town if the weather was nice, or relax until the party starts. If it was over an hour I might get a little hangry.

I went to a wedding in Milwaukee this summer and they rented out a room at a bar and they bought apps like chips and dip and mini pizzas. The guests all bought their own drinks which is completely fine with me! It was fun to meet other people in a less formal setting. Of course it was optional if guests wanted to attend

If I was going to a wedding in milwaukee I would probably use the hour break to check into my hotel, I would probably stay at the Hilton, and I would spend that time at the bar attached to the hotel. They have exceptional cheese curds.