Big time gap between ceremony and reception...

@SoontoBe, if it's all about the bride and groom, why invite guests? And then basically saying, as long as we're happy, it doesn't matter if anyone else is uncomfortable.

We will have about 2.5 hours between the end of our ceremony and cocktail hour. Our church and reception are really close but it is all downtown too. We have a list of bars and restaurants in the area for guests to go to in between. I haven't ever been to a wedding where there wasn't a break in between. In my family I think people like it. They get a smaller group of relatives and all go to a bar.

Also in WI we will use any opportunity to drink so we will be taking our pictures and then going to a bar in between and our close friends and guests know which bar were going to and will be able to meet us there.

Thanks ladies! I think I might change the dinner time so it starts a bit earlier instead. And I like the idea of giving people ideas of what to do nearby, I may just have a tab on our website with suggestions.

Our ceremony is at 2 and reception starts at 6. Most people are local and most of the weddings I went to did a gap over the years. There are plenty of shopping places between the venues to stop and snoop around and even a casino if they want to.

What this means to the guests is a 12 hour day, if not more. If it was me? I'd skip one or the other; it's just too much. If I had a babysitter...even crazier.

This isn't as common as it used to be because fewer couples are getting married in churches, and guests are just not used to it.

But back to it. No. Don't eliminate the cocktail hour. See if you can move the cocktail hour up to 5:30 or so, then start dinner at 6:30. Even that's a lot. Your guests are going to be all dressed up; they're not going to go exploring. (Does anyone remember the 'four weddings' where there was a group beach clean-up between the ceremony and reception? She didn't win.....)

I like the idea of a 'middle party' hosted by by someone; maybe instead of hosting a rehearsal dinner, your FIL's might host that?

If it works for you and your guest do it. I went to a wedding that had a gap, by the time the reception was supposed to start we were starving. We ended up going to McDonalds and going home. It was just too long of a gap. But you know your guest best. Good Luck.

I have found that around here, if for whatever reason there is a big gap with no "entertainment" or a place to go in the mean time almost no one will come to the ceremony and instead everyone will show up to pig out on a free meal at the reception. Is it rude to just show up for the reception, yes. Have I done this myself because I did not want to waste 4-6 hours aimlessly wondering at the mall or trying to find something else to do while I waited, absolutely. The last time I went to a wedding where there was a gap the ceremony was to begin at 1:00 but the reception was not going to begin until 7:00. The church was only 10 minutes from my house so I went - it was honestly super awkward because only immediate family and I mean less than 30 people were at the ceremony. Afterwards, I went back home and mowed my lawn and did laundry before I got "re-ready" again to make the 30 minute drive to the reception (in another city). Shockingly, there were over 150 at the reception.

We had the same issue when we were booked at a church, the latest we could begin was 1:30 and the earliest the reception hall would open was 5 (and the drive was less than 10 minutes). We ended up switching to another ceremony venue that allows us to start at any time, so now we're getting married at 3:30, cocktail "hour" at 4:30 and dinner at 6.

Can you check with your venue about moving up dinner an hour, or having a cocktail hour?

Ok I see your post here now @Debbie. I have never been to a wedding with that large of a gap. If we were staying in a hotel nearby I'd probably just go back and relax and get ready all over again. Not very convenient for your guest in my opinion but I guess a lot of people do it. If there were a family gathering spot, or house party, that would be fun, but again it makes for a super long day. I think I'd opt for the hotel/nap.

My ceremony is at 130 and my reception is at 5ish and that is how I want it. It gives us time for pictures and some time to relax before the reception.