Catholic Wedding and reception timing Help!!

I personally think a gap between ceremony and reception is far ruder than a Friday wedding.

I'm gonna guess people on here would say a Friday wedding is preferred over a gap. They dont seem to be popular around here!

Our ceremony starts at 2:30 and our cocktail hour is 5-6, dinner at 6:30. If you're doing light appetizers I wouldn't make them wait until 730 for dinner.

I would refrain from "black tie optional" as that's not a real thing. You're either hosting a black tie event or you're not, and your guests should know so that they can dress appropriately. I also would hate to attend a black tie event in a formal gown with a long gap in between the ceremony and reception, so if that's the feel you're going for, I would opt for a Friday or just extend cocktail hour on Saturday and make it 4-5:30, then begin the reception at 5:30. I understand that's not your vision, but sometimes you have to compromise on certain things. If the time is the only thing holding you back and you don't have any real reason to push the reception back to 7:30, I would have an early evening reception and move on.

I to am having a Catholic wedding. The latest the priest could do a wedding was 2 so unfortunately that's what I had to choose. So 2:00-3:30 (I always say an extra 30 mins because lets me honest, masses never end on time) then from 3:30-4:30 taking pictures that leaves an hour and a half before reception starts (6:00 pm). I think the gap is awesome because then everyone can go and change and get comfy for the reception/dance.

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To echo this, when I see black tie optional I just think that's another word for "formal attire" i.e. a dark suit or tuxedo, with tie, bow tie optional. Black tie is reserved for events AFTER 6pm. So with the gap guests would attend ceremony in nice attire, and then OP would basically saying go home and change into a gown.

I think think options are 'formal attire' for Saturday with the gap, orrrrr black tie for Friday. And to have a black tie affair with the white gloved servers, 5+ plated meal, band etc etc. OP, if this confuses you, search for black tie and you'll see a lot of posts about what is expected of a black tie affair. I think Friday vs Saturday is super personal and up to you. You're not going to please everyone so you'll have to go with what you and FH want.

View Quoted Comment Totally agree.

I'm having a Catholic wedding as well. My parish does weddings on Saturdays at 11 & 2 (not sure about Fridays), and can't go any later -- confession runs from 3:45-4:45, and Saturday mass is at 5.

We chose the 2 pm ceremony and are starting our reception at 6 pm. Dinner will be served at 6:30 pm. I went to a Catholic wedding with this length of a gap a couple years ago, and I didn't mind at all as a guest.

I am having a Catholic ceremony at 2:30pm on a Saturday. I'm expecting ceremony and receiving line to be done around 4pm. It's a 10 minute drive to the reception venue and we are eating dinner around 5/5:30pm. My guests will have an hour or less from the time they arrive at the reception until dinner is served. My reception will last for many hours into the night so it will still be an "evening" event.

Why the wait for 7:30? It seems like a strange time for such an early wedding and I don't see the benefit I guess...

We're not Catholic, but much of the extended family is, and, for the sides on the East coast and in the Midwest, it seems "the Catholic gap" is a given. I'm not a fan, but I think if most of your guests are Catholic and used to this, it's a "know your crowd"-type issue. However, in our family there are definitely a couple things I consider a significant downfall for THE BRIDE & GROOM from this schedule (not even talking about how inconvenient it is for the guests...). Most the ceremonies I've attended on this schedule, there is terrible attendance -- like 50 of 250 reception guests actually get their butts to the ceremony. I find that INCREDIBLY rude, and as a bride, I'd be so bummed to have the church doors open for me into an almost empty sanctuary.... The other, even weirder, thing that happens in our extended family (especially in the Midwest) is that some of the few people who do show for the ceremony, show up in jeans and a t-shirt (like they swing by the ceremony in the middle of mowing the lawn?), but then will show up hours later at the reception in a shirt and tie. Again, REALLY??? Their ceremony photos are SO weird. Wedding party in long gowns and tuxes, but half the people in the pews look like they just rolled out of bed. Maybe my husband's extended family is really odd (that's actually kind of a given... ), but as the B&G, I'd be so upset that people seemed to care so little about my ceremony.... Again, I'd think long and hard about who your guests are and what you can guess about how they'll react to this schedule before making a final decision.

I would wait until 5 to start the cocktail hour. I've never been to a Catholic wedding that didn't have a gap so to me, it's no big deal. I've always just gone back to the hotel room or found a little bar to get a drink at during that time. Like a PP said though, it's likely you'll have more people attending the reception than the actual ceremony.

Friday weddings aren't rude! And they tend to run cheaper. We got married on a Friday out of town during the school year and had a phenomenal turnout, kids and all. The cost wasn't the driver for us, but it sure was a perk! If most of your guests are local and you can have your wedding at 6, I say go for it. If most aren't local, then I'd probably poll a few of your VIPs to make sure they'll be able to make it for the Friday wedding before making your decision.