Gap between ceremony and Reception

I also have the Catholic gap. We are trying to figure out what we should do with our out of town guests in between. Still coming up blank. I would like to see what others suggest

Move the reception up to start earlier. There seems to be an split here between those who think gaps are fine and those who think gaps are awful. I'm in the latter camp. No one wants to go explore the city all dressed up, and it makes for a very long day. After a very long ceremony.

For me, not being a catholic, I would probably be annoyed, but if you have ideas for them to do things that might make it better. I was at a wedding once where we sat in our reception seats for almost 2 hours, with only a salad as an appetizer, waiting for the couple to be done with pictures so we could eat. It was AWFUL!

I think you will be fine, but some people may complain.

I'm Russian and every Russian wedding that I've been to has done this. The most recent one wasn't an issue because people stayed at the church and talked and then went to the reception place and chatted. It was a family wedding so I spent the time catching up with everyone.

I'm having a Catholic wedding. I was super concerned about a gap so ended up having it end around 3 and our cocktail hour will start at 4 at a second location.

When I thought that I was going to have a longer gap I was going to do a recieving line to eat some of the time.

I had the Catholic gap and no one died, they all got free food and booze and were just fine.

I would either try to move the reception up or look into possibly reserving space at one of the bars or cafes nearby and paying for drinks/food so they have somewhere to sit and relax until it's time for the reception. Not ideal, but I think that's better than leaving it up to them to try and figure something out. Like Celia said, it makes for a really long day.

We have about a 2 1/2 hour gap between wedding Mass and reception. We've included local bars, parks, museums on the map on the website and will include a few at the end of the program as well. Some people will go to FH's parents' home which is between the ceremony and reception sites. A lot of my friends have indicated they plan to go check into the hotel which is 10 minutes from the reception site and freshen up and/or give kids a nap.

No one is bothered by the gap, but we're all Catholic and used to it. I did have some friends tell me they'd rather a 2 hour gap than a 1 hour because it's possible to do something in 2 hours but 1 hour is too long to just hang around and too short to do anything.

We are doing a receiving line and a 90 min cocktail "hour" to eat up our gap.

For someone who is going to a wedding in a few months and just made a post yesterday about how annoyed I was for traveling for a wedding just to have to twiddle my thumbs for three hours during the gap - I'd not be amused.

I was raised Catholic and had actually never heard of the "Catholic gap" until WW. I've been to a couple dozen Catholic wedding throughout my life and only one had a gap...and it was awful.

I have a Catholic gap too. And a lot of Vietnamese weddings have that gap: catholic or not. No one has ever complained about it. Even the older generation and they're harder to please! Lol. In my opinion, everyone takes advantage of the gap: nap time for kids, dress changes, get together for out of town guests, etc

I haven't booked or set the times yet. But cocktail hour starts at 5 and reception is at 6. Again, no one has ever complained: older and younger generation.

The only Catholic wedding I went to had this.... there were "fun things to do in the area" included with our ceremony program (on an insert).

We ended up going to a bar with some work-friends and chatting away the time. The time just disappeared.

I would only go to the ceremony or the reception. After a two hour break I'd be so over it.

THIS IS FINE!! At least where I'm from, it's normal to have a gap, especially if they are at different locations. Do it, girl!

We will have this issue with both my engaged girls as well due to catholic weddings. We haven't nailed down mass times and/or venues yet so I'm not really sure how much of a gap we will have. My initial thought is to try and work it out with the venue to start their cocktail hours early to eliminate the gap. Both will have full masses. If that is not possible, then I am strongly considering hosting appetizers and light cocktails at a different establishment in between the church and the reception venue.

To the OP - A full mass will definitely go longer and if you do a receiving line you could be looking at only an hour gap or so which really isn't bad at all and will give your guests ample time to leave the church and get to the reception. Keep in mind that people will be mingling with each other after the ceremony as well. This isn't your typical Sunday race car exodus from the parking lot!! LOL!

I am also having a two hour gap that my FH were worried about until we talked out our timeline. Our ceremony is at a state park so fingers crossed people will go check out the park before going to the cocktail 1.5. I think your guests and mine will live.

I went to a wedding with a 2-hour gap, it sucked. We had to just sit around Starbucks for 2 hours in our formal clothes.

We recently got an invite for a wedding with a four hour gap, which included an hour drive between ceremony and reception. If we were going, we'd skip the ceremony.

I like your idea about suggestions to do in the area written in your program and website. If you had the energy and time, you could make an optional scavenger hunt with a prize. For example, if you have a buffet, the winning team or person's table can get in line first. The prize could even be movie passes for 2 or a gift certificate. I'm competitive and like food so I'd do it. Just depends on your crowd.

Not okay. Move your reception or expect to lose your guests.