Having your wedding and reception at the same place

I'll be doing this! We're getting married at a building in a park, so we're having an outdoor cocktail hour while the room is flipped.

I dont think it is dumb - wont you leave anyways for photos after the ceremony? Or even just a couple private minutes between you and your new spouse?

This is how my venue is.Right after the ceremony we go take our pictures while the cocktail hr is going on.The room is flipped right there.I goes really smooth.

Typically, there is a cocktail hour between the ceremony and the reception. Does your venue have a separate space for the cocktail hour? That's when the staff flips the room from a ceremony space to a reception space.

I'm having it too! It was part of the package so I was happy with it!

I am having my ceremony and reception in the same venue but not the same room. Ceremony will happen in one room, then they come out and go to the cocktail hour area, and then flows into the reception area. We liked the flow better of having everything at the same place instead of having gaps in between and plus we saved on limo cost. In between your ceremony and reception should be cocktail hour where you either take photos or if pictures are taken before hand then have a private moment with your hubby, eat a little bit, and then come out and greet your guests.

Ceremony and reception will be in the same room for me. We walk out after the ceremony and go take pictures while out guests have cocktail hour in an adjacent room and the staff flips the room for the reception.

Couples do this all the time. Typically there is some sort of lobby area or designated cocktail hour space so I don't imagine you'd have to leave the building altogether. You should mingle with your guests at some point before dinner. They want to congratulate you! Your guests should then be asked to take their seats while you & husband, and wedding party line up outside the room so your DJ can introduce you and you make your grand entrance. Best wishes.

We're doing this. We'll exit the event space, sign marriage certificate and do a few photos, during which time the guests will enjoy cocktail hour. The venue will break down the ceremony space and set up lounge seating. Since guests will be clustered around the bar (know your crowd!) it'll be a seamless transition.

We're doing this too. It's kind of hard to explain. The grand ball room has a room divider. The ceremony will be on one side of a wall while the other side will have tables set up for the reception. After the ceremony, that side of the room will be flipped to a dance floor the room divider will be opened to reveal to guest my decked out dance floor. So basically my ceremony is taking place on top of the dance floor

Yes, we are having a cocktail hour, so I'm just being paranoid. Thanks everyone for your help.

We are doing same thing but after ceremony us cocktail hour and that's when we are doing pictures, so no one will see us until we are announced at reception

We went away for pictures and then waited for everyone to come in to the restaurant from the cocktail hour and then they announced us. It was seamless.

We're doing everything on site... we're doing the ceremony outside and the reception inside. Cocktail hour is going to be on the patio and we're going to try to do pictures before the ceremony so we can enjoy cocktail hour with our guests.

Many venues are pros at flipping the room from ceremony to reception... it's usually done during cocktail hour, so it's up to you if you want to do your pictures during that time or mingle with guests during that time.

I'm doing the same thing. But after the ceremony we are going to have our pictures done. That way there is some time for the cocktail hour. All of my guests have to leave the room after the ceremony so the staff can reset the room and tables and such. They will be let back in after like 15 minutes so it's not really that long that they will have to wait. Then the cocktail hour begins. When your done taking pictures the DJ will announce you and go back into the room.

You could leave for a few private minutes with your new spouse or even for photos then come back in.

You will probably leave to take photos while guests are having cocktail hour, correct?

We had our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all at the same venue. After the ceremony, we went to take photos and the guests went for cocktail hour. We finished our photos a little early, and I kind of wanted to go to cocktail hour, but DH and the photographer made me wait haha so we could make an entrance. DH and I hung out in a separate area, and it was really nice to take that time alone. Then when our guests were settled in the reception area, and all seated with champagne, we went in and were announced.