How to fill the gap

I had to travel for a wedding that had a 2 hour gap. It was awful. I'd get married later, or extend cocktail hour. It's so awkward for guests to try to figure out what to do. The wedding was super early, we stood around the venue FOREVER waiting for the reception to start, and ended up leaving early because as a guest it just felt like the longest day ever.

I don't do gaps. Can you move the time of your wedding so that cocktail hour starts while you are taking pictures? That is the whole reason for cocktail hour.

Hahaha you don't "do" gaps? That's rude, sometimes the couple doesn't have a choice but to have a gap.

It's only a 90 minute gap so your guests will be fine! Do some research to find local bars, restaurants, or activities around your venue and suggest that your guests check out those attractions to pass the time. Selfishly, I'm so happy that my wedding starts early and we have a gap. It makes the wedding day feel more like a whole day rather than it being over in a couple hours after spending 1.5 years planning for it!

This kind of gap is awful for guests, I'd really try to avoid it if possible. There isn't really anything you can "do" in that short of a window, especially dressed up, and especially if the weather isn't good. No one wants to go eat and drink at a bar or restaurant before a reception.

Delete. Put my comment on the wrong post.

Receiving lines are pretty old fashioned. You just wouldn't do one. You would, however, to table visits during the reception to ensure you speak with all the guests.

Have you calculated how long it will take doing it this way? At 10 seconds per guest, you'll waste almost an hour getting guests through the line. As a guest, I know that I wouldn't want to stand in line (those at the end of the line) for an hour to spend 10 seconds with you.

No, not rude. I'm 58, been going to wedding all my life, even married into a Catholic family that works hard to avoid gaps and have only attended one with a gap. 3 1/2 hours. Wedding was in a little village that didn't even have a 4 way red light, nothing to do. Travelled 45 minutes and found an Applebee's to kill time. Left the waitress a great tip because we were at her table for so long.

If there is a gap I will attend one or the other. I have planned several weddings and you can always avoid a gap if you work at it.

90 minutes isn't that bad. Most weddings around here have a gap. If it's local, we go home. If not, we hang out with other wedding guests.

Our wedding will have a one hour gap. We have hired a magician to put on a magic show in the park since our venue will be closed to turn over the room for the reception.

It's not ideal, but it is what it is.

Yep, we gifted our girls their weddings planned to their specifications with only a few rules that had to be adhered to (common sense etiquette like open bar if alcohol is served, people in relationships are invited with their partner, etc. My girls were raised with those kinds of manners so no surprises). One of the rules was absolutely no gaps. I never gave a thought to all the extra money parents have to spend for daycare. Holy cow that is a lot of money!

Woah...let's keep it positive here! No need to claim that those with gaps between their ceremony and reception weren't raised to have manners. Like stated above, it is what is it. For my church, wedding ceremonies either happen at 11:30 am or 2:00 pm. That's that.

Mag - Maybe you could book a jazz band to play music for 30-45 minutes prior to cocktail hour to help break up the gap. If a magician (as suggested earlier) is more your style then maybe think about that too. My gap is 2 hours long but my venue is close to many bars and restaurants. I'm not worried about entertaining my guests during this time because I'm already providing dinner and dancing for free. If they don't like it and decide not to come then that's their choice!