Reception not following Ceremony

Where can your guests go in the meantime? They're all dressed up with nowhere to go.

Thats not a very long at all because you figure the ceremony lasts anywere between 30-45 mins possibly even over an hour. You could say something along the lines of 12:30 ceremony followed by a 4:00 reception or something like that i dont know the exact words but since it will only really be an hour or 2 between you dont really need to worry

I disagree with TIffany - that's going to be 2-3 hours to kill. THat's a lot of time to wander around, all dressed up with nowhere to go.

It's not like you can just browse a bookstore for several hours. I know when I have a long gap, I usually hit a bar or a beer garden with the other guests. So if you must have a large gap, make sure there's some food readily available to your guests to soak up that booze!

Can a local relative or friend host an open house (just punch and snacks) during the gap?

Those are my times I am using for my ceremony and reception and yes, that is a long time. We have assumed that wedding will be over with at 1:30pm and Doors will open at 3:00pm and we won't leave the church until 2pm and it takes 1/2 to get there. My grandma suggested a snack hour during the wait. We are having ours in the church basement. Just small snacks and people can chit chat before the reception while we take pictures at the park. It is a really good idea IMO.

I am having a noon ceremony and my cocktail hour starts at 6 pm, so about a 5 hour break. Not ideal, but you have to do what you have to do. We will have a lot of out of town guests and my reception is at the hotel, so I am including a list of area attractions in the welcome basket. I figure people can take a nap, go to the pool, or do any of the other things. I don't know if that is as feasible for a 2-3 hour break though.

Honestly- I'd skip the cocktail hour at all. As a guest, long gaps between the ceremony and recpetion are really frustrating. You are asking your guests to give up their entire day for your wedding... But I know with some places (specifically Catholic ceremonies), it happens.

I'd skip the cocktail hour and start the reception at 5 or 6, and have dinner start 30 mintues later (word it in the invitation that way, so guests aren't late...).

If you have alot of out of town guests, see if someone can host them at their home for a few hours- a mini family get together or something. Also, consider having a more casual attire for the ceremony, then dress it up for the recpetion that night.

The last 2 weddings I went to that were like this, I skipped the ceremony and went to the reception. Seemed that was the case, about 20 people went to the ceremony and 70-80 to the reception

I agree Joanna. I would probably skip the ceremony as well...

then, I'd skip the cocktail hour.

The whole point of the cocktail hour is to entertain your guests after the ceremony while the bride and groom take pictures and have a few minutes of private time together. IF you are doing that big a break- don't do one. It's an added expense for the alcohol and food that are a waste of your guests time and your money.

As a guest, I'd either attend just the ceremony or just the reception, I do not like long gaps at all.

Tiffany's idea on how to word it will work but be prepared for some guests to skip one or the other, unless it's normal in your area to do things like that.

Wow why the big gap? That's a really tough one because 2-3 hours is alot of time to burn when there isn't really anything to do. Sorry...wish I can help on that. But that is going to make for a VERY long day for your guests.

Certainly NOT saying this is the best way, but here is how it's worded on an invitation I just received (there is only about 5 miles between venues and hopefully ceremony will not take long):

His Name

And

Her Name

Request the honor of your presence at our

wedding on Tuesday, the xx day of xxxx

Two thousand and eleven

Ceremony will be held in the

xyz Courtyard

At half past noon.

The Bride and Groom are registered at xyx.

Gifts will be automatically mailed to us.

Please don't bring large gifts to the wedding.

Thank you!

Our Reception will begin at

Four o clock at

abc Restaurant

There will not be a sit down dinner so,

this provides all our guests a nice

Little break in between the festivities!

(Directions from ceremony location to reception location)

My sister got married forever ago and I was in the bridal party so it wasnt that big of a deal to me but there was a pretty decent size gap and my bf at the time and my other sister had to go to get food, and they went to a bar to get a drink. There was alot of time to kill and yes it does make for a very long day!

If I really love you, I'll do it. Otherwise, I might skip out on the wedding. I hate waiting. I'm not going home to get undressed just to have to get dressed again to go back out. I can't imagine just hanging out in my cocktail dress for 2-3 hours on my sofa.

Nancy T., is that a hint to go feed yourself before the reception? Wow, between that and the "gift instructions"... I think I would be busy that day.

I think you should just write the time of the reception on the invites... Maybe something like "Reception to be held at four o'clock in the evening."

A friend of mine had a big gap like that and it was a little weird, but it worked out alright. The ceremony was at 2 and the reception started at 6. Most people were in the area, so they were able to go home. We were only an hour away but decided with the gap and the late night we'd get a hotel. It'll be fine. You actually just reminded me of that... it was about 2 years ago now and all I had remembered were how amazing the venue and food were.

Just make sure you put on a wedding website places in the area where people can hang - hotels, bars, restaurants, malls, etc.

J&R, I was wondering the same thing. And it will be 95 degrees at 12:30!

Told my Mom I hope to get booked to officiate a wedding that day so I'll be busy.

Our Ceremony is going to be at 1:30, and the reception hall is going to be open to guests at 5. That's the only way we can do it with the venues we got, which are pretty much the only one's where we live. We listed things for people to do on our website, and are going to probably have someone at my mom's house so people can go there if they would like to.

For invitation wording we didn't say anything about the reception on the invitation, mainly because their was no room, so we're having a separate reception card.

I am getting married at 2pm and the reception starts at 6pm. I did not list the reception on the invite but did a different reception card here is my wording

\

To help us celebrate,

please join us for the Reception

at six o'clock in the evening

FOP Lodge

26145 Center Ridge Rd

Westlake, Oh

Our Ceremony should take about an hour, then a receiving line.

Which will take quite awhile (200+ guests). Ideally I think people will have about 2 hours of down time & it takes about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to get to the reception hotel. I'm hopeful that a addition inserted card will do the trick.