Split ceremony/reception anyone else do this?

This sounds fun as all heck!
I was thinking of splitting one day courthouse and the other day reception but we got one photographer (was not in budget but it was a big nice and generous offer we couldn't pass on it) so we decided all the same day. The reception won't be right after, we are gonna have a small party at my sister's house and the ceremony will be in the early afternoon. I find it a bit easier since it's only gonna be around 25 people. And it's just a casual little thing.

I don't really understand how it's "split" if you do the ceremony and reception on the same day? That sounds like the logical way to go about things since it's a Saturday wedding. Is there any reason why you're considering doing the ceremony on Friday and the reception Saturday? That seems inconvenient for your guests.

View Quoted Comment Thank you for your input, and you're right. If it is same day it's not really split. I just said split because we are also debating on the friday evening ceremony. We are debating on doing that because we want to give our guests time to get into costumes.

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Would you be fine with guests just wearing costumes to the ceremony? If not, maybe they could change during cocktail hour? That doesn't seem like the most convenient option though. As a guest, I would be a little frustrated to take off work early for a Friday evening ceremony, then also have to reserve my Saturday evening for the reception.

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I agree with you. Can't the guests wear the costumes to the ceremony?

View Quoted Comment Oh that sounds fun too! We were just at a wedding last saturday where they had it at someones house and it was lovely. They had a patch of grass mowed out to look like a heart and a nice archway they got married under. It was stunning! Thanks for your input.

I am personally not a fan of split ceremony & reception. I would have your ceremony & reception on the same day...one right after the other. Whether you have it on a day close to Halloween or on Halloween itself, doesn't matter...you can still make it a costume party if that is what you want.

Same day no gap. Let guests where costumes to the ceremony *if they want*.

I'm not a fan of the two day things.

Where I'm from, our receptions do not immediately follow ceremonies.

There's usually at least a 2 hour gap. 2-4 hour gap is totally common. And I had never heard of a cocktail hour til 2 years ago. (I hear the disgusted gasps already.)

If you want a gap and to ask people to change into costumes for the reception, go for it.

If I were a guest, and it was split into two days, I'd probably only attend the reception. It would have to be a close family member or best friend for me to spend two entire evenings (not including rehearsal or rehearsal dinner) on a wedding. Especially a Friday, I'd have to take work off. Even splitting it into morning & evening, I probably wouldn't attend both. We attended a 2:00 PM ceremony that had a 4 hour break before the reception at 7 PM. We left the reception early, we were EXHAUSTED.

Hey Sandy! Have you decided what you would like to do for your Halloween wedding?