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Heather
Dedicated July 2020

Timeline help please!

Heather, on October 8, 2019 at 10:48 PM Posted in Wedding Reception 1 8

We wanted a casual(ish) lunchtime reception. However, to “flip” the room, the venue is now saying they need 2.5 hours in between ceremony and reception to get it ready. We are using the same location because it’s beautiful and the ceremony is only about 20 minutes long... we want to stay in that location longer. We were thinking they just had to move 4 tables in and the ceremony chairs out but she said otherwise..which is fine, if I can just figure this out.

Now I don’t know what to do. We didn’t want the typical timeline and really wanted a daytime wedding but I’m not sure how to do that. We are just using a playlist for music and there is no DJ since we don’t plan on being there late into the night. We originally wanted 11-11:30 ceremony with cocktail hour to follow relaxed lunch reception 1-4. Now she says we have to do 10:30-11 ceremony and then kick everyone out to flip the room and then have 1-4 reception to give them time. Is that awkward? Will guests just eat between times since they need to leave the area now or will they wait since the invite will tell them when lunch is? Any other suggestions of timeline? Was thinking I might have to move to 1-1:30 ceremony and 4-7 reception or something :/

It would be better if reception could start at 12 or if people didn’t have to leave between ceremony and reception but those won’t work. Advice please Smiley smile

8 Comments

Latest activity by Heather, on October 9, 2019 at 6:50 AM
  • Caytlyn
    Legend November 2019
    Caytlyn ·
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    Can you just have the ceremony with everyone seated at their tables so that the room doesn’t have to be flipped? I would definitely avoid a 2.5 gap no matter how you have to do it.
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  • Heather
    Dedicated July 2020
    Heather ·
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    I didn’t even think of that.. for a 15-20 minute ceremony, why not?! You may have just saved the day 🙏 Would you think we have a 45 min little cocktail hour/coffee/mimosa and take our pictures right after ceremony then or is that weird to leave because they’re seated? Or would we just eat since they are seated and then take pictures after the small reception? This is a new concept to me and I feel like I have no legitimate help in planning this timeline. Thanks for your help!
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  • Caytlyn
    Legend November 2019
    Caytlyn ·
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    I think a cocktail hour would still be appropriate so that you can take photos. Just serve drinks and apps while guests mingle, then have someone announce when to make their way back to their seats.
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  • Heather
    Dedicated July 2020
    Heather ·
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    Appreciate it!
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  • MOB So Cal
    January 2019
    MOB So Cal ·
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    Yeah, that sounds crazy! They could PAINT the room in 2.5 hours. I've never heard of a venue needing more than an hour (at the absolute maximum) to flip a room. Especially with both the ceremony and reception at the same venue, a 2.5 hour long "gap" for your guests makes no sense at all. I'd push back and talk with them about alternatives. If necessary, I'd consider whatever other ceremony or reception locations they have on-site. For your guests, I don't think the "beauty" of the location outweighs the potential inconvenience of a 2.5 gap.

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  • Heather
    Dedicated July 2020
    Heather ·
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    Right?! It still doesn’t make sense to me. I put off signing the contact (I have another week) because it just doesn’t feel quite right yet with the timing. We are banking on this venue but this is a compromise that won’t happen.
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  • D
    October 2019
    Dj Danny ·
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    Very this is very simple to figure out. I done a few weddings like this where they had the ceremony in the same room as where the reception was .after the ceremony which only takes around 20 minutes even with the sand pouring in the ceremony ,we had to have all the guests step out of the reception area . the bride and groom had family members lined up to help the staff flip the tables . Also decorate the whole Hall this took approximately an hour and a half. also to set up the DJ booth we move the guests out into the foyer hallway .where I put my ceremony system out in the hallway to continue to play music for the guest .the bride and groom had arranged mini tables with fruits and cheese and crackers and a mini movable bar . in the area for guests to enjoy a partial cocktail area until the reception hall was complete . when the reception hall was completely e then moved all of the guests back into the reception hall area ,and continued on with the cocktail hour until the grand entrance . the ceremony started at 2 was done by at least 2:25 it took about an hour and a half or so to redo the hall and allow guests to Come Back In. Guest came in around 4:30 we continued the cocktail till 5:15 in which we done the grand entrance we were done by 11 PM
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  • Heather
    Dedicated July 2020
    Heather ·
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    Thank you!! I like the partial cocktail hour idea. I know I’ve been to so many weddings where they set up the room again while we were there. I’m unsure why they need so much time when half will be set up already. This helps!
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