Please help me with the order of this thing :)

betonic

Let me give you a little backround.  We're having the ceremony and reception at our beachfront home in Cancun, Mexico.  We have a garden area that surrounds the swimming pool as well as a dock.  We are planning to be married at the top of the dock, under a flowered arch.  On one side of the garden we will have 8 tables of 10 and on the other side we will have a square dance floor.  Here lies the first problem, the pool is right in front of where the dock starts so there's no place to put chairs for the ceremony.  The ceremony will be very short so we're thinking about having everyone watch it from their tables.  What do you think?  The only other option would be to have everyone stand which doesn't sound so good either.

On to the next situation...  The Mexican's are known for always coming late so we have asked everyone to come at 6pm but the actual ceremony won't be until 7pm.  From 6-7 my fiance and the groomsmen will recieve the guests and there will food and cocktails passed on trays.  We've hired a piano player/singer to play during the cocktail.  At 7pm the bridesmaids and I will arrive by yacht to our dock and the ceremony will begin.  My question is, what should happen next??  We're planning to have a sit down dinner.  We're only going to have a first dance but no dancing with our parents.  I'm thinking that it would be nice if we were announced and made our first dance before dinner and that way we can dance to the voice of the musician as opposed to the DJ. We have the DJ all night as well as we're having a musical show for our guests to watch during the dessert hour, (9pm approx).  I really need help with ideas on how to organize the whole thing, in what order to do everything.  Please help.....

Shawnee11507

If you have the budget for it, I've seen some clear-plastic over-lay placed on top of pools, which looks awesome. Then you could put chairs on it.

Are you going to take photos after the ceremony?

betonic

We thought about coving the pool but it still won't give us enough space for 80 people to sit.  The other thing is that we bought a beautiful pool fountain that really adds to the decorations.

Yes, we are going to take pictures but at the same place as the ceremony/reception.  I wonder what the guests can be doing during that time?  I suppose we can continue passing food because some of the guests will arrive late and not have time for snacking.  Any other ideas?

charlsie26

What about the guests who do arrive early?  If you say 6:00 on the invite, people are going to show up 15-30 min before that expecting the wedding ceremony will start at 6.  So now they will have to wait around additional time.  As a guest, I wouldn't like that.  If your guests are late, then that's thier own fault.  Tell the staff not to seat anyone after you have walked down the aisle and that they will have to wait.

As for the chairs, just have them sit at thier tables.  I have seen that done many times and it works out just fine!

After the ceremony, have the two of you leave/walk out and get some pictures done.  Then that is when you have a CH. 

Your dj then can announce you and then go right into your first dance.  When that is finished, then sit down for dinner. 

betonic

Thanks for your advice.  Unfortunately, here the Mexican cultural is very relaxed.  I don't think that anyone will arrive 15 minutes early.  I'll be surprised if anyone arrives on time.  I'm going to tell my American friends and family to come at 6:30 so they're not waiting.

There won't be any place to leave to for the pictures because the only pretty place is in the area where the guests will be.  I guess I need to think this through a little more.