I'm going to have to pick a time for my wedding ceremony soon, so I thought I'd just run this by you guys.
My ceremony and reception sites are about fifteen minutes apart. Our reception is going to start at noon, so we need to decide whether to have our wedding ceremony at 10:30 or 11. Our ceremony will probably run about fifteen minutes, and then it will take everybody a little while to shuffle out of the elephant, since entrance/exit is by these two winding staircases in her legs, and we'll probably do a receiving line. Also, I'm considering doing a group picture with all of the guests at the ceremony site. One more thing to consider is that we may have a shuttle to bring guests between the ceremony and reception sites, since parking at Lucy is scanty. One more consideration is that it will be a Saturday in August on the Jersey shore, so traffic may be unpredictable, and there's a toll bridge to cross.
So what say you, ladies who dislike gaps? My extremely punctual brain is saying 10:30, but I'm not sure if that's because I'm crazy.

Our Story MAJORLY UPDATED 8/6/09
Wouldn't it be nice to live together in the kind of world where we belong?
Re: Timing for wedding ceremony
It just seems like if you do the ceremony at 10:30, you're going to be finished early and then people will have 45 minutes with nothing to do but if you start at 11, you might feel a little rushed.
Also, re: the receiving line. How many guests will you have? If you do the receiving line and have a decent amount of guests, you'll probably want to do 1030 just to allow time for that.
Everything the light touches is my kingdom.
Our Story MAJORLY UPDATED 8/6/09
Wouldn't it be nice to live together in the kind of world where we belong?
[QUOTE]Is it possible for the reception site to open at 11:30 so if people arrive early, they can get in? It just seems like if you do the ceremony at 10:30, you're going to be finished early and then people will have 45 minutes with nothing to do but if you start at 11, you might feel a little rushed.
Posted by danieliza1127[/QUOTE]
And also, this is pretty much how I feel - I don't think we need the entire extra half hour, but I think 11 is cutting it way too close.
Our Story MAJORLY UPDATED 8/6/09
Wouldn't it be nice to live together in the kind of world where we belong?
Everything the light touches is my kingdom.
I've been to a wedding where we had to wait around for 10 minutes because the reception hall wasn't ready yet... and it was pretty much forgotten as soon as the reception started. But still, talk to them and make sure they'll let guests in if they arrive early.
ETA: if you start at 11 and something does take a little longer, it's no big deal because it's just the cocktail hour. Some guests will go ahead and go and those that get delayed will be there 12:10 or 12:15, no big deal because it's just the cocktail hour.
[QUOTE]<strong>But J&K, it sounds like people would just end up sitting in their cars for 30-45 minutes waiting for the cocktail hour to open/start.</strong> That would suck. ETA: if you start at 11 and something does take a little longer, it's no big deal because it's just the cocktail hour. Some guests will go ahead and go and those that get delayed will be there 12:10 or 12:15, no big deal because it's just the cocktail hour.
Posted by danieliza1127[/QUOTE]
She said there is a nice lobby with plenty of places to sit. Honestly, that would be good enough for me. I'd be wandering around talking to friends and people I hadn't seen in awhile anyway.
Everything the light touches is my kingdom.
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Timing for wedding ceremony : She said there is a nice lobby with plenty of places to sit. Honestly, that would be good enough for me. I'd be wandering around talking to friends and people I hadn't seen in awhile anyway.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]
My bad, I completely missed that! Yeah that would be good enough for me too.
And I hope people wouldn't sit in their cars.... it's right at the beach, on the boardwalk, with the water right out there in front, and the boardwalk is full of all sorts of things.
Our Story MAJORLY UPDATED 8/6/09
Wouldn't it be nice to live together in the kind of world where we belong?
Everything the light touches is my kingdom.
Our Story MAJORLY UPDATED 8/6/09
Wouldn't it be nice to live together in the kind of world where we belong?
From Lucy to the OC, I don't think you'll have horrible traffic. As my mom says, Saturday is change-over day! But people can take Ocean Drive and go no where near the Parkway to get there, yes? The Parkway is where the traffic is the worst.
And, it's not like your reception site has nothing to do if they get there early!
[QUOTE]Ha, now I'm even more confused that I got each of you guys to change your minds. :) And I hope people wouldn't sit in their cars.... it's right at the beach, on the boardwalk, with the water right out there in front, and the boardwalk is full of all sorts of things.
Posted by sarah0725[/QUOTE]
Personally I find it pretty fun to walk around casual locations when I'm all dolled up for something else.
[QUOTE]For what it's worth, I'd have the ceremony at 10:30am. I, as the bride, would feel much better knowing that if anything moved more slowly than anticipated, we had built padding into the timing. From Lucy to the OC, I don't think you'll have horrible traffic. As my mom says, Saturday is change-over day! But people can take Ocean Drive and go no where near the Parkway to get there, yes? The Parkway is where the traffic is the worst. And, it's not like your reception site has nothing to do if they get there early!
Posted by Joy2611[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I don't think anyone will go out to the parkway. There's that bridge that connects the bottom of Margate to the top of OC, and I'd imagine that's the way most people will go. I guess there isn't too much Margate-to-OC inter-island traffic, even on a Saturday. :)
Our Story MAJORLY UPDATED 8/6/09
Wouldn't it be nice to live together in the kind of world where we belong?
[QUOTE]But J&K, it sounds like people would just end up sitting in their cars for 30-45 minutes waiting for the cocktail hour to open/start. That would suck. ETA: if you start at 11 and something does take a little longer, it's no big deal because it's just the cocktail hour. Some guests will go ahead and go and those that get delayed will be there 12:10 or 12:15, no big deal because it's just the cocktail hour.
Posted by danieliza1127[/QUOTE]
I'm with this. I also think if you're having a full reception, I'd rather a 45 minute cocktail hour than a 75 minute cocktail hour.
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