Too far to drive?

Re: Too far to drive?

• missy2468 member

  

  August 2012

  I say it's not too far esp. since Catholic weddings are usually earlier in the day, it gives your guests plenty of time to get there and even make some stops on the way. We are having a Catholic wedding and our reception venue is 30 mins away. Many of the guests that I have talked to said it isn't a big deal, they understand it is our special day. Also if people have a problem with it they dont have to go to the church they can just go to the reception. I personally would not jeopardize your faith. Good luck!
  
  
  
  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_ohio-cleveland_too-far-to-drive?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:110Discussion:3bed8bbe-793f-4dfd-94c0-0acea1eeb560Post:2f250089-a962-4cf8-bbd0-b133d6e1443e">Too far to drive?</a>:
  [QUOTE]I am trying to decide whether i have my ceremony at my church in Hudson near my fiance's family, but 40 minutes south for my family, or everything at the reception hall Cleveland. Having it at my church would mean my extended family drives 40 mins south for a half hour ceremony, and then pretty much back to where they came from for the reception in Cleveland. My heart is set on my reception site, but I'm torn between having a nondenominational ceremony there fiance is not religious, or a Catholic wedding that is inconvenient for my family and out of towners who choose to stay near the reception. Another option is to pick a new church closer to the venue, but thats such a hassle to meet with a whole new priest, become a parishioner, etc. I also worry that my "Catholic guilt" will set in after doing a nondenominaltional ceremony which is not recognized by the Catholic Church. Is 45 minutes too much to ask people to drive to and from the ceremony? Thanks!
  Posted by imitaliana[/QUOTE]

  

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• [Deleted User] member

  

  August 2012

  My wedding ceremony is is Tremont & the reception is about 30 minutes east in Lake County. It just worked out that. I have east siders that will have to drive far for cermony & west siders that will have to drive for reception. One thing to think about which I read in another post. Before giving up your catholic cermony consider your religous future. Meaning do you plan on having kids & if so do you want to raise them in the catholic faith. If so, or even possibly yes, then you need to stick with the Catholic ceremony and then stick to the church you want. People will come from far to share in your special day.

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• imitaliana member

  

  August 2012 edited August 2012

  Thanks for your input! Yeah, i do think I'll feel better if I do a Catholic ceremony. Any thoughts on doing a halfhour ceremony on a Friday at 6pm, then cocktail hour at 7:30 followed by dinner in Cleveland? We would do photos near the reception hall during cocktails, and have our intro before dinner. It'll be summer, so we'll have time for pics since sunset is around 9. We have to do Friday to save money :P Is that asking too much on Friday? I thought about making goodie bags for the drive between the church and reception.

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• [Deleted User] member

  

  August 2012

  You may have a few people miss the ceremony depending on what time they get off work & getting kids set up for child care. But you can run into that anytime. Love the idea of snack bags for people to take for the ride. Very unique I think. The other plus to an evening wedding in the summer is then you're not getting married in the heat of the day so it hopefully be more comfortable for you and your guests. Depending on what you want to do for photos & how many different spots, 1 hour may not be enough for photos. Remember the ceremony may only be 30 minutes long, are you going to do a recessional line if so, add about 15-20 minutes for that to be done & which takes you to about 50 minutes. You need need about 30 minutes to get to reception yourself. So now you've already used up about 1 hour of your about 1 1/2  window. As long as you calculate for that, you'll be in perfect shape. It might be worth it to talk to your photographer about what photos they can get before the ceremony like shots of him & his parents  or him & his guys & vice versa before the ceremony to help save time later on.

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