Are there any other brides with a ceremony at 2pm ( church ) with the cocktail hour at 6pm followed by reception? How long are you setting aside for photos after the ceremony? I'm trying to plan out the day and not sure how much time to allot for photos. I planned on doing some at the church then the rest at the reception venue outside before cocktail hour. I was thinking an hour after the church, break, then an hour at the venue? Any thoughts? I'm so clueless when it comes to this stuff. Thanks!
Re: photgraphy times
We're doing most of our photos before the ceremony, including a first look, so we don't have a large gap. Definitely set something up in between to host people.
@FutureMrsPA is right, you could enjoy your cocktail hour. But is does NOT mean it should be pushed back so you can take hours of pictures.
I will be enjoying my cocktail hour 100%. That's because I'm doing pictures before the ceremony. I will not ask anyone, including my bridal party, to wait to eat at dinner time.
It feels like the people who seem to encourage brides that gaps are acceptable seem to be the same people who had gaps themselves. Just because someone didn't get negative feedback regarding gaps doesn't mean people support the practice. The last wedding I went to had a few hours gap. Everyone was annoyed, yet no one told the bride. (Some people are respectful, even when they are being improperly hosted.)
OP, I set aside a total of about 3 hours of pictures BEFORE the ceremony. Though I have to work out specifics with my photog, some of that time will be just me and FI, some full bridal party, and some family. If you cannot avoid a gap because times cannot be moved, please consider hosting your guests between ceremony and reception.
Get over it, adults. I'm not here to win the "best wedding" award.
I promise you, people will remember your wedding. Because of the gap. If that's fine with you, that's great. But giving out terrible advice to others isn't right.
Edited: spelling.
And really, guests will not be happy about checking into their hotel for 3 hours/walking in the park in their best. Let's not pretend that's actually being helpful or accommedating to your nearest and dearest. Checking in takes approximately 10 minutes and unless the wedding is in a worthwhile city, very few care about sightseeing. While in cocktail attire.
I didn't say one should dictate a response - but be constructive to the original question otherwise you're wasting someone else's time checking responses like this one. Clearly that goes over everyone's head to incite their beliefs on others just to feel like they matter in another person's world, quite similar to one who enjoys hearing themselves talk.
@ashleynicole1218 Some people (perhaps OP) appreciate tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony. Also, guests can't check in to the hotel until right after the ceremony ends anyway (3pm) so why not come view the ceremony until then, then check in...? I forgot NYC is a really crummy place to be in September. Color me shocked.
My point with check in is that it does not take 3 hours to check into a hotel. Therefore, guests will need to kill a lot of time. Evidently, walking around getting sweaty in their best attire is your suggestion.
Just because NYC has a lot to see doesn't mean a lot of people want to see it. And not every bride is getting married in NYC. For example, a 3 hour gap in say, Hackensack, does not have the same sights to see as the city.
Side note:
Everyone forgets the bridal party. I really hope everyone galavanting around town taking pictures properly feeds their bridesmaids, groomsmen, etc, as they clearly won't be able to snack or rest like the rests of the guests. This may seem like common sense, but I also thought not being inconsiderate of your guests was common sense...
Oh please. Being Catholic doesn't give you an excuse on being rude to your guests. I'm Catholic myself as are many others and we all somehow managed to avoid this etiquette breech.
Don't blame rudeness on religion.
I also find it funny though that you joined just to post this.
Yeah, pretty sure it is!
@jcbride2014 - sorry to burst your bubble but constructive criticism DOES NOT equal telling her to switch to a FRIDAY RECEPTION!! Yikes I thought guest-pleasing non-rude hosts would catch that. She asked for how she could use the gap for photos. Not if/how to change her timeline when people are probably already fully aware of what they are in for. And if they RSVP YES then I guess they won't be mad enough to stay home that night.
@JxSwedding it's seriously laughable that people are friends with people this uptight.
Edited, typing is hard.