Sorry ckel, Wedding receptions aren't "mandatory" either. And aren't you just as stridently pushing for there being only one right way to have a wedding reception?
A reception is a thank you to your guests for coming to your ceremony. It can be very very simple. Of course if you don't have guests, then no you don't need a reception at all. There's no one to receive.
Rather or not your cocktail hour "should" start at 3:30 or should you consider allowing time for your guest to check in before your reception don't really matter. It is your day plan the way you want. You won't be able to please anyone, at the same time people who love you they will understand. But you must take time in consideration. The church is about 15-20 minutes(driving or walking distance?), then make sure you allow time for you and your guests to get to the hotel. And most of the time guests don't leave immediately. They chat with other guests and take pictures. It may take up to 30 minutes for your first guest to arrive at the hotel. As a reader to your question, I don't think you need to have your cocktail start immediately at 3:30. Take time as your consideration, give enough time for your guest travel from the ceremony to get to the hotel. if they need to drive to from the ceremony to the hotel, it can take them 30 - 40 mins (walking back to their car, wait to leave the parking lot, maybe traffic lights, park at the hotel, walk to your cocktail session) Yes some readers strongly suggest that your cocktail hours starts at 3:30, but do what you are comfortable with. Only you know the real situation is, rather they need to drive or walk from the church to the hotel. Just allow enough time for your guest to the hotel (not talking about rather to allow time for them to check in or not) Just get to the hotel for the cocktail hour.
I've been to upwards of 3 dozen weddings, most of them Catholic. Only one had a gap, and it was dreadful. It was close enough that FI and I didn't get a hotel room (we were also living on a single income at the time and couldn't afford any of the beachside hotels near the wedding), but far enough that I couldn't go home during the gap. FI was in the wedding, so he spent over 2 hours riding around with b&g while they had pictures taken all over the place (and this was after a 7 hour photo session/first look). Most of the other guests were in the same boat. We drove over to the reception venue only to be told we were not allowed to enter until the start of the event. I ended up drinking Jack Daniels in the parking lot for the duration of the gap and silently cursing the bride and groom.
3. Don't make guests wait too long between the ceremony and reception.
If your ceremony and reception are at different venues, do your best to minimize the in-between time. When guests have too much free time on their hands between the ceremony and reception, they'll either starve (and get cranky) or find a nearby cafe and stuff themselves. Ideally you want your guests to eat and drink and be merry at your reception, not at a bar they found along the way. If a large time gap is inevitable, make sure your guests are entertained or have the option of being entertained. You may want to plan an outing — a sightseeing bus tour, maybe? — or set up a hospitality lounge, with drinks and snacks, at the hotel where your guests will be staying (you can include information and directions in the ceremony program). Your main goal is to make sure nobody's left in the lurch with nowhere to go and nothing to do.
There is just so much entitlement and stupidity in this thread, FFS.
1st- If you see a link in a TK e-newsletter, I strongly suggest that you read the entire fucking thread before posting the same crap as everyone else who is just clicking the link.
2nd- Gaps are NOT inevitable or unavoidable. Plan your damn wedding so you don't have a gap. If that means having an earlier reception or paying more to have a "reception that doesn't end at 9pm" then so be it. But be an adult and stop with the stupid excuses.
3rd- Gaps are NOT a regional thing. At all. They are a rude bride and groom thing.
4th- Stop fucking blaming the Catholic Church for your rude behavior and decisions. If you are actually a practicing Catholic then the wedding mass times shouldn't be a damn surprise to you. If you want a Catholic wedding and and evening reception then you better be paying for extra time at your reception venue to drag the evening out. Don't waste my time with a fucking gap.
5th- Don't waste my fucking time with a gap. I don't need to go freshen up after your ceremony, nor do I need to change. No one needs to freshen up or change after a damn wedding ceremony. WTF are you ppl doing, mud wrestling? I don't want to go sightseeing in your city, I'm here for your wedding not a vacation. I don't want to go waste time and money in a bar or restaurant just because you want an evening wedding.
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
Rather or not your cocktail hour "should" start at 3:30 or should you consider allowing time for your guest to check in before your reception don't really matter. It is your day plan the way you want. You won't be able to please anyone, at the same time people who love you they will understand. But you must take time in consideration. The church is about 15-20 minutes(driving or walking distance?), then make sure you allow time for you and your guests to get to the hotel. And most of the time guests don't leave immediately. They chat with other guests and take pictures. It may take up to 30 minutes for your first guest to arrive at the hotel. As a reader to your question, I don't think you need to have your cocktail start immediately at 3:30. Take time as your consideration, give enough time for your guest travel from the ceremony to get to the hotel. if they need to drive to from the ceremony to the hotel, it can take them 30 - 40 mins (walking back to their car, wait to leave the parking lot, maybe traffic lights, park at the hotel, walk to your cocktail session) Yes some readers strongly suggest that your cocktail hours starts at 3:30, but do what you are comfortable with. Only you know the real situation is, rather they need to drive or walk from the church to the hotel. Just allow enough time for your guest to the hotel (not talking about rather to allow time for them to check in or not) Just get to the hotel for the cocktail hour.
No they won't understand. They will tolerate it but they certainly won't understand why you felt the need to throw in an hour or more gap to the event nor will they like it. But because they love you will they tolerate your decision and try to make the best of it and not say anything to your face to avoid hurting you.
We have planned a rather large gap between our ceremony (1:30pm at a Catholic Church, the 4pm slot was already taken) and reception. The reception is at the zoo and we can't use it until closing time, 5pm. Many of our guests are local, so the break means they can go home in between. For out of town guests, we put on our wedding website several places to visit and things to do in the city during the 3hr break. We've also offered that if any of our guests want to visit the zoo before the reception, we'd get them an admission ticket. It's easier because the ceremony and reception are in the city, where there are lots of things to do in the meantime, many of which are within walking distance of the ceremony and hotel.
At first I was really concerned about that gap, but everyone in the wedding (and especially my photographer) have told us that having that break time is a great idea. In addition, we don't have to worry about being late to the cocktail hour or reception and we get to take pictures in some awesome spots around the city.
I know for sure that my family and his will enjoy the extra time to chat during the day, since we are scattered around the country. As for the out of town friends who might feel lost in that gap period, I'm going to make sure they know who else from their 'group' (e.g. college friends, etc.) is also coming so they can get in touch if they want to make plans.
In conclusion, we decided to have this gap because of venue restrictions, but have embraced it for our own sanity that day and we have worked to make it as amenable to our guests as possible. Yes, it is nontraditional, but I do not think it is rude or outrageous. So far, the only antagonism towards such a gap I've heard has been in the comments here, not from anyone we've talked to personally.
Are you having a wedding reception or a child's birthday party?
You had choices -- choose a different date or choose a different reception venue. Instead, you're choosing to be selfish and put YOUR WANTS ahead of your guests' comfort.
And, btw, your friends are lying to you. NO ONE is happy about a gap that long and being trotted all over God's green acre to pose for photos.
I have been a BM five times. I have lied to every single one of my bride friends.
'Oh, sure, I LOVE the BM dress!'
'NO, that dress doesn't make your ass look like it needs its own zip code.'
'You're right, pastel orange really IS the new black and goes with everything and looks good on everyone.'
'Of course I don't mind getting up at 5.30 a.m. for a hair appointment at 6 for photos at 8 for your 10 a.m. wedding.'
People will lie to their friends in an effort to preserve their own sanity and because we all know that it's not like telling a bridezilla the truth will do much good anyway.
I'm gonna go with 'not my circus, not my monkeys.'
I'm getting the feeling that everyone's cycles may have synced up. This is out of hand. Also, hilarious.
Oh right, because we are all being so bitchy that we must all be on our rags?
Way to be totally sexist and way to assume that we all get periods. . . I'm on BC so I don't.
If we are being bitchy it's because of all the rude, entitled, spoiled little brats having temper tantrums in this thread, not because of our menstrual cycles.
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
I can't help but laugh at some of the opinions for both sides and find myself in a circumstance where my wedding has a gap. I have had multiple conversations and finagling to figure out how to accommodate my guests without killing my bank, because I'm the only one paying for my wedding, and to make things easy for everyone. Unfortunately, weddings are a tricky subject and no matter what you choose to do, there will always be someone who is completely opposed to the idea and one who adores it. I happen to love gaps as I find social gatherings rather exhausting, I'm an introvert, not a big people person, and it is a great breather as I know my family is very smothering with weddings. The thing that I found as a remedy to my time gap so that people aren't sitting around with their thumbs up their ass is a movie. I did my research, looked at movies coming out and at policies for "renting" a theater and found one that is on the way to the reception venue. I had already arranged for shuttle services for my out of town guests as both venues are limited on parking so it is easy for my out of town guests to get to and no one's stuck without a ride. I spoke with the movie theater, they let me rent out one of the theaters to do a private viewing of a movie for $100 for the theater+ $5 per guest which includes a drink and a snack. I put on the invitations that there is a gap, that I did sign a contract to rent out a movie theater so people can have something to do and asked them to include how many would be joining us to see a movie. Besides that, my wedding is outside, in July, in the midwest, which means it's going to be hot. A nice cool movie theater has actually been enthusiastically welcomed by everyone who has rsvped to the wedding.
I view gaps as perfectly fine only on the premise that you offer something for the guests to do during the gap. Make proper accommodations for wedding guests to do something and it is no different than having a longer cocktail hour, just a different location and just like every other aspect of the wedding, it's optional. I can understand immense opposition to a 2, 3, even 4 hour gap and the bride and groom come up with nothing for the guests to do, but a 1 hour gap, I've never been to a single wedding that had less than a 1 hour gap.
No it really isn't. It's nice. It's certainly expected. But it's not mandatory. Just like the invitation wasn't a summons requiring your attendance. No, you can't have a party for some people you invite and not others, but just like some think it's better to have no alcohol at all than to have a cash bar, then it's better to have no party at all than a limited one. If someone wants to invite you to a ceremony in which they pledge their lives to another, you can go or not go. If it's an inconvenience and if your attendance is predicated on whether or not they'll feed you afterwards or properly pay homage to you in any other way more than a big hug and a word of thanks, is entirely up to you. They make the offer, you can accept or decline as you feel. If you choose to accept they owe you gratitude and nothing more.
I just would like to say, I was a Catholic bride the first time around and my church also had a 4 pm Mass...therefore I decided to have my wedding at 6:30 to avoid the gap.
Having a Catholic wedding is no excuse for having a gap. If you're wanting a day wedding in a Catholic chuch, you may just have to suck it up and have an evening wedding in order to be more accommodating to your guests.
Man, we've got some brutal responses. I was also curious about this, but very appalled at how rude people can be with their responses. I think you asked a very valid question and I feel bad that more responses weren't respectful. But I do hope you got a good answer for your question.
No it really isn't. It's nice. It's certainly expected. But it's not mandatory. Just like the invitation wasn't a summons requiring your attendance. No, you can't have a party for some people you invite and not others, but just like some think it's better to have no alcohol at all than to have a cash bar, then it's better to have no party at all than a limited one. If someone wants to invite you to a ceremony in which they pledge their lives to another, you can go or not go. If it's an inconvenience and if your attendance is predicated on whether or not they'll feed you afterwards or properly pay homage to you in any other way more than a big hug and a word of thanks, is entirely up to you. They make the offer, you can accept or decline as you feel. If you choose to accept they owe you gratitude and nothing more.
Well, it's not mandatory like paying taxes or breathing but you're definitely rude to ask people watch you get married and then not even host cake and punch.
I'm going to wager a guess that you've never actually read an etiquette book.
FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS, WOULD ALL OF YOU RUDE BRIDES STOP FUCKING CLAIMING IT'S A CATHOLIC GAP?!?
DO NOT lay this at the feet of my church. No no no no no no no no no. This is NOT a 'Catholic' thing.
The Eucharist; Transubstantiation, the Litany of the Saints; the Liturgy of the Word; believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary -- THOSE are Catholic things.
Rude hosting with a gap is not, and don't you dare pretend it is. You may have a gap, and be rude and get judged for it, but don't tar all Catholics with the brush of bad etiquette.
I always say "Bigotry hidden in religion is still bigotry", so now I"m changing that to "Rudeness justified by religion is still rudeness". Also WWJD? I'm pretty sure he'd make sure all of his guests were properly hosted.
He absolutely would. It's why he turned water into wine at a wedding!
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
And you'd be wrong. I've read more than one actually. And I'd never host a wedding without a reception personally, but I think that there's a lot of confusion over what a wedding ceremony is. It's not just an extension of a party. It stands on its own and doesn't need what follows, but what follows only makes sense in terms of what came before. The party is predicated on the wedding, but not vice versa.
Did you also know it's against etiquette to stay at your own wedding reception until the end? You're supposed to leave while the party is still raging. I'm not doing that one either, sorry. I guess that's pretty rude and inconsiderate of me as well.
I am 4 years out from my Saturday afternoon Midwest Catholic wedding that H and I paid for ourselves. We had no gap, so it's not a regional thing, or a religious thing, or a money thing.
11:30-1:00- First look, family, and attendant pics 1-1:30- H and I and our attendants waited for everyone to arrive and get seated. 1:30 (on the dot)- ceremony starts. 2:30- Ceremony ends. Guests exit church. BM and MOH sign our marriage license with us and the officiant. 2:45- We exit church and drive to reception venue (10 mins) 3-3:15- Pictures at the reception site while guests arrive and are served cocktails and apps. We instructed the bar to start serving as soon as the first person walked in 3:15- We arrive at the venue, beating most of our guests to the reception. 7:00- Reception ends.
Yes kids, it can be done. I have been to a ton of Midwest Catholic weddings that had gaps and everyone of them was rude and obnoxious. I knew that was the LAST thing I wanted to do to my friends and family.
Have I stepped into an alternate universe? Gaps are never OK. It doesn't matter what the circumstance are! They're rude and avoidable.
I've been a guest to many, many weddings. And let me tell you - 99.9% of the time, people are pissed the fuck off about a gap. They won't say it to your face, because most people are too polite.But they're not happy or OK with it.
It is your wedding, your day. The way I see it, if people don't like how I have my dream day, then don't come. Most of the guest list is family and friends of your parents--the people who would really understand are your friends. If you go the traditional route and don't see your future husband before your wedding ceremony, where will you take pictures? If you plan on taking them at the church, your ceremony will have to start sooner than 2pm because you will already be looking at clearing out by 330 at the earliest and they will be pushing you out. All you have to remember YOUR day by is the pictures, so make sure that you get the pictures you want and the time is spent on what you care about most. I have a guest list of 300 people for the reception, 60 of those are our actual friends--everyone else is family or parents friends...we decided to have a small, intimate ceremony and not even invite everyone to the ceremony. We have invited parents, grandparents, siblings, and spouses to the ceremony. I'm sure that if that was the only option to not have a gap, people would prefer a couple hours of a break over not being invited to the ceremony at all. We have lots of reasons why we chose this way (we are 27, have been together for 7 years, have two children, and prefer an intimate ceremony between us and our children--not putting on a show for 300 people). bottom line---IT IS YOUR DAY, DO WHAT YOU WANT--you can't please everyone. If people don't like it, let them complain, or let them not come....they should see that what you are doing is what you want and the day is about you, your future husband, and your commitment to each other
And you'd be wrong. I've read more than one actually. And I'd never host a wedding without a reception personally, but I think that there's a lot of confusion over what a wedding ceremony is. It's not just an extension of a party. It stands on its own and doesn't need what follows, but what follows only makes sense in terms of what came before. The party is predicated on the wedding, but not vice versa.
Did you also know it's against etiquette to stay at your own wedding reception until the end? You're supposed to leave while the party is still raging. I'm not doing that one either, sorry. I guess that's pretty rude and inconsiderate of me as well.
That is not against etiquette it is against tradition. Those are two separate things.
And in the wordy mix above that, basically if you invite people to witness your ceremony you should host something as a thank you to them for taking the time out of their lives to be there. Is it an absolute requirement and will you be arrested if you don't? No. But it is a common courtesy.
I am really ashamed of what I have just read. Are you serious? First of all, whose special day is it? The newlyweds'! Get along with it!
If you plan your day the way you want - it will be your day. Everyone will know because it will be authentic and true.
Anything else will be a party that someone throws who has a book at hand or whatever trying to copy an event somebody else thought would be nice. That would be preposterous! And so embarrassing! You look back years later and will think: What have I done?! I celebrated someone else's party! I copied something from a magazine without thinking about myself! Without being creative or innovative myself! I just took a template an put my name on it, because people do so.
I feel sad for you, because you're so much into pleasing anyone else that you forget to think about what you would like and what would be your personal style. Your weddings will be average if not below. Guest will leave and think: Well, just one of those weddings. Been there. Done that.
BE TRUE TO YOURSELF! THINK ABOUT YOUR WISHES AND FULFILL THEM! THIS IS YOUR DAY AND EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPY WITH YOU!
@all those being so low down: What's up with you? Are you jealous? Didn't you dare to do your own thing? Guess what - it's your fault all alone!
I love how everyone is also suggesting cocktail hours and all kind of stuff. Can we be considerate to the fact that not everyone has the money to pay for a ceremony, a cocktail hour and a reception and all the other crazy things you guys are suggesting?
I hate this board. Everyone is rude.
Yup there are a lot of rude people on this board and they are the one's planning their weddings with gaps.
lol YES. if you can't afford to throw a wedding and properly host your guests, then don't have a big wedding or any wedding at that. and keep in mind hosting doesn't mean you HAVE to provide a 10 course meal, champagne, etc... you just have to show some hospitality towards your guests... i'm not even opposed to dessert weddings, just as long as they're not planned at dinnertime. A gap is just seen as rude because you've made yourself a priority and not your guests---- if I can't throw a nice party and provide a good time for my closest family and friends, then I'm just not going to have anything.
I wonder if some of the people who are saying gaps are rude have also thrown friday, sunday or midweek weddings. To each is own. Gaps = no rush! Chill out! I rather take my time getting to where I need to go and if that means that i get to enjoy the cocktail hour with the bride and groom even better!
No, actually it is a matter of etiquette. Guests don't feel like they can leave as long as the couple is still there partying. The couple making their exit allows guests to feel comfortable leaving whenever they feel ready. I think that's silly, but it is the etiquette.
AND also I would like to say my best friend had Catholic Wedding on a Saturday and she did not have a gap. Just cocktail hour while we took pictures and straight to the reception.. so I'm not sure why people are blaming their Catholic-ness for gaps.
It is your wedding, your day. The way I see it, if people don't like how I have my dream day, then don't come. Most of the guest list is family and friends of your parents--the people who would really understand are your friends. If you go the traditional route and don't see your future husband before your wedding ceremony, where will you take pictures? If you plan on taking them at the church, your ceremony will have to start sooner than 2pm because you will already be looking at clearing out by 330 at the earliest and they will be pushing you out. All you have to remember YOUR day by is the pictures, so make sure that you get the pictures you want and the time is spent on what you care about most. I have a guest list of 300 people for the reception, 60 of those are our actual friends--everyone else is family or parents friends...we decided to have a small, intimate ceremony and not even invite everyone to the ceremony. We have invited parents, grandparents, siblings, and spouses to the ceremony. I'm sure that if that was the only option to not have a gap, people would prefer a couple hours of a break over not being invited to the ceremony at all. We have lots of reasons why we chose this way (we are 27, have been together for 7 years, have two children, and prefer an intimate ceremony between us and our children--not putting on a show for 300 people). bottom line---IT IS YOUR DAY, DO WHAT YOU WANT--you can't please everyone. If people don't like it, let them complain, or let them not come....they should see that what you are doing is what you want and the day is about you, your future husband, and your commitment to each other
And if you don't give a flying rat's ass about how you treat your supposed loved ones, then just freaking elope.
Seriously, if your dream wedding vision is more important then marrying the love of your life and then celebrating with your family and friends, then you're doing it wrong and you should elope.
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
I wonder if some of the people who are saying gaps are rude have also thrown friday, sunday or midweek weddings. To each is own. Gaps = no rush! Chill out! I rather take my time getting to where I need to go and if that means that i get to enjoy the cocktail hour with the bride and groom even better!
Having a friday, sunday or midweek wedding is not rude.
All these people saying that it is YOUR day and that you can do whatever YOU want are delusional. If this is the case, why come on an internet forum and ask for advice? It is obvious that the advice is not wanted.
I am having my wedding out of town next March and will be having a long gap between my ceremony (3pm) and reception (7pm) for a few reasons. 1) Many of our family and friends cannot afford to rent a hotel for the night so I want to leave ample time for people to make the 3 hour drive home. 2)I want to allow people time to checkin after the outdoor ceremony and freshen up. 3)I want an evening reception. I'm paying for it and it's a day that only will happen once in my life. 4)My ceremony and reception are at a cabin where close family and the wedding party are staying. I will have movies playing in the theater.
Note- I am doing the traditional cake cutting, first dance, and throwing of the bouquet right after the wedding in addition to hor d'oeurves and lemonade.
It's your day. Do what you have to do. People don't have to go to your reception if they don't want to. Have fun!
I am having my wedding out of town next March and will be having a long gap between my ceremony (3pm) and reception (7pm) for a few reasons.
1) Many of our family and friends cannot afford to rent a hotel for the night so I want to leave ample time for people to make the 3 hour drive home.
2)I want to allow people time to checkin after the outdoor ceremony and freshen up.
3)I want an evening reception. I'm paying for it and it's a day that only will happen once in my life.
4)My ceremony and reception are at a cabin where close family and the wedding party are staying. I will have movies playing in the theater.
Note- I am doing the traditional cake cutting, first dance, and throwing of the bouquet right after the wedding in addition to hor d'oeurves and lemonade.
It's your day. Do what you have to do. People don't have to go to your reception if they don't want to. Have fun!
I'm sorry, what?
You know your family and friends can't afford to spend the night, so you're DELIBERATELY having a long gap so they have longer to drive?
As for the rest of it...yes, you will only do this once in your life, so why not at least TRY to do it correctly? I will never understand the mentality of, 'It's my only shot, so let me fuck it up as badly as possible!'
I'm gonna go with 'not my circus, not my monkeys.'
Re: The dreaded "gap"
THE 10 BIGGEST WEDDING ETIQUETTE DON'TS
3. Don't make guests wait too long between the ceremony and reception.
If your ceremony and reception are at different venues, do your best to minimize the in-between time. When guests have too much free time on their hands between the ceremony and reception, they'll either starve (and get cranky) or find a nearby cafe and stuff themselves. Ideally you want your guests to eat and drink and be merry at your reception, not at a bar they found along the way. If a large time gap is inevitable, make sure your guests are entertained or have the option of being entertained. You may want to plan an outing — a sightseeing bus tour, maybe? — or set up a hospitality lounge, with drinks and snacks, at the hotel where your guests will be staying (you can include information and directions in the ceremony program). Your main goal is to make sure nobody's left in the lurch with nowhere to go and nothing to do.
1st- If you see a link in a TK e-newsletter, I strongly suggest that you read the entire fucking thread before posting the same crap as everyone else who is just clicking the link.
2nd- Gaps are NOT inevitable or unavoidable. Plan your damn wedding so you don't have a gap. If that means having an earlier reception or paying more to have a "reception that doesn't end at 9pm" then so be it. But be an adult and stop with the stupid excuses.
3rd- Gaps are NOT a regional thing. At all. They are a rude bride and groom thing.
4th- Stop fucking blaming the Catholic Church for your rude behavior and decisions. If you are actually a practicing Catholic then the wedding mass times shouldn't be a damn surprise to you. If you want a Catholic wedding and and evening reception then you better be paying for extra time at your reception venue to drag the evening out. Don't waste my time with a fucking gap.
5th- Don't waste my fucking time with a gap. I don't need to go freshen up after your ceremony, nor do I need to change. No one needs to freshen up or change after a damn wedding ceremony. WTF are you ppl doing, mud wrestling? I don't want to go sightseeing in your city, I'm here for your wedding not a vacation. I don't want to go waste time and money in a bar or restaurant just because you want an evening wedding.
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
Way to be totally sexist and way to assume that we all get periods. . . I'm on BC so I don't.
If we are being bitchy it's because of all the rude, entitled, spoiled little brats having temper tantrums in this thread, not because of our menstrual cycles.
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
Having a Catholic wedding is no excuse for having a gap. If you're wanting a day wedding in a Catholic chuch, you may just have to suck it up and have an evening wedding in order to be more accommodating to your guests.
I'm going to wager a guess that you've never actually read an etiquette book.
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
11:30-1:00- First look, family, and attendant pics
1-1:30- H and I and our attendants waited for everyone to arrive and get seated.
1:30 (on the dot)- ceremony starts.
2:30- Ceremony ends. Guests exit church. BM and MOH sign our marriage license with us and the officiant.
2:45- We exit church and drive to reception venue (10 mins)
3-3:15- Pictures at the reception site while guests arrive and are served cocktails and apps. We instructed the bar to start serving as soon as the first person walked in
3:15- We arrive at the venue, beating most of our guests to the reception.
7:00- Reception ends.
Yes kids, it can be done. I have been to a ton of Midwest Catholic weddings that had gaps and everyone of them was rude and obnoxious. I knew that was the LAST thing I wanted to do to my friends and family.
Seriously, if your dream wedding vision is more important then marrying the love of your life and then celebrating with your family and friends, then you're doing it wrong and you should elope.
"Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."
1) Many of our family and friends cannot afford to rent a hotel for the night so I want to leave ample time for people to make the 3 hour drive home.
2)I want to allow people time to checkin after the outdoor ceremony and freshen up.
3)I want an evening reception. I'm paying for it and it's a day that only will happen once in my life.
4)My ceremony and reception are at a cabin where close family and the wedding party are staying. I will have movies playing in the theater.
Note- I am doing the traditional cake cutting, first dance, and throwing of the bouquet right after the wedding in addition to hor d'oeurves and lemonade.
It's your day. Do what you have to do. People don't have to go to your reception if they don't want to. Have fun!