Wedding Reception Forum

2 hour, 15 minute gap between ceremony & reception (2 locations)

We're having our wedding ceremony at my family's parish at 2 pm, and with the priest we have, I'm expecting a 45 min ceremony (I wish it was shorter but boy is he slow). Our reception begins at 5 at another venue. Google maps is saying on a Saturday that it could take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to get there. 2 pm was the absolute latest time I could get for the Church (I've been a member of the church since I was born, so switching ceremony locations is an absolute deal breaker). I was making a FAQ for the guests and I feel like I probably should put something about that big gap in between venue times but I have no clue what to put. Any ideas?

Re: 2 hour, 15 minute gap between ceremony & reception (2 locations)

  • We're having our wedding ceremony at my family's parish at 2 pm, and with the priest we have, I'm expecting a 45 min ceremony (I wish it was shorter but boy is he slow). Our reception begins at 5 at another venue. Google maps is saying on a Saturday that it could take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to get there. 2 pm was the absolute latest time I could get for the Church (I've been a member of the church since I was born, so switching ceremony locations is an absolute deal breaker). I was making a FAQ for the guests and I feel like I probably should put something about that big gap in between venue times but I have no clue what to put. Any ideas?
    You shouldn't be having this large of a gap. You need to move up your reception start time. 
  • The 2:00 church thing is actually pretty common, since most catholic churches have mass on Saturday evening. You really need to change your reception to start earlier. If that doesn't work with the venue, then the solution is to find another venue. Worst case, you'll need to host something else in the interim, but that's not ideal.

    It's really not cool to expect people to wait around for two hours for you to get around to hosting them.  
  • What banana said. You need to move up your reception time. 


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  • One of the worst weddings I ever attended had the service in mid-morning, and the reception in the evening. And we had traveled for the ceremony, as people often do. SO we spent the day at a.....shopping mall. Yeah, in our wedding clothes.

    Don't do this. Either move up the reception or do as one couple I know did, have a cookies and punch type thing with a receiving line at the church for an hour and a half, then go to the reception venue. It wasn't perfect, but it did bridge the gap. But it is much better not to have to do something like this.


  • MobKazMobKaz member
    Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    We're having our wedding ceremony at my family's parish at 2 pm, and with the priest we have, I'm expecting a 45 min ceremony (I wish it was shorter but boy is he slow). Our reception begins at 5 at another venue. Google maps is saying on a Saturday that it could take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to get there. 2 pm was the absolute latest time I could get for the Church (I've been a member of the church since I was born, so switching ceremony locations is an absolute deal breaker). I was making a FAQ for the guests and I feel like I probably should put something about that big gap in between venue times but I have no clue what to put. Any ideas?
    "

    You put down where and how you will host the guests during this downtime. 

    A 45 minute nuptial Mass seems fairly short from my experience.  You should hope that it actually extends a bit longer. 

    You need to find a convenient space in which to provide your guests a place to sit and enjoy light beverages during that gap.  Convenient means guests either remain at the church and enjoy some time and refreshments in the church gathering space or you arrange for these same amenities at the reception venue. 

    A gap is not a "Catholic" thing or a church thing.  A gap is a host issue and it needs to be remedied.  There should be no gap at all.  A known "big gap" needs to be resolved.
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