Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

I am having a sat. afternoon reception & am having a lot of trouble with getting enough time between the ceremony & the start of the reception. If we leave immediatly after ceremony & SPEED to reception cocktail hour will just be starting!! When is there time to take pics???!!!

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

an option-you can take the pics prior to the ceremony...this way not to be pulled out during the reception...

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

I'm not having trouble coordinating times, we didn't have a choice, but I'm stressing over it. We have a 3pm mass and 6pm cocktail hour which is about 1/2 hour away. Sun sets at 4:48pm! I want some daylight for pics with my new husband and before the ceremony is out of the question for me, I'm too traditional that way.

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

Our mass is at 11am--we'll be in the limo leaving the church by 12:15 or 12:30 we are told & the latest the reception hall will do is 12:45pm. But it is a good 1/2 hour away! I don't want the guests to miss the beginning of cocktail hour either. Pics before ceremony is out of the question for me too--bad luck to see the bride!!

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

Would you consider foregoing the mass? We are considering that ourselves. And 12:45 is kind of a weird time to start a reception. Can you push it to 1pm? It's only 15 minutes?? We brides can be SO demanding!

ETS: We are even considering not doing a receiving line at the church but I don't know how politically correct that is....

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

I am!! Ceremony (full mass) begins @ 2:30, reception site is about 45mins away and I need to stop for pics b/c I don't want to do them all at the site. CH begins at 6:30pm. Pics before ceremony is also out of the question for us...

I'm having a very hard time planning is aspect of the day because FH really doesn't want to stop for pics. I can't move the ceremony up for several reasons. Ah, let the stressing begin!!

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

Take the pictures before the ceremony:

This was my wedding day schedule:

8 am -- photographer arrives at hotel (the entire bridal party stayed at the Melville Marriott so the photogragher was able to take getting ready pictures of me, DH and the bridal party)

9:30am - left hotel for pictures at the Oakdale Arboretum

11:15am -- left arboretum to go to the ceremony

12:30 -- left church for cocktail hour (really though for the sake of time cut out the receiving line and ask everyone to gather outside the church for a group photo on the church steps), it's not a receiving line but a nice touch.

12:45pm -- we arrived at the reception hall

1:00pm -- cocktail hour begins -- actually they opened it early so 12:45pm

We spent about 20 minutes taking pictures at the hall so we were able to enjoy about 20- 30 minutes of the cocktail hour.

So it worked out OK but I did feel a little rushed!!! but I have to say that I don't like weddings that have large gaps (3 - 4 hours) b/t the ceremony and the cocktail hour.

Good Luck and Happy Planning!!!

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

I already considered foregoing the mass--my FH didn't like that idea at all. It's the one thing for the whole day he really insists on. Anyone else not doing the receiving line or have any tips on how to make it as short as possible?? I would have already booked the Riviera--we LOVE it!--but this time thing is really holding us back. It won't really be a prob if it's nice enough to take pics outside, but if it's ****** out, there is no room to take pics inside during cocktail hour. Anyone who has come across this prob at the Riviera please help!!

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

I'm worried about the same thing! The ceremony (not a full mass) is at 11am. Hopefully it will only be 30 minutes. Then the cocktail hour starts at 12pm and it is 20 minutes away. SO I basically have no time in between. I think that I may have to take pictures before the ceremony and/or miss the cocktail hour. Oh well!

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

I dont have this problem. I have a huge GAP but. Most people take pictures during the cocktail hour

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

I am having a bit of a problem also. My ceremny starts at 3:30 and my receptions starts at 6:30 It is wonderful becasue we have more than enough time to take pics in between, but I have to figure out what to do with my guests, I don't think the hall will be ready for them that soon.........

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

I am having the same problem......most churches will not do a wedding before 11....good luck if you can find one. All I can say is somehow it will all work out....my fi and I have decided since there is not too much we can do besides getting married at the hall that we have to grin and bare it.

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

HOnestly, we changed our date because of this!
Good Luck

Re: Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

Our biggest problem is that we have a huge gap, I dont know what to do. Some people say that I dont need to worry. Any ideas? Church is at 2:30 and reception is at 7:00

Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

Saturday night: ceremony at 2pm, hospitality suite at 4, cocktail hour and a half, starting at 5, then dinner at 6:30. I wanted to minimize the time between the ceremony and reception as they are close together.

Anyone else having trouble coordinating ceremony & reception times??

We didn't have a choice. Our ceremony is at 3pm (til about 4:15) and our reception is at 8. I hate that gap as it stinks for the guests, but it does work out for us since we get to take all of our pictures.