Ideas for brides with a 2+ hour gap btw ceremony and CH

As Im sure many of you have... I agonized with setting the time for my ceremony and CH. They are 20 min away and I do not want to see FH before hand. I dont want to bend (my day!) but had all that guilt about what everyone is going to do with themselves in the mean time. I thought about it and along with my RH manager came up with some really good ideas, because when i talked to her about this she thought i was nuts for worrying!

1. type a short blub to add to your invites (nothing fancy on your comp from home) of local diners where guests can get coffee, go potty, and freshen up.

2. Make a list of areas special to you and FH that ppl can visit....a mini tour....they can drive by special resturants or parks that have been a big part of your relationship that might be on the way to your hall....kills a lil time

3. Remember....people get lost!!! That extra time ensures that theyll get from point a to b with time to spare.

4. If youre doing a receiving line, that takes time...

5. This gives fam and friends a chance to talk before all the food and music and dancing on the venue...gives them some 'them' time to catch up.

6. Remember its your day! Think about you! If they complain...oh well....theres probably been so many comments and complaints....were all used to it by now (sad huh?) atleast I am!

7. Dont sacrifice taking pics at a park or other venue bc ur worrying about others.....who wants to look back wishing they had gotten more pics??? GET EM! YOURE PROBABLY PAYING AN ARM AND LEG FOR YOUR PHOTO/VIDEO ANYWAY! GET YOUR $$$ WORTH!

I hope this helps!

My ceremony is 430 and ch is 730.

Thank you!

I agree...a great idea is having a get together at someones house nearby MANY people do this.

Also stop thinking EVERYONE we invited, bc honestly do half even go to the ceremony? THose who go will be those closest and dearest to you and they will understand and want you to be happy.

Peanut butter jelly time

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Posted by Espo22

I agree...a great idea is having a get together at someones house nearby MANY people do this.

Also stop thinking EVERYONE we invited, bc honestly do half even go to the ceremony? THose who go will be those closest and dearest to you and they will understand and want you to be happy.

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how true!!!! I dont understand why my FH is set on packing the church....lets be honest... imsure when ppl get my wedding invite they arent saying aww....Lindsays getting married! They are really saying...

FREE FOOD AND BOOZE!!!

Ive accepted that many wont go to church...and having ppl over at someones house is prob just the fam anyway...and they are your fam, and have to understand.....

we dont need to go all super sweet sixteen on their @$$'s!

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Posted by madseason

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Posted by Espo22

I agree...a great idea is having a get together at someones house nearby MANY people do this.

Also stop thinking EVERYONE we invited, bc honestly do half even go to the ceremony? THose who go will be those closest and dearest to you and they will understand and want you to be happy.

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how true!!!! I dont understand why my FH is set on packing the church....lets be honest... imsure when ppl get my wedding invite they arent saying aww....Lindsays getting married! They are really saying...

FREE FOOD AND BOOZE!!!

Ive accepted that many wont go to church...and having ppl over at someones house is prob just the fam anyway...and they are your fam, and have to understand.....

we dont need to go all super sweet sixteen on their @$$'s!

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very true...i wont think at all that most of our guests will come to the ceremony and really don't expect it, i mean i dont go to most peoples ceremony, so why expect everyone to come to mine...No real reason why I don't go, but thats why you dont worry about this, your family and close friend will understand...Everyone else if it inconveniences them then they just wont go to the ceremony.

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Posted by Espo22

very true...i wont think at all that most of our guests will come to the ceremony and really don't expect it, i mean i dont go to most peoples ceremony, so why expect everyone to come to mine...No real reason why I don't go, but thats why you dont worry about this, your family and close friend will understand...Everyone else if it inconveniences them then they just wont go to the ceremony.

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Exactly.....so im not going to get all bent out of shape or worry at all....i have much bigger things to worry about.....like how beautiful i am going to look and how much of my fat *** i will part with btw now and next may!

we're having our ceremony at the rh...but i just wanted to share an experience w you girls who will have a few hours between the cm and rh...

the last wedding i went to was one of my brother's best friends...so we went to the ceremony first. it was nice because i didn't have to wear my dress to the ceremony, since i knew i would have time to change at the hotel...so i wore black pants and a nice top. for the 3 hours between the ceremony and the reception, we invited a group of people back to our hotel room, got some beers and some snacks, hung out, the girls got dressed, and we all had a REALLY good time!! a lot of other people did the same thing. people who did not have hotel rooms were mostly from the area, and either went home for a little bit, or knew the area and knew places to go and hang out.

so don't stress it. people will have fun, find things to do, and have places to go for the down time in between. you should just do your day how you want and don't worry how it will affect everyone else because they will have a great time no matter what. they'll just be happy to be there for you.

Good post My ceremony is at 2:30 and CH begins at 6:00 so we have lots of time in between!

I agree...no one ever worried about what i did with my time in between their weddings, so I'm not worried.

This also goes with getting a shuttle for after the wedding. I was worried about how everyone was going to get back but whenever I went to a wedding we tried to get a group of our friends together and chipped in for a limo or bus or whatever.

With that being said, lol........My mom she said that she will have people back for some snacks and drinks, so that really helps.

Great post!!!!
I went through this when I booked my church and RH......long story short...
My ceremony is at 1:30 and CH is at 6:30( FH wants it at 6:30 so that's when it is)
People kept telling me noone is going to come to the church blah blah blah
and FH & I decided the only people that matter that are at the church are us and our parents. If anyone else wants to come I will be more than happy. Most ppl live near by or know people so they will have a place to go or they can go to the hotel next door to the Hamlet check in if they have a room, have a drink at the bar or two & freshen up
I have learned from spending nights in panic attacks worrying about this that you need to do what you and FH want bc it is your day...another plus...we have plenty of time to take pics so we can enjoy our CH.

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Posted by Espo22

well some RH's have an alternative for early guests...At JT they have a lounge downstairs for early arrivals...with some food, drinks and music

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that's what we're doing...our ceremony is at 1 and ch is at 5...i figure the ceremony will be over by 2, then 30 min for the receiving line and 15 min for like some pics or whatever...so ppl will be out by 2:45...it takes about 30 min to get there if u arent driving fast (so im guessing itll take them all longer...especially those that dont know the area)...which means they will arrive by like 3:30...they can walk around the place and check it out and my rh said they would do a pre-ch thing...just open the bar and have like cheese/crackers/fruit so ppl can chat...and then happily go to the ch at 5!

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Posted by snowcutie82

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Posted by Espo22

well some RH's have an alternative for early guests...At JT they have a lounge downstairs for early arrivals...with some food, drinks and music

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that's what we're doing...our ceremony is at 1 and ch is at 5...i figure the ceremony will be over by 2, then 30 min for the receiving line and 15 min for like some pics or whatever...so ppl will be out by 2:45...it takes about 30 min to get there if u arent driving fast (so im guessing itll take them all longer...especially those that dont know the area)...which means they will arrive by like 3:30...they can walk around the place and check it out and my rh said they would do a pre-ch thing...just open the bar and have like cheese/crackers/fruit so ppl can chat...and then happily go to the ch at 5!

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You should have your FH do a tour of oheka castle for your guests lol

thanks for posting this - my church is at 2:30 and my CH starts at 7:30!

but i haev a fear of snow so i want to make sure everyone has time to get from one place to another - plus everyone can go to the lounge at JT if they arrive early!

i just realized i should call JT myself and find out what the earliest is that I can get there! i didnt even think that they would tell me i couldnt get there until a certain time!!!