Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

NPTbride Posted: Dec 10, 2005 10:51 PM

Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

Please help me solve this dilemma before my head explodes.

We have an 11:00 am mass in St. James which will take an hour and our cocktail hour is a half an hour away in Sayville at 12:30. Neither times or locations can be changed at all. We also do not want to change the mass to a ceremony. FH does not want to miss a minute of the CH to take pictures. To make things even worse, we live in Northport which is a half an hour away from the church. Did anyone else have a similar situation? How do I make this work? We already decided that we will see each other before the wedding to take some pictures and we will not have a receiving line so that we can take a few pictures at the church before we go, but what else can we do?

I know that the day is going to fly by as it is and I am afraid that due to this timeline I am going to have even more stress during my day.

seta Posted: Dec 11, 2005 08:48 AM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

I really think you need to change your church to an earlier time, or see eachother before the ceremony and take pics then...i think any other way will be stressful and tight.

good luck!!!

krispyc Posted: Dec 11, 2005 08:58 AM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

I'm in a similar predicament. I'm only having a ceremony though so I figure that'll be about half an hour (give or take) and then the hall is about 20 minutes from the church. But yeah, we are still going to be crunched for time.

The thing is -- I didn't think it would be that big of a deal until my vendors freaked out about it the second they heard what time everything was. Now I'm a little concerned. I wish I could've done the church earlier but we took the earliest time.

wendy1220 Posted: Dec 11, 2005 09:08 AM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

I'm in the same situation and didn't think too much about it until my photographer freaked out on me about it. I can't change the time of the reception but could make the church earlier. However, I cannot expect my guests to be at the church for a 10am ceremony, I think it's just too early for everyone. We're going to do the best we can and worst case scenario, we'll take some more pics at the reception. To me, the most important part of the day is the church so I'm making sure there are plenty of pictures taken there.

krispyc Posted: Dec 11, 2005 09:14 AM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

The weird thing is when they freak out they always say, 'You're not going to make it to your cocktail hour!' And if that's the worst that could happen, that's fine I think. I haven't been to any weddings so far where brides actually DID make it to their CH.

beautyq115 Posted: Dec 11, 2005 09:37 AM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

Maybe make it into a ceremony instead..since you said the time cannot be changed

beatle06 Posted: Dec 11, 2005 09:46 AM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

if you're going to see eachother before then i think you're okay. do pics before w/ the bridal party, ceremony at 11 and then on your invites write coctail hour immediately following at so and so location. so people will leave the churchat 12 and get get there for 12:30.

conigs25 Posted: Dec 11, 2005 10:38 AM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

I think you should do pics before and your head will be SO clear at the ceremony. There isnt going to be an ideal situ bc you and FI have certain things you want (ie- mass, not missing CT hr) so you have to make some sacrifices

October Bliss Posted: Dec 11, 2005 01:01 PM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

Since you have already decided you will see each other before the ceremony, you will have to do all your picture taking then. With the timeline: cermony from 11-12, drive to reception 12-12:30, CH at 12:30, there is no other way to be at the entire CH.

ML110 Posted: Dec 11, 2005 01:26 PM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

i think you've done all you can do without moving either of the times or shortening the ceremony.... taking pics beforehand will really help alot... maybe start those a little earlier than you were going to so that you'll be able to get ALL of the pics you want done then... good luck! this was the hardest part of the planning for me.. because you don't want guests to be stuck for too long between ceremony and reception, but you also want great pics.... good luck!

NPTbride Posted: Dec 11, 2005 04:12 PM

Re: Logistics help: tight timeline between church & cocktail hour

Thank you all so much for your advice. Neither times can be changed and we will definitely see each other before the church. It is going to be absolutely crazy, I know. I hate the fact that we can't have a receiving line, but that is our only option if we want pictures at the church after the mass.