POLL: Ceremony Location

12-3Princess Posted: Jan 06, 2005 08:23 PM

POLL: Ceremony Location

I can't decide what to do about our ceremony situation.

The thing is, I found this GORGEOUS church, and booked it, on our date. It is like 2 miles from our reception site.... The problem is, the latest our ceremony can be is at 3:30, and our cocktail hour cannot start before 7! (Rules of the venue).

So that means, between like 5pm and 7pm, any of my guests that attend the ceremony will have NOTHING to do for two full hours.

Most of my guests are from Long Island, while our reception is in NYC. So I was thinking of maybe changing the Church to a Church in LI, that way people would be travelling between 5 and 7 - or could go home and change too if they want - rather than sitting around. The only problem is, this Church in the city is so beautiful, that I don't want to give it up! It is from 1807 and is so old NY with cathedral ceilings and moulding and so on.

What do you all think I shoud do?
(NOTE: we moved out of NY and our Church in FL where we live has given us permission to marry in any NY Church, so being a member of the Church is not an issue for us)

littlebookworm4 Posted: Jan 06, 2005 08:27 PM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

do you have any relatives on li who would be willing to host people in between? i've heard of people doing that before.... i don't know. sorry!

nferrandi Posted: Jan 06, 2005 08:34 PM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

I would do it in the city, since that's what you really want. I think people can occupy themselves in Manhattan for a couple of hours. Are you blocking rooms at any hotels? Maybe you can send people back to the hotel bar to kill the time.

Laura1976 Posted: Jan 06, 2005 08:34 PM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

I think it will be ok, 2 hours isn't terrible especiallly when your in NYC and there are things to look at and see. Making people travel from LI to NYC might be rough, you have to factor in traffic or train schedules and parking.

hampsteadha Posted: Jan 06, 2005 08:40 PM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

I honestly think you should just have it in the church you love. Their are pros and cons of either plan. If you have it in NYC, people will walk around and get coffee or go to a bar. My friend has the same issue and she may organize a bus tour.

randella Posted: Jan 06, 2005 08:47 PM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

I think you should do it in the city.. Do you have a lot of friends in the city? I live in the city and would not be happy about going out to LI, then back to the city for the reception..but that is my opinion based on where I live. Plus, you LOVE the church.. I say keep it there..

Here is a suggestion- look for a bar/restaurant near your reception venue where you can 'host' your guests who are waiting around.. In all reality it would be open bar for like an hour or so for a handful of people- and maybe have some snacks or whatever- this way you can take care of them, they have somewhere to go and are not left out on their own. Yes, it is another expense, but it is a nice touch and would probably be a minimal cost at that time of day.

SFP0214 Posted: Jan 06, 2005 08:58 PM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

My friend upstate has this issue and she is doing a 'hospitality' in between at a martini bar with light finger foods.

Backinneyork Posted: Jan 06, 2005 09:10 PM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

Do it in the city. There is plenty of stuff to do in the city in two hours. I wouldn't worry about it. People can go to a restaurant, a hotel lobby etc...

You could also look into a city tour like Gray Line and treat everyone to a bus tour of the city in between the church and reception.

12-3Princess Posted: Jan 07, 2005 08:09 AM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

Thank you so much - I think you're right and I should do it in the city; I really do LOVE the Church - I'm definitely going to look into the bus tour too - that sounds great.

You're all wonderful

debfrisone Posted: Jan 07, 2005 08:18 AM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

whoops! change my vote! i voted LI by accident. I really meant to vote for the city church!!

MCDO15 Posted: Jan 07, 2005 09:29 AM

Re: POLL: Ceremony Location

Posted by hampsteadha

I honestly think you should just have it in the church you love. Their are pros and cons of either plan. If you have it in NYC, people will walk around and get coffee or go to a bar. My friend has the same issue and she may organize a bus tour.

i agree... if it were to be on LI, they would just be driving there (doing nothing) like they were doing had they already been in the city. At least while already in the city, there is plenty to do + im sure they can get to the reception location a little early.

had they gone home and changed, etc... they are cutting way close. every wedding ive been too that had a break (2 hrs), i always missed part of Cocktail hour. Also keep in mind, when you are taking pictures at church, some guest like to get pics this way and to send you off. receiving line is long... did you factor all that in?