We are getting married in August, which means it is going to be fairly hot. The ceremony is at 3:30 and we don't want to have a huge recession line because we want plenty of time to take pictures. So, lets say we get in the limo by 4:00/4:15. We get to Jericho Terrace at 5pm with a good solid hour (and 30 minutes) to take pictures. Fine.
What will our guests do from 5-6? Where will they go to beat the heat??? My mom is thinking of opening her house up to guests to come to in between. I told her she's crazy!
What do you girls think? What did you do or will you do if you have some time in between the ceremony and cocktail hour?
Mici n KC
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
JT has a room where gets can hang out before your CH starts.
dedecakes
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
Right, but how EARLY are they going to allow guests to go in there? Our BM said that they would open the doors at 6:00 for guests arriving early. Do you think he would let them come at 5:30?
Mici n KC
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
Your ceremony will take about 45 minutes. We didn't do a full mass and it was that long. People won't leave the church until 4:30 the earliest. Then they have to drive to JT. What time does your CH start?
PeterNina Mom
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
Most reception halls have a hospitality hour they provide for a fee. Guests can go in and have coffee, soft drinks, champagne etc.
Just a note, my older DIL's sister had her reception at JT and even though they paid for the hospitality hour they still had the MOB and everyone else who arrived early wait outside and it was August too. We all complained about it.
lori7570
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
I would think they could wait at JT....but I would def double check this...
dedecakes
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
Right, I am aware of the 'hospitality hour', but our BM said that it's included in the price. It's on a Sunday, so hopefully there won't be another reception going on. Maybe they'll let us in earlier.
PeterNina Mom
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
Make sure because I'm telling you we all waited outside in the August sun for at least 1/2 hr before they let anyone in. The MOB was very angry. I'm sorry girls but I'm not a fan of JT and this is one of the reasons why it was not very nice of them.
Espo22
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
I wouldnt worry, theyre all adults and will know what to do. Every wedding ive been to had a large gap in between, much bigger than that and we just figure it out on our own. Also they probably should start heading over to JT not long after ceremony. Hopefully they wont have traffic but the day of my wedding we hit alot of traffic and took about 45 mins or a lil longer to get there.
Your mom can have ppl over for like coffee and stuff. They wouldnt even be there that long either.
But if it was me, i wouldnt expect the bride and groom to have to figure out for me what to do and plan anything. I would plan ahead of time what we would do. I would probably leave that time in between for me to go buy a card and probably go to the bank to get money and stuff since dh and i always do that anyways on our way to a wedding lol.
dedecakes
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
LMAO. So should I put on the reception card, 'Please use the hour in between the ceremony and cocktail hour to take money out of the bank and buy our card.'
M_J
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
How far are you from the church and JT? If your mom wantst o open her house to your closest family - I think that is fine. Most people based on where they live may elect to go back home to get changed, or drive around, or go get you a card to put their check in... They are adults and it is not the first wedding where they have to hang until the reception. I think it is nice for your mom to offer her home. She can announce it people want but seriously there may not even be enought time to head over. It will be fine...
Future Mrs Roo
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
your guests will figure it out. I've been to wedding with longer time gaps than that. Sometimes we will go and change our clothes, get a card, money, things like that to fill in the gap.
Mici n KC
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
To be honest, you won't have that many people that will go to both. The people that do go to the church will find something to do.
kirstenjk
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
We had quite a bit of time between our ceremony at the church and the start of our reception. Our timeline was similar to yours except that our cocktail hour didn't start until 7:30pm. Some of our guests went home to change, others went to the hotel to check in and relax, and the rest were on their own.
I wouldn't worry about it too much - people will find somewhere to go on their own. Your mom is going to have too much going on that day to open her house up to guests.
Espo22
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
Posted by dedecakes
LMAO. So should I put on the reception card, 'Please use the hour in between the ceremony and cocktail hour to take money out of the bank and buy our card.'
no but they will do whatever they have to do. Like i said, ive been weddings with 5-6 hours gap in between. Hey my wedding was a 5 hour gap in between. People figure it out on their own. You dont expect the bride to come up with what to do in between. What many ppl do actually is if they live close to the church they come dressed casually to the church and then after go home to change. Most of my guests did this, they came dressed one way to the church then went home and changed.
Honestly, you dont even have that big of a gap so its not that bad at all. They can stop to get coffee, maybe pick something up and then start heading over. Depending how far they are from JT then it will be smart for them to do. Its summertime and people are coming home from the beach, hamptons or doing things and usually in the summer there is traffic so they will want to start heading out not long after your ceremony. Even on a sunday they will hit traffic. I know in the summertime DH has softball on sundays and we always had to drive out around that time to LI for 7pm games and we ALWAYS left a bit early bc we knew we'd hit traffic
grkbarbie
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
,lol @ the card and money..
but whenever theres like a long time in btwn i would go home and relx.. and chaneg into a diff dress.
my coworker said the last wedding she went to, the women rushed out to go get their hair done lolol
dont stress it. like espo said, they are adults, they can figure it out. an hour wont kill any1.
deeva007
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
ITA
I have a similar issue and I have basically decided that I would rather have more time in between to take my pictures and not feel rushed then to worry about what my guests are going to do in the in between time (Although one of my close gf's already complained about it!) ALthough you want your guests to feel comfortable and enjoy the day, it is ultimately about you getting the most of of your day.
When you have a church wedding followed by the reception (as opposed to ceremony on site) , people always have this issue. I have experienced it at every wedding I have been to-- had the gap in between and it has never really been an issue-- usually by the time the guests linger at the churc h and chat etc etc it kills some time. I usually get the card in between the church and reception as well.. Somehow it all works out. If people live close to the church and/or RH they can go home and change freshen up etc. I wouldnt worry about it (although I did at first!).
My FH's guests will be coming from Babylon to Douglaston (church) and then back to Babylon for the reception ... so many of them may decide not to do the back and forth and just go straight to the reception anyway.. hopefully not but likely!
Your mom opening up her home is vrery nice of her-- however wouldnt you need her for the pics? It seems more complicated than t is worth.. however if you have another close friend or family member who would offer that would be nice. Maybe your church can provide a hospitality hour after the ceremony if the RH does not do so.. thats what I was considering anyway.
POint is even if you cant find something for your guests to do in between -- dont worry about it- t hey will figure it out
jaep129
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
She is crazy! They will figure out where to go. Either another persons house or a bar. They will be fine!
dedecakes
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
The problem is...a lot of guests will not be from the area, so 'going home and changing' is not an option for them. They don't know the area, so they won't know where to go to kill time.
As far as hanging out outside the church after the ceremony, there is another wedding after us...
Espo22
Posted:
Member since
Re: So, my mom made a good point the other day...
Posted by dedecakes
The problem is...a lot of guests will not be from the area, so 'going home and changing' is not an option for them. They don't know the area, so they won't know where to go to kill time.
As far as hanging out outside the church after the ceremony, there is another wedding after us...
are they staying at a hotel bc they can just go to the hotel after.
Well not that ppl really hang out that much at the church but it does take a little time from moment you get out, you take pics, guests talk to you and all that so that kills a little bit of time. Honestly if your ceremony is at 3:30 then there is no way by 4pm you will be leaving the church, a bit after like 4:15-4:20 yeah.
Also keep in mind that not EVERY guest attending the reception will go to ceremony. I know alot of brides dont like to hear that but its the truth. Didnt happen for my wedding nor any wedding ive ever attended.
How far is your church from JT? I arrived at JT around 6:45pm( i took pics elsewhere) and CH started at 7:30pm. Right when i showed up so did other guests of mine and they all went inside at that time. Just call your bm and talk to him bout this, i asked about this and they had no problem with my guests coming an hour early.
