Try to take as many pictures as you can before the ceremony with your bridal party. Do as much as you can with out your groom.
Are you having a mass or just a ceremony? Is making it to the cocktail hour important to you? If you are having a mass you probably won't have enough time, but with a ceremony you should be able to get photos in if you don't want to go to the cocktail hour. My ceremony is at 5:30 and the cocktail hour starts at 7:30(places 15 min apart too). My photographer told us that we will miss half of the cocktail hour because of pictures.
We were going to have a mass, but figured there is no way to get there in time, so we will just have the ceremony. Is it rude not to have a receiving line?
I never thought of not having a receiving line. Your guests might find it a little strange if they come out of the church and you're not around. Maybe you could just hang around for a minute greet some people and then go.
kim -
you do not have to have a receiving line. many weddings that i have attended did not. the priest will say that you opted not to have a receiving so that you can save time to take pics. at the cocktail hour you can thank your guests individually. we aren`t going to have a receiving line, but we are extending our cocktail hour to 1 1/2. i don`t think it is rude. times have changed, you don`t have to do what is considered 'traditional.' your guests will understand. if you don`t have a receiving line and don`t have enough time at the cocktail hour, definetly make sure that you thank your guests during the reception. don`t worry or stress about it. good luck and enjoy your day!
-dani
Hi Kim;
We also have an 11:00 Ceremony and a 12:30 reception and it's 4 miles from the church to the reception.
Our photographer had no problem with the times. We're taking some family shots before hand - bride with family and groom with family separately. We'll get shots of the ceremony and leaving the church - pose for a few at the church and we plan to use the cocktail hour to take photos at the reception site.
Ours is the 'short' ceremony at a Catholic church, not the full mass.
I'd stick to your original plan, or at most, see if you can move the reception to 1:00. If you change to the evening, not only do you have the extra cost, but you've got all that time that your guest will have to fill, or someone from the family will have to host a gathering, and it makes for a really long day/night.
Kim,
I agree with dani, don`t feel the need to be bound by tradition. Do what`s best for you. While I haven`t been to a wedding that has not had a receiving line, that`s not saying much, since I haven`t been to more than a handful of weddings in the past couple of years.
However, I don`t think you should do an abbreviated receiving line, meeting with just a few people. That is not fair to all the people who came out. To me, that would seem a little strange that the receiving line only visited with a few guests then split. I would suggest either having it and going all the way through, or don`t do it at all.
Your time does seem a little crammed, but only if you intend to make the cocktail hour after your ceremony. Talk to your priest and find out when he thinks you should be leaving the church.
Our pastor told us right from the beginning that we will be on our way 1 hour after the start of the ceremony, that`s including the receiving line and photos at the church.
Where were you planning on going for photos? Your reception site, or somewhere between the church and reception, which would take more time?
Is having the ceremony at 10:00 a.m. too early for you? That is what we are doing, church at 10 a.m. in Brooklyn and the reception at 1:00 in Sayville. I know it is a hike, but we are providing transportation for the guests.
