Time between Ceremony and Reception...

So FH and I are exploring the option of getting married in an interfaith chapel instead of using the ceremony room at CLM. My wedding is in November, so it gets dark at like 4:30! I wanted to have the ceremony at 2:30, then have pictures from 3-5:30, then cocktail hour will start at 6pm at CLM. Do you think that a 3 hour time between ceremony and reception is too much for guests? The chapel I am thinking of using is about 30 mins away from CLM, so they would have to kill about 2 hours between. What do you think???

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My church is at 3:30 and my cocktail hour isn't until 7! So...no I don't think it's too much time. I want to make it to my cocktail hour...and it is my wedding, right?! haha

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I think its totally fine!

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Posted by aimerlena01

My church is at 3:30 and my cocktail hour isn't until 7! So...no I don't think it's too much time. I want to make it to my cocktail hour...and it is my wedding, right?! haha

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HAHA, my thoughts exactly. And i was thinking I would just tell guests to go back to the hotel they are staying at and we would provide a shuttle from the hotel to the reception, so that would be a way for them to kill time....

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My church is at 1:30 and the reception is not until 6:30. When I spoke to the woman from my church she said if you do a full mass that brings you to 2:30 she said realistically you will be at the church for an additional 1/2 taking pictures by the time you leave it will be 3:00 by the time I actually get to my location for pictures it will be around 3:30. I live about 40 mins from my RH so everyone will go back to my house for about 2 hours while we take pictures. I know that some people will not come to the ceremony because of the time gap but it was really important for us to have all of our traditional pictures done before cocktail. You have a shorter time gap than I do...I think you should be fine.

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My Church is at 230 pm my CH is at 7pm

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I think that's probably fine. I'm in same situation right now, trying to convince FH that we should move ceremony from 3:00 to 2.:30, even though CH doesn't start until 7:30. I don't think we're going to have enough time at 3, because it's a Greek orthodox ceremony, which is at least an hour, then figure a good half hour-45 minutes to get rid of all our guests on the receiving line haha, then half hour pics, then it's a good 40 minute ride to RH, barring traffic, accidents, or bad weather. We have to be there the latest at 6:30 for pics, and he doesn't want to bump it up to 2:30 cuz he thinks it's too long for people to kill the time!

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our mass is at 4pm... done at 5:00pm...so we should be out and done there by 5:30 the latest with the recieving line and pics.... then we are going to take pics at the GArden City Gazebo and then onto RH which is still 45 mins away.... CH starts at 8pm...
my guests should have plenty of time to get to RH and those stay at the hotel will need to check in and wait for the shuttle..

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im having a full mass at 3 and my ch doesnt start till 730!

Re: Time between Ceremony and Reception...

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Posted by Cacarina

So FH and I are exploring the option of getting married in an interfaith chapel instead of using the ceremony room at CLM. My wedding is in November, so it gets dark at like 4:30! I wanted to have the ceremony at 2:30, then have pictures from 3-5:30, then cocktail hour will start at 6pm at CLM. Do you think that a 3 hour time between ceremony and reception is too much for guests? The chapel I am thinking of using is about 30 mins away from CLM, so they would have to kill about 2 hours between. What do you think???

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I am having my ceremony at 230 in Bayshore and then CH at 6 at CLM.....Im not worried about the gap...people can entertain themselves.

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I dont think so. I have been to weddings with that much of a time stretch, so I think its okay.

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I have 4 hours in between!! I dont think its a problem.

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i guess i'm the only one who thinks it is a long time. i recently went to a wedding that had 3 hours in between the ceremony and cocktail hour, and it was very far away from home, we basically had nothing to do and sat in the car. it was really terrible and made the wedding a 12 hour event. i wouldn't do it, but if your family lives close, or you make sure some people that would be in that situation didn't go the ceremony, than i think it's ok.

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Posted by dazey

i guess i'm the only one who thinks it is a long time. i recently went to a wedding that had 3 hours in between the ceremony and cocktail hour, and it was very far away from home, we basically had nothing to do and sat in the car. it was really terrible and made the wedding a 12 hour event. i wouldn't do it, but if your family lives close, or you make sure some people that would be in that situation didn't go the ceremony, than i think it's ok.

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Yea, that is what I am worried about. I don't want people to have no place to go. I think i will try to set something up at the hotel for people who have no place to go...even if they are not staying at the hotel. Or maybe I can tell ppl who would be inconvenienced that it is okay not to come to the ceremony!

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We are getting married this November, and the sunset is something that worried me too.

We are getting married in Astoria, Queens. We originally had booked the mass for 3:30, but after looking at the sunset times there would be no time for outdoor pictures. Soo we pushed it up to 2. Yes there is a large gap between the church and hall but... It takes an hour to get to the hall (CLM), and its a holiday weekend, plus if people are staying at a hotel nearby, they can go check in and freshen up before the reception. You have to do whats going to make you happy, and if outdoor pictures in LIGHT is what you want, do it.

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My church is at 3:00pm my CH is at 7pm

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my church is at 1 and my cocktail hr is at 6 its fine

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my church starts at 9:30 am
and our reception is at 12pm

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Posted by Cacarina

So FH and I are exploring the option of getting married in an interfaith chapel instead of using the ceremony room at CLM. My wedding is in November, so it gets dark at like 4:30! I wanted to have the ceremony at 2:30, then have pictures from 3-5:30, then cocktail hour will start at 6pm at CLM. Do you think that a 3 hour time between ceremony and reception is too much for guests? The chapel I am thinking of using is about 30 mins away from CLM, so they would have to kill about 2 hours between. What do you think???

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Hi!! You're my date twin!!! I'm having the same problem because of the time change!!! I'm having my ceremony at 2 and then reception at 7. I think we'll have some pastries and coffee set up at the church just to kill some time. I know it won't fill the whole time gap but it helps!!!

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I think three hours is a lot of time. I was talking to a few people at work this week about that and one woman said that she went to a wedding that had a 3 hour gap and even though she had to drive an hour to get to the RH she still had like 2 hours to sit around and so many guests were at a loss for what to do. They all ended up just going to someone's house and sitting around and waiting and watching TV. She said it really $ucked.