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Natasha
Devoted June 2019 Ontario

Layover time between Ceremony and reception?

Natasha, on July 26, 2018 at 00:36 Posted in Wedding reception 0 14
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What are your thoughts on a 3 hour waiting period from the time the ceremony is finished to the reception cocktail hour.

We need 3 hour to go to the desired park to take picture after the ceremony. We don’t want to do a first look (even though this would solve the problem, but FH is strongly against it) We want to be the first time seeing each other when walking down the aisle and he is very adamant about that. However I’m so concerned about the 3 hour layover time from the ceremony to the reception. Especially seeing they are in the same place. The venue doesn’t have any nice parks around so we need to travel about 13km to desired park.

14 Comments

Latest activity by Stephanie, on July 26, 2018 at 20:02
  • Stephanie
    VIP May 2019 Ontario
    Stephanie ·
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    I think it's fine! Ours will be 2 hours but I think 3 is fine too! Anything more is a bit much but wasting 3 hours isnt too hard! Guests will understand and figure out something to do!
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  • Jennifer
    Super July 2019 Ontario
    Jennifer ·
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    That's such a standard time between things. most guests wont care. guests that are in a hotel. will go to their room/freshen up. last year I went to a wedding that was over 4 hours in between. a bunch of us went back to my house. had drinks/snacks. people figure it out. haha

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  • Allison
    Master October 2019 Ontario
    Allison ·
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    You'll be fine! Your guests will find something to do until cocktail hour. I'm doing a hotel wedding so out of towners can go back to their rooms and hangout with each other. Most people will expect a layover of a some sort between ceremony and reception and will plan for it.

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  • Stephanie
    Master July 2018 Alberta
    Stephanie ·
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    It's fine! We had three hours as well. All/most of your guests are adults and adults can entertain themselves for 3 hours! Most of our guests went home/to their hotel in between.

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  • Erin
    Master September 2017 Ontario
    Erin ·
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    I think it is fine but maybe send out a helpful fact sheet of things to do and popular attractions around your venue.

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  • Tori
    Top October 2019 Manitoba
    Tori ·
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    It should be fine - with that low of percentage of out of town guests all that I could possibly suggest is maybe give them a list of places that you and your new hubby enjoy going? It could even be along the lines of 1. We met here 2. Our first dinner date was here 3. Our fav. date was here etc. etc. etc.

    That way it doesn't just give them a list of where they could go for 3 hours but also incorporates you and him into what they are doing. Smiley smile I have an out of town wedding with no layover so I can't do something like this - but I would have loved to.

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  • Alexandra
    VIP November 2019 British Columbia
    Alexandra ·
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    That’s fine then, the gap shouldn’t be a huge issue!
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  • Natasha
    Devoted June 2019 Ontario
    Natasha ·
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    I would say 80% local and 20% our of town
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  • Natasha
    Devoted June 2019 Ontario
    Natasha ·
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    Our cocktail hour is at 5;30. And although the ceremony and venue are at the same place we can’t really stay there for the layover time.
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  • Julie
    Expert March 2019 Ontario
    Julie ·
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    I've seen on Wedding shows where when there is a long layover, a Family member or someone close to the Family opens up their home for out of town guests to go have a cup of tea and a light snack. We're unable to leave our venue for pictures as we're having a Winter Wedding. During our pictures we are thinking of doing a 1 hour host bar.
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  • Alexandra
    VIP November 2019 British Columbia
    Alexandra ·
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    It depends on your guest breakup tbh. If they’re mostly local, 3 hours isn’t a huge deal they’ll either go home or go out somewhere since they know the area, but if there’s a lot of out of town guests that’s a long time and they won’t know the area well and it’s a lot harder to find something to do. I wouldn’t recommend it with a lot of out of town guests but with in town guests it makes very little difference.
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  • Carmela
    Devoted April 2019 Ontario
    Carmela ·
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    We have almost 4.5 hours in between the ceremony and reception. It’s going to be fine. Plus it’s your day so you choose what you want to do, that’s the best part.. your the boss.
    if you want to avoid the first look... and save it for the ceremony. It’s your day!

    People can can go back home and relax, have lunch, and be ready for the party aspect.
    Its common for Italian families to have a gap. So stick to your guns and don’t worry about what people will do. It’s your day.
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  • Julia
    Frequent user June 2019 Alberta
    Julia ·
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    Could you set up games for your guests to play? or have cocktail time during that time? is your venue close enough that guests could leave and come back?

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  • Amanda
    Super August 2018 Alberta
    Amanda ·
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    We have a 4 - 5 hour layover. So your 3 hour layover should be fine! Haha. We have an 11 am ceremony and our cocktail hour starts at 4:30. We told guests to go check into their hotels, or go out for lunch, or go check out some sights or something. 3 hours isn’t actually that long, especially if you have a bit of travel time.
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