Weird gap between ceremony and reception

View Quoted Comment It stops being "your day" when you invite guests. You shouldnt have a reception during a meal time without serving a meal.

Back to the topic.. avoid the gap. Take more photos before the ceremony. Gaps are rude.

Still confused on timeline..

3:30-4p ceremony

4-4:35p "gap"

4:35-5p reception? just 25 minutes?

Also agree with PPs that you should host the "gap" as a cocktail hour ... but I can see how your struggling since your reception plan is essentially a cocktail hour ( / 25 minutes?). If you really want to stick with this plan, can you do a first looks and photos beforehand? That way you can actually spend time with guests, 25 minutes is nothing.

What time does your reception end? 5pm?

View Quoted Comment If your ceremony and reception is in the same place, just send the guests in for the reception while you take pictures. They don't have to wait for you. They can be getting snacks and mingling while you take pictures. If you don't want that to happen, you can arrange to take pictures before the ceremony.

As far as the cocktail reception goes, I am of the mind that if there's enough food, it's a meal, whether it comes in large or small pieces.

Why is your reception so short? I’d be pissed if I brought a nice gift and got done up for a 25 minute reception with a couple pieces of cheese.

This is a great idea! Thank you! 🙌🏾🙌🏾

My reaction will be over by 8pm

Reception*

View Quoted Comment That’s dinner time. You need to serve enough to constitute a full meal. You need to host your guests properly. You’re thanking them to attending your wedding.

I’d start serving people right after the ceremony. They should not have to wait around for you.

View Quoted Comment What you’re saying is, the boards will be fine as along as it’s enough to fill everyone up and my guest don’t have to wait for it, they can dig right in after the ceremony

View Quoted Comment No.. that isn't a full meal. Even if your reception ends at 8pm you should still serve a meal. If your budget can't accommodate that, you can cut your guest list to the amount of people you can afford to properly host, push back the date to save more, or elope so you can go back to your "it's my day" idea.

But why should I or have to serve a full meal?
If the boards and desserts keep them satisfied?

If you were doing heavy apps, you could go until 8 but if it’s only charcuterie then I would probably make the reception 4-6 so people can have dinner afterwards.

View Quoted Comment Thank you janel, that is very practical for me !

You really think it’s ok to have a wedding from 3:30 till 8 and not serve a full meal? Aren’t *you* going to be starving?

Well, if my entire wedding is over by 6pm, the problem is solved. My guest will be able to have dinner after my reception and I will be able to serve them just drinks, charcuterie boards and dessert and they will be happy satisfied!

Case closed. Thank you all for your help!

I’ve only been to three wedding my whole life and two of them were in the exact ale place and pretty munch the same event so I have no ideas, what is polite, what Isnt and what is common curtesy. So thank you

So I would have to wait for the gap and you wouldn't feed me dinner? No thanks,
I'll pass. It's reasons like this many people don't write out the check until they get there..

View Quoted Comment I won’t be starving yes, I thought it would be alright and the finger foods would hold them down until they could have a full meal

You planned for your reception to end at 8:00 and thought that finger foods would hold people from lunchtime until they could get a meal--about 9:00 by the time they leave and find a place to eat? Think about it from a practical point of view. Most people expect to be fed a meal when they go to a wedding.