The current traditional trend is to have a cocktail hour. My suggestion is to have the cocktail hour start 30 minutes after the end of the ceremony, that way the guests that are not involved in the pictures have something to do in the meantime. Then the reception won't start until just before you get there - either an hour or hour an a half after the ceremony ends - whichever is easiest for you guys. Then you can have introductions if you like. You also can have the receiving line at the church or at the reception location.
We split our picture taking, so that we had the reveal moment as well. We did me, my family and attendatents, then we disappeared, and then Robb (photographer) did the groom, his family and attendants. Afterwords, we did the bride and groom with the attendants, and the families. We had Hugh (our pastor) make an announcement (at least we meant to) that everyone related to the bride and groom to please stay after the ceremony for pictures. Then Robb built the photos...bride and groom plus parents, then parents and siblings, then parents and sibs and grandparents, then all those plus the entire extended family. He did this once for the groom's side and once for the bride's. Then we sent the family away and the bride and groom did their pics plus the attendants. It worked well. What I would recommend is a specific list of photos you want to get, worked out beforehand with you, Mark, and your photographer. We also gave Robb a time limit, or a specific time we wanted to be out of there after the ceremony was over (I gave him an
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Thank you, both of you, for your suggestions. We hashed it out at dinner, and tentatively decided on a 3:00 wedding, with receiving line, and a 4:30 start to the cocktail hour. Our hope is that we can be present for at least half the cocktail hour (the hors d'oeuvres promise to be awesome and I want some).
I'm hoping that between the receiving line and general milling about (and we'd like to do a dramatic exit from the church with people throwing things at us), there won't be a lot of downtime between the end of the ceremony and the start of the cocktail hour. And if I'm wrong, they can always take the historical tour.
Other good news is that my dad conceded that the room Mark and I want is the one we should book, rather than the one he likes better. I am very relieved not to be having that battle. Also, we talked to our pastor today, so we have someone to marry us (who is awesomer than the hors d'oeuvres promise to be).
It's all happening so fast all of a sudden. I'm scared... well, excited AND scared. In the best way possible.
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I'm hoping that between the receiving line and general milling about (and we'd like to do a dramatic exit from the church with people throwing things at us), there won't be a lot of downtime between the end of the ceremony and the start of the cocktail hour. And if I'm wrong, they can always take the historical tour.
Other good news is that my dad conceded that the room Mark and I want is the one we should book, rather than the one he likes better. I am very relieved not to be having that battle. Also, we talked to our pastor today, so we have someone to marry us (who is awesomer than the hors d'oeuvres promise to be).
It's all happening so fast all of a sudden. I'm scared... well, excited AND scared. In the best way possible.
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