06 Jun Filling The GAP between ceremony and reception

When it comes to planning your wedding day, working out how to fill the gap between your ceremony and reception can prove to be a tricky process. Whether you have your ceremony and reception in different places, or at the same venue, will ultimately influence your options. These simple tips will help you fill the gap between your ceremony and reception and be sure to keep your guests entertained.

Timing is everything

It’s a fine line between allowing enough time to have your photos taken between the ceremony and reception, and ensuring your guests aren’t waiting around twiddling their thumbs. The key here is whether your reception and ceremony are at the same venue. If they are, then a gap of no more than an hour to 90 minutes is generally acceptable, although you will need to think about how your guests can fill in this time.

Here are a few of our favourite ways to fill the gap between your ceremony and wedding reception at the same venue:

Set up a game station

Who doesn’t love a bit of friendly competition amongst guests? Whether your wedding is indoors or outdoors, setting up a game station is a great icebreaker and can be a fun way for your guests to entertain themselves. Games like giant Jenga, mini lawn bowls, bocce’, ring toss and connect four are popular options for outdoor weddings, or alternatively board games and card games on a table can be great (especially for space restrictions and winter weddings!) Check out everafterguides list of entertaining wedding games for more ideas!

Have canapes at the ready

One of the more popular of options to fill the gap is to offer a canape’ hour where guests can indulge in tasty appetizers, enjoy a celebratory drink and mingle with other guests. Guests will satisfy their taste buds and get to know other guests at their own pace to ensure a smooth transition to the reception. Grazing tables are also becoming a popular option for guests to enjoy as an alternative option – a great way to encourage guests to mingle!

Entertainment with a twist

Photobooths, bands and Instagram photo stations are still popular entertainment options for couples to provide their guests to fill in the time. However, recently, some couples are pushing the envelope and opting for quirkier entertainment for their guests. Singing waiters, cartoonists, face painters, even magicians are making an appearance at weddings these days. If you are looking for some quirky entertainment options to fill in the gap between the ceremony and reception, check out easy weddings wedding services directory here.  

Different venues

If you are getting married in a place of worship, you may find you are restricted to certain times and lengthy gaps. Or perhaps, you have decided on a beautiful outdoor setting for your ceremony, followed by an indoor reception elsewhere. If you have different venues, then you need to allow decent travel time, to ensure your guests don’t become flustered and rushed working out how to get to the next destination. Doing some practice runs between venues at the same time your wedding is scheduled can give you a good indication of the time allowance.

Some couples like to let their guests know of the time gap well in advance so guests can plan accordingly. Providing options of things to do in the area, local bars and shops and directions on the guests invite can be helpful to ensure a smooth transition between venues.

With a little planning and foresight, you can rest assured your guests will be well looked after and entertained the whole day!

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