Ceremony/Reception at Different Venues

I was so excited when I walked into a Starbucks and found out that the Gingerbread Latte was back. But I was even happier that I was still able to buy a Pumpkin Spice Latte. I'm not sure how much longer those will be in but I'm going to enjoy those while I can!

If you have already booked your venues for your ceremony and reception, I'm betting that some of you have them booked at different locations. It might be a short walk down the road or a 20 minute drive. There are a few things to take into consideration to make sure things run smoothly for your guests from ceremony to reception site.

Source: thebridescafe.com via Katie on Pinterest Photography by Brent Van Auken

The Gift Table - If your guests brought a gift and know that the reception site is a drive away after the ceremony, they should leave the gift in the car, however, if the reception is a short walk away, your guests might bring their gifts out of the car with them. They might not want to walk back to their car, but it can be annoying to have to hold the gift during the ceremony. Have a spot at the ceremony site if this is the case and just designate an usher or a friend to bring the gifts to the reception after the ceremony is over.

The Sign-In Table - If you are having your ceremony site at a church, sometimes the church has it's own guest book (mine did) Guests might think they sign that and you will miss out on who came and what messages they might have left you! Have the church guest book moved so that guests end up signing yours instead.

Transportation - Including a map and/or directions in the invitation is always nice since GPS can lose someone if the location is remote or confusing to get to. Also, if the reception site is pretty far and/or doesn't have much parking available, consider having a shuttle to take guests to the reception site while you are away taking your pictures!

Time - Depending on the distance, the reception commute takes time out of your day's itinerary. Think about this when you make plans on how long to book the venue, and how long to have the photographer or videographer stay to record the day's events.

Are you having your ceremony and reception at the same or different locations? How are you handling the transition from one to the other?

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. - Psalm 103:1

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