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u/rosielemonbot 15h ago
For a same-space backyard wedding, I would give two or three people outside the wedding party a written reset plan with a table layout and labeled supply bins, since the wedding party will be pulled into photos. Set up a separate spot for drinks and snacks during the gap, and have one point person cue guests when the reception area is ready. Your few minutes together after the ceremony sounds lovely; a timed walkthrough beforehand will show whether the two-hour window is realistic.
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u/peterthedj 🎧 Wedding DJ since 2010 | Married 2011 3h ago
I think there's some confusion around the terminology being used here. The "reception" isn't just the dance party, it's collectively everything that happens after the ceremony is over.
The way you explained it, people are getting the impression that the "2 hour gap" will leave guests with absolutely nothing to do.
Once your ceremony ends, most weddings have a "cocktail hour" which begins immediately. Most couples miss most or all of this because they're off taking post-ceremony photos with family members and wedding party, but the point of cocktail hour is to keep guests occupied while you're taking those photos. The bar should be open, and there should be finger foods available, either passed (wait staff carrying them around on trays, usually for hot items like bacon-wrapped scallops) or on a display table (like bite-size veggies, crackers and cheese).
After the hour (or 90 minutes if you really think photos will take that long) you usually have your MC ask everyone to take seats for the wedding party introductions. They announce everyone, with the newlyweds being last. From there, many couples do their first dance (since you already have a "captive audience" and you're usually entering across the dance floor anyway). You can then do parent dances and then toasts, or you can do those after dinner.
Then it's dinner time. That's followed by any of the "formalities" you didn't do before dinner, and then you open up the dance floor.
If there's any need to "flip" the ceremony space (from rows of seats) to dinner (tables with chairs around them), you usually have hired staff who do this during cocktail hour. It shouldn't be your wedding party because they're involved in photos with you -- and if you want them looking nice for photos, they shouldn't be doing "work."
Keep in mind, "flipping" a space means you need a separate space for cocktail hour, you don't want guests in the way while the flip is happening.
You also have to keep in mind, where will the tables be before the ceremony is over? Everything needs to be under tents the entire time in case it rains.
If you don't have enough room for that (e.g. the backyard isn't big enough or you don't have enough party tent to cover the entire space) then it might be wiser to just have the tables and chairs set-up from the get-go and let people watch the ceremony from their tables. It might seem unusual, but if you don't have the space/staffing/resources to do a flip, then that's what you need to do.
It sounds like hiring a wedding planner would be a wise investment, they would be more experienced with this kind of thing and help you plan things properly so you can avoid potential disasters.
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u/Salty-Translator5060 12h ago
2 hour gap is long for guests, what they do in that time? Maybe have some snacks and drinks ready so nobody gets too hungry waiting. We did similar thing last year, my brother in law was in charge of moving chairs around and it worked pretty good. You just need one person who is not afraid to tell others what to do, give them a simple plan on paper even