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Beach Wedding Ceremony Questions..Thank You in Advance for answering =]?

Hello, My name is Mia & I am plannin' a beach wedding ceremony with the reception immediately afterwards. I'm plannin' on starting the wedding ceremony at perhaps 4:30PM & I think it will probably last 30 minutes. I want a photo session with the bridal party straight after..What I want to know is, since we're not gettin' into a limo to go to the reception..(as the reception is only 10 mins walk from the ceremony venue).. Is it silly for the groom & I to be walking back down the 'aisle' and stoppin' to wait for the photo session? What ideas do you have? And what ideas for activities etc should I have for the guests while the bridal party are having photo sessions.. I also want to include the other guests in the photo session..but not immediately though..maybe the last few shots..how do I word that on the intinerary/program? I am also worried about the 'interaction' between the guests on the evening as they will all be strangers to each other..any ice breaker tips?

Public Comments

1. take the pictures beforehand (before ceremony, etc.)
2. If you want to include guests in the pictures, take those first so they can leave and go on to the reception site. While you/bridal party are taking pictures, the guests can have cocktails and mingle at the reception site (usually called the cocktail hour). Even if it is not an hour, they can grab something to drink and possibly a light finger food. This is also the time the sign the guestbook, find their seats, etc.
3. did you get a wedding planner-??a permit to use the beach site-??are people standing or be seated during the ceremony-??do you have a plan B(perhaps if it rains before/during your ceremony)-??have you sent out invitations implying time issue(you have to allow time for mingling before the ceremony, and if any interruptions accrue before the ceremony) If you want to include guests in the pictures have the photographer take candid/posed photographs before the ceremony. the wedding party traditionally has photographs taken after b/c of the superstition(bad luck groom seeing the bride before the ceremony)the guests can have cocktails and mingle at the reception site, have hor d'oeuvres ready, DJ/band playing and allow guests to find their seats.
4. Your worries are unnecessary. You ask the guests to stick around after, as you'd like to include them in the photos--the officiant can announce this--then you all head over to the reception location together. It's a very rare wedding where the guests all know each other beforehand-they will mingle at the reception but mainly stick to those they know or form new friendships. You don't need to do anything to facilitate that.
5. At least if you make your guests take second seat to the wedding album, plan to send every person who attends at least one photo. I utterly hate waiting around while the photos are taken. It's rude to put the photographs ahead of the guests. Why not take photos before the ceremony? If the photos take longer than the ceremony does, you should expect some of your guests to leave the reception as soon as they can get away.
6. First off congrats on your up coming wedding. I had a beach wedding and we had champagne given to our guest on the beach while pictures were taken. Guest socialized and drank while we were calling different people we wanted for pictures. We did these pictures first then the guest went the reception and we did pictures of the wedding party and just us. It worked out great. Like other weddings not everyone is going to know everyone but at our wedding everyone got along great.