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Wedding ceremony and party on the same day?

I'm getting married early next year and am having trouble figuring out which days to have what and when.... Here's the issue.... We basically have a week to do everything, my fiance is in the army and they're not giving us much time to do things. We're having a wedding ceremony at a church on Saturday morning around where I live. Most of his family lives about 45 minutes to an hour away. I was thinking of having the ceremony up in my neighborhood around my family and then driving down to his area after for the reception. Do you think this would be messy? I'm worried about having everyone driving up and then back down all in the same day. I need some opinions and advice... Thanks!

Public Comments

1. I've never actually heard of anyone having the wedding ceremony and recption on seperate days before. For the weddings I've been to, the ceremony was always early in the day, around noon normally. Then the wedding party would take pictures. Then the reception would be about 5 or 6 with a cocktail hour before maybe. It sounds like a good idea to do the ceremony in one place and the recption in the other so everyone is doing an equal amount of driving and neither side are doing more than the other, which could lead to a few upset guests. Congratulations and good luck!
2. 45min- 1 hour is nothing. Americans are used to driving long distances, its just how it is there. If I were you though, I would keep the ceremony and reception in the same general area. After the wedding, people are eager to get the party started! And, you wouldnt have to sit in a car in your dress for an hour.
3. I suggest having your reception close to your ceremony. people that want to be there will typically have no problem driving to where you are. If you want, you can compromise, and find a nice place or places for your ceremony and reception in a town halfway between his family and yours. Just remember its YOUR wedding day. Make YOU happy!
4. I think having it all in one day is better. If you stretch it over two days, you are inconveniencing people. They would have to drive to the ceremony one day and then back home. The next day drive back and do the same thing. If they want, they could stay in a hotel overnight. But, that's making people who only live an hour a way, waste money. Honestly, I think your families will understand the drive. Have it all in one day. Don't make people plan their week or weekend around your two day wedding affair. Make it one day for all to enjoy and be done with it.
5. I would tend to encourage having the wedding and the reception closer to one another. Otherwise everyone has to drive for about two hours, and it wastes a lot of gas and people start grumbling about spending so much time driving between the ceremony and the reception, and it can get ugly. Hold the wedding at the church near you, then see if you can use the church hall or something that's a short drive from there for the reception. Try to keep the trip from wedding to reception under half an hour, and if at all possible make it in the direction toward your fiance's area. That way you aren't asking every person to do a complete two hour loop on one day. Best of luck and all joy to you and your intended.
6. I agree with Meg.She is wright good answer Meg.
7. Aren't you and your fiance are worth traveling 45 minutes? Don't worry about other people. I've been to a lot of weddings, sometimes several hours away. People who enjoy partying know how to take care of themselves and check themselves into a hotel room. Have the party where you want, but don't you go traveling on your special day.
8. Pick one location. Have the ceremony near the receptioin. You don't want to have all sorts of people driving all over the place. If you do, then you will have people only go to one or the other and not both. I know as a guest, if they were that far apart, I'd go to whichever was closer to me. Gas isn't cheap. But I would make the drive for both if they were near each other. Pick the location that works for YOU.
9. I wouldn't want to drive a long distance between the ceremony and the reception. I would skip the ceremony and just go to the party afterwards. And I've never heard of having the reception a different day than the ceremony.
10. I'm not sure why there is an issue at all here. It's VERY common for relatives and friends to drive or even fly to long-distance wedding. Um....45 minutes is NOT a long distance for people to drive for a wedding if they care to attend. YOU don't need to worry about fitting everyone in. THEY should worry about coming to your wedding around when he is on leave. Do the wedding ceremony on the day you planned and let that be it. There will always be people who can't attend for whatever reason but you can't worry about that. If they are aware of the wedding date far enough in advance, they can plan to be there. You may want to think about doing a "save the date" card. If you don't know what those are, just do an internet search. You have little time w/ your soldier and should cherish every second. Not spend your time w/ him running around trying to see everyone.
11. I'm having my ceremony and reception on the same day, and in the same place. We had to choose a site that was about an hour away from where a majority of our guests live due to cost. Because of that, we decided the less driving everyone has to do, the better. Plus, there will be virtually no lag time between the ceremony, receiving line and cocktail hour.
12. Have everything where your family lives. People have to drive either way, so it's best to have it all in one spot.