Looking for a Marriage Celebrant in Sydney, NSW? Then Marry Us Gary is the place for you!
I’m here if you need a funny, male wedding celebrant and wedding master of ceremonies, based in NSW, who services the Blue Mountains region and beyond. I am a professional and fun Civil Marriage Celebrant who is relaxed, non-religious, and ready to officiate your civil marriage. Hire me to make sure your marriage celebration goes off without a hitch.
When it comes to weddings, timing makes a big difference for the event. One of the challenging parts of planning a wedding is deciding what to do in the time gap between ceremony and reception. Having a gap is common in some weddings but you don’t want to leave your guests hanging. What exactly can you do to fill the time? These are a few tips to consider.
Have a Cocktail Hour Between Ceremony and Reception
If you’re going to be taking pictures with the immediate family and wedding party after the ceremony, then you’ll probably have at least an hour or more that you’ll need to fill for your guests. This is a great time to host a cocktail hour. Provide canapes or a grazing table for your guests to enjoy. If guests are fed and having a good time, then they won’t mind hanging out for a little while before the reception.
A cocktail hour is one of the most popular ways to satisfy guests during the time. You can also have cocktails and light refreshments available for guests. Each couple may plan this event differently, in most cases the food and drink is provided, or if you would prefer, people can buy their own drinks until the reception package starts.
Venue: Redleaf Photo: Cloudcatcher
Have Games Available
This is great when you have nice weather and want to encourage guests to have some fun. If you have a long wait, you could have outdoor games available that your guests can enjoy. Simple games such as bocce ball, corn hole, and ladder golf are all fun games that are great for adults and kids. They’re fun and easy to set up.
Make sure that your guests and the staff know that this option is available. Keep in mind that you can do games in addition to the other options on this list. This is one of the simplest ideas to keep guests entertained and having fun at your wedding.
Plan an Activity
If you’re going to have a significant amount of time between the ceremony and the wedding reception, then you may want to plan an event for guests to attend. Consider simple events such as a group visit to a local pub, museum or a walking tour of the city. This is a good idea if you’re hosting a number of guests from outside of the area who may want to learn more about the area. Provide transportation to the event as well as to the reception afterwards. Make sure that you also plan for drinks and snacks as your guests may be hungry along the way.
If you’re not able to plan a group activity or your guests would prefer to fill their own time, you can still help by providing them with suggestions of things that they can do. Give them a list of local landmarks, galleries, parks, and restaurants that are within close distance and might be fun to visit. Print out a list of ideas and include it in their welcome baskets or have it available when they leave the ceremony. Out of town guests will love having some ideas and can enjoy this time.
Venue: Slide Lounge
Hire an Entertainer – between ceremony and reception
If your guests are going to stick around for the reception, then it may help to bring in a source of entertainment in the meantime. Some couples prefer to have music playing during the break but you may want to spice things up and offer some light entertainment. A comedian or magician is always fun, especially with kids, and they’ll be able to keep your guests entertained until the reception starts.
Serve Beverages Before the Ceremony
Serving drinks pre-ceremony can be a terrific way to relax your guests. If you want to energise your guests and get them in the mood for the ceremony, serving delicious drinks in advance can go a long way. Try to give your guests imaginative, diverse and tasty choices such as pink lemonade, grapefruit mojitos, or the crowd favourite – gin and tonics.s
Conclusion between ceremony and reception
Finally, keep in mind that most guests do expect there to be a gap between the ceremony and reception. While it’s a good idea to help fill in the gap, you can be assured that guests do expect to wait for the reception and can make their own plans if needed.
Wedding Reception Emcee Sydney
For more helpful tips and to learn more about our services, visit us at Maryusgary.com. We offer marriage celebrant services and wedding MC services to happy couples getting ready for their big day. Also, if you want to learn more about becoming a wedding MC yourself, use our online course to learn the ins and outs. We’re happy to share expert tips and advice on how to build your own brand in the wedding industry.
Northern Beaches Marriage Celebrant
Gary’s goal is for you to have the best wedding day possible! He is an enthusiastic, grounded, fun-loving and relaxed Wedding Celebrant and Professional Wedding MC based in Australia.
He was an electrician who loved his wedding so much, he quit his job and became a full-time celebrant.
He’s here to help you plan your wedding and get the party started!
