How do I word the invitation when the reception is at a different location?

Question

Looking for wording we are getting married at one place and having the reception at another location following the cermony and pictures. Also, we are getting married at 11 but I know it is going to take approx 30-45 minutes to take pics should I put the reception time at 12 pm since it is at a different location or would it be rude to have a laspe in time?

Ok do I need a seperate card for the reception information?

The reception place is 18 miles away but we are talking Houston Texas travel times

Answer 1

Since you are taking pictures after your ceremony, I would not refer to your reception as starting immediately after your ceremony. Instead, you should state your reception will begin at 12:00 or 12:30 pm (depending on how long your ceremony is going to take) which will allow your guests time to travel to the location and for you to finish taking pictures. Since there is not a huge gap in time, you do not need to have a cocktail hour or appetizers if you will be serving a meal at the begging of your reception. If the meal is later in the reception, then you should serve have some refreshments as guests arrive to your reception.

You can provide reception information on a separate reception card or in the corner of your invitation if spacing permits. Reception cards are usually about 6 1/2" X 5" sheet folded in half to form a 3 1/4" X 5" card with the words printed on the front. The inside is left blank. While a corner copy is typically three or four lines typed in the left, lower corner of the invitation (corner copies are often used to cut down on cost or bulk of the invitation mailing).

Answer 2

You actually would create a separate reception card. They're about half the size of the invitation for the wedding. If you absolutely have to put the reception on the invitation (not recommended), do it like this:

...on Saturday, March 17, 2007
at 11 o'clock in the morning
at the First Methodist Church
Chicago, Illinois
[Leave a line space here]
With a reception to follow
at the Drake Hotel
331 Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois

Concerning the time, this 30-45 minutes for the pictures is when the guests will be at their cocktail hour. Just say "reception to follow" and book the reception site for 11:30 on. The guests will head over there and mingle while you take pictures. This is best since you don't know exactly how long the ceremony will take (things always move at a different pace than planned).

P.S. Mimosas (champaign and orange juice) would be absolutely perfect to serve for an 11:30 a.m. cocktail hour!

Answer 3

It would be rude to have a huge lapse in time (anything longer than an hour is unacceptable). If the location of the reception is less than 20 minutes away, factor in that time and still have the reception start an hour later. If it's more than a 1/2 hour commute (more than 30 minutes away your guest will certainly complain) then make it 1.5 hours. Though keep in mind, if you go ahead and let the guest go directly to the reception, you can have them serve appetizers and wine while you are getting your pictures taken (that's what I'm doing but I'm getting married and having the reception in the same place. So that people leave one room and go to another they will have appetizers and wine while we take pictures). If you can't afford to add appetizers then go with my first suggestion. As for wording it, the location for the reception should only be put on the RSVP card that you'll add either to the invitation or send separately (to cut cost, I would add it in with the invite). On the invite state the location for the ceremony, on the reply card state the location for the reception. On ideas for both invite and reply card, go to www.microsoft.com and type in "wedding invitations" and you'll get all sorts of templates you can actually download and use. Good luck.

Answer 4

Probably the easiest way would be to enclose a separate reception card, inviting the person/s to the reception. You then put all the reception info there. So the wedding invite would be only for the wedding...like this:
Mr. and Mrs. Doe
request the honor of your company
at the wedding ceremony of their daughter
Sue Doe
and
Mr. John Smith
Saturday the 9th of May
2007 (spelled out)
11 o'clock in the morning
St. James Catholic Church
123 Main Street
Anywhere, USA

Then the reception card would go something like this
Reception to be held beginning at noon (or 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock--whenever)
Countryside Country Club
135 Broadway Dr.
Anywhere, USA

People will expect a lag between the 2 events. Have hor'duerves or cocktails for your guests while they are waiting for the bridal party.

If you also needed a response card, enclose that as well.

Hope this answered your question. These are fairly generic wordings as well...you can find different wordings at www.theknot.com

Answer 5

It is perfectly fine to have a lapse in time. Depending on the locations, you may want to have the reception at 12:30 or 1:00 to give time to the ceremony, pictures and drive time to the reception. Weddings rarely start on time and usually take longer than you would think (mine was to be at 1:00pm and didn't get started until 1:30). Plan ahead and allow plenty of time for everything. If everyone arrives at the reception a little early, it will give them time to mingle and meet anyone there that they do not know. On the invitation simply put down that the wedding ceremony will be held at (location) and will begin at (time). The reception will follow at (location) and will begin at (time).

Answer 6

Your invitation itself should just state your ceremony information. On the reception card you should write

Cocktails served at 12 in the afternoon
Luncheon Reception immediately following
Marriott Hotel
Grand Room
1 Main Street
Houston

Then put the directions from the church to the recption in with the invites.

You will want to start the cocktail hour about 1/2 an hour from the end time of the ceremony, this will give people travel time to get there and you will then arrive at the start of the reception. (1 hour of pictures 30 minutes travel)Brides and grooms dont usually attend the cocktail hour.

Answer 7

TO WHOM IT MY CONCERN

You are cordally invited to the wedding of_______ and_____
on the day of 4th july in the year or our lord two thousand and seven.

The ceremony will be held at St johns Church at 11 am in which after the receptiion would be followed at the location of Imperial gardens..

if you think the time lapse is rude just dont put a time for the reception everyone there knows that after the ceremony its off to the reception and putting a time on the reception may or may not have people skeptical about staying to long or reaching late!!! so if you think that its rude just say after the ceremony which implies after everything is done at the church then you go to the reception..

Answer 8

Maybe this:

11 AM ceremony at ______________
followed by noon reception at _______________

It's common for guests to get to the reception place earlier as you will probably be taking pictures. Be sure that this is OK with the reception place so they can have finger foods and drinks available while people mingle. Have a table set up so guests can sign your wedding register and place gifts and/or cards. Might be a good idea to have some music going and have some disposal cameras out encouraging guests to take pictures. Do you best to get to the reception hall as quickly as you can after photos.

Answer 9

The main invitation is to the wedding, there is a separate smaller card saying something like "reception to follow at Doe's restaurant at (address), time, etc". A lapse in time is fine, as long as it isn't more than an hour or so. Weddings with a 6 hour delay until the reception are a pain in the patoot. But it has been accepted as the couple's prerogative to torture their guests in any way they see fit. It is after all, their day, no one else's.

Answer 10

You just put the info. in the regular places in the invitation, on the same page. The ceremony is the place mentioned in the body of the invitation, because that is where you are getting married. In the lower left corner, in smaller print, is where you put the reception information.
e.g.
Cocktails 5:30 p.m.
Dinner 6:30p.m.
Dance to follow program
123 West Road,
Farthing, Georgia...