Each Wednesday, we tackle wedding etiquette. At times, it’s a reader question or one from a colleague, friend or family member and other times we’ll cover a popular issue. (Note: Questions may be edited for clarity and brevity.)
Question: My fiancé and I can book the venue we want for our wedding on our desired date, but only if we have the ceremony at 2 p.m. We really wanted to have an evening reception. Is it OK to have three or more hours between the ceremony and reception?
Answer: Ideally you’d minimize the time between the ceremony and reception. Given too much time in between, especially in New Orleans, guests might imbibe too much or stuff themselves and then not eat at the reception. It’s very popular these days to have afternoon weddings and receptions, so I recommend you run with it and instead of a seated dinner, opt for a cocktail reception with heavy hors d’oevres. If you absolutely can’t imagine an afternoon reception, find a way to entertain your guests, such as a sightseeing tour followed by a pre-dinner cocktail reception.
Do you have a solution to share or a wedding etiquette question? Respond in the comments or email Melanie@MyNewOrleans.com.
