Distance between Church and Reception venue

Moomin21

Hi all,

I just wondered what people thought was an acceptable distance between the location of the church ceremony and the reception? I've found a reception venue 25 mins drive from the church, do you think this is too much? I've treid to work out who would drive and who would get a taxi etc and we could afford to put on a couple of minibuses for people who would be coming back to the area of the church later on.

Are guests generally ok with this sort of distance? I haven't been to many weddings!!

Thanks

xx

heebie-jeebies

Hi,

I'm sure 25 minutes is fine. The last wedding I went to where the reception venue was different to the ceremony had a 30 minute journey and everyone made it.

I wouldn't worry about organising transport for your guests, they will figure it out when they receive the invitations and there will be free seats in some cars going to the reception venue from the church. Everyone can make their own way home.

johannalf88

We have a half hour journey, n we r not bothering with transport for other people either. People can sort themselves out!

lazer

We have about 45mins journey and everyone seems fine with this

We are not bothering with transport either - apart from sorting out with some guests to see if they can give lifts to others

Idiophreak

About 25 minutes here, too. Was no problem, everyone got to the right place.

faithless

Ours is 20 mins but we decided to get a vintage bus as our transport which will pick people who have stayed the night before up from our reception hotel, take them to the venue then be our and guests' transport back to hotel.
It was the same price as renting a posh car, plus it'll look great in the photos.

lisajane8482

Ours is 15 - 20 mins. We are still undecided as wether to provide transport from the ceremony to the reception for the guests but either way it will be up to them to get to the ceremony and home from the reception.

daisiegg

Ours is about 20 minutes, but we are putting on coaches. Everyone will gather at the reception venue (they can leave their cars there) and then 2 coaches will take them to the church. These coaches will then pick everyone up and take them back to the reception venue.

I know it is only saving people one journey but it also saves them having to park near the church (which they would have to pay for) and we are getting the coaches instead of getting a second fancy car for the bridesmaids, and it's actually barely more expensive. We also hope that people will mingle a bit and get a celebratory atmosphere going on the coach, as we have loads of guests who won't know each other at all.

Hollie84

From church to venue at ours it was 30miles, so no i think 25 mins is ok

minerva_windsong

My sister's wedding reception venue was about 40 minutes' drive from the church where she got married and as far as I know nobody minded. We did have buses on but that's because the reception venue was in a tiny village and there weren't many places to park, so it was only really those staying in the venue who drove their own cars over and everyone else got the bus. I think a lot of guests liked the bus as it gave them extra time to catch up that they would have otherwise spent in their own cars, and it is a nice touch to put them on, but equally if you don't need the bus (eg there's enough parking at the venue/it's reasonably easy to get to) then you don't have to do it.

split_second

ours is 10-15 minutes

church is in the town my mum's side of the family grew up in (and where we now live) and reception is in the town i grew up in (and where dad's side of the family are from)

it has a massive car park next to it and a hotel