Catholic Weddings – Choosing a Reception Venue
San Diego has some of the most beautiful Catholic parishes in the country. Whether your wedding will be held at the ornate Immaculata on the University of San Diego campus, the historic Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, or the gorgeous Our Lady of the Rosary, your ceremony is guaranteed to be picture perfect. Unfortunately most of the parishes do not have ample facilities to host a dinner wedding reception. You will need to select a different location than the church for your reception.
Most Catholic wedding couples assume they should select a reception location close to their church. If your reception immediately follows your ceremony, than it is much easier for your guests to travel to a close reception venue. In that case, it makes sense to select a reception venue within a few minutes drive of the church.
But what if you have a time gap of 4 or 5 hours or more between your Catholic wedding ceremony and your reception? If there is a significant amount of time between your wedding ceremony and your reception, you can select any venue you like for your reception. Some guests may elect to only attend the ceremony or the reception. We do recommend selecting a hotel for out of town guests that is close to the reception venue, regardless of where your ceremony venue is located.
Catholic Wedding Planning Tips:
- Reuse your ceremony decor at your reception. Altar floral arrangements can be placed on either side of your sweetheart table and aisle decor can be reused as centerpieces or to accessorize your cake table.
- Ask your florist to transport your flowers from the church to the reception venue after your ce
remony and church photos are complete. - Print the name and address of the reception venue on your ceremony programs or on small cards at the church exit so guests can easily find their next location.
Stephanie Rose Events specializes in Catholic wedding planning. We know the unique challenges of planning a Catholic wedding Mass with a dinner reception. Schedule your free wedding planning consultation here and let us help you be a guest at your own wedding.