Once you start getting into planning your wedding, you’ll suddenly start to realize that there’s a lot more involved than you probably thought at first.
This is, of course, unless you’re one of those folks who has been planning your wedding since you were a kid.
Even if you are, there are probably still some things you didn’t anticipate.
And one of those things is likely that there is a significant difference between the wedding ceremony vs reception.
While they may or may not be held in the same space, these are actually two distinct and separate events.
What’s The Difference?
There are a few differences.
Firstly, both events serve different functions.
The purpose of the ceremony itself is to officially solemnize the bond between the two spouses (usually in the presence of witnesses).
That’s why it’s the part that couples usually focus the most on and the part that Disney movies depict more.
Come to think of it, we don’t recall ever seeing a wedding reception shown in the Disney movie.
That’s a shame because the reception serves a vital function as well.
Why Have a Reception?
As we mentioned, the purpose of a wedding ceremony is to make the bond between you official in a formal manner and setting.
However, the reception, which normally occurs right after the ceremony, is arguably almost as significant.
Basically, your wedding reception is the celebration of the fact that you’re both married to each other now.
It’s your wedding’s afterparty.
That’s important because, in the same way that your ceremony allows everyone to witness you making things official with your spouse, your reception allows everyone to mingle and socialize afterward.
This matters because everyone at your wedding is significant in one of your lives.
And since you have just joined your two lives together, these people are now all newly connected to each other in a way they weren’t previously.
The reception gives them all a chance to see and get to know each other, as well as congratulate and hang out with both of you.
Sounds Pretty Old School
Of course it does.
Everything about weddings and marriage is old school.
In the past, marriages were often arranged, and a matter of two families joining together, more than two individuals solemnizing a bond of romantic affection for each other.
These days, you choose your own spouse, and the decision is really up to you.
But unless one or both of you are orphans, you both have families.
And as families tend to do, both of your families are likely going to be involved and influence your lives to some degree.
Now that you’re both sharing a life together, it makes sense to schedule a specific time and place for everyone to get together and meet each other without worrying about interrupting the ceremony.
Remember that each member of both of your families can either be an obstacle or a support, depending on the relationship you have with them as a couple.
If you play things right, they can be the encouraging backers who help both of you get through those hard times that every marriage has.
Wedding Ceremony vs Reception Spaces In a Barn
Barn weddings are known for being more fun and relaxed than weddings in cathedrals and other places like that.
This is a large part of why people choose to have a barn wedding in the first place.
And most people having a barn wedding will tend to hold their reception afterward at the same venue.
But that doesn’t mean that there is no organization or separation between these two events.
When planning with your chosen venue, you’ll want to ensure that there are two separate areas within the venue for the wedding ceremony vs reception.
This allows everything to run smoothly and enables everyone to transition easily from the ceremony space to the reception space without needing to move a bunch of stuff around.
Given that the reception is going to involve food and drinks, it’s also wise to host it in a separate area from the ceremony space when possible.
You don’t want anything getting broken, stained, or tripped over.
How Do The Wedding Ceremony vs Reception Spaces Differ?
In a nutshell, the ceremony space will be the one that generally resembles the layout and setup of a church.
You’ll typically have pews, an aisle, and a sort of altar up at the front where the ceremony will be conducted.
By contrast, the reception space will probably more resemble a restaurant or buffet because, well, that’s basically what it is.
The reception is the afterparty where everyone is getting something to eat, meeting each other, mingling, and celebrating your new marriage and the fact that they’re all newly connected to each other through you.
You’ll want to keep the ceremony space as pristine as possible.
As for the reception space, it’s usually not as big a deal if a bit of food gets dropped on the floor or someone trips over a chair because they’re a little tipsy.
It is a party, after all.
Conclusion
To summarize, planning a wedding ceremony vs reception comes down to understanding the separate purposes and goals of each one.
The ceremony is much more defined in terms of the specific elements it needs to include and how it must be conducted.
So, the kind of space required and the things that can be done within that space are more limited.
A reception, on the other hand, is a lot more flexible in terms of what you can do with it.
That’s because you can effectively do almost anything you want anywhere you want as long as there’s food and drinks.
