How To Fill A Long Gap Between Wedding Ceremony and Reception

Some couples end up with a long gap in their wedding timeline between their wedding ceremony and their wedding reception. And even though I am a photographer and would love to spend a couple hours taking amazing wedding couple portraits…I just don’t believe this is how you should spend your wedding day! So if you have that wedding timeline gap, I am going to suggest the most Colorado way to spend it: get thee to a brewery!

Let me backtrack a little. If your ceremony and reception are at the same place, this may not make any sense. And I don’t want you drinking and driving on your big day! So spend your time getting portraits taken, mingling with loved ones, or partying in a hidden room with friends.

And, if your ceremony and reception are in different spots, make sure you have enough extra time to make a stop or two en route to your wedding reception. Consider allotting some time for me (portraits!), padded travel time, and then any extra time on top of that…head thee to a brewery! (And, again, please don’t drink and drive…maybe you have a party bus, or else use a designated driver.)

Finally, if you do have time in your wedding timeline to head to a brewery, some tips:

Call ahead and tell them you’re coming, especially if your bridal party/family/friends will be stopping by too. If they don’t think they can get you in and out quickly, don’t risk it.
If everyone is doing shots, it may make sense for the wedding couple to hold off until later in the day. Just sayin.’ You can always have a little beer in a shot glass to celebrate!
If you want to celebrate with your wedding guests, be sure invite them in advance. Some guests worry that they’re crashing a private party/moment.
Watch your alcohol consumption on an empty stomach…and consider a stop that has quick/easy food.
Please stay away from red wine or any other colorful drinks. And don’t jam into a crowded bar area. Just don’t do it.

Keep reading for more brewery/wedding timeline gaps/info after the photos!

Colorado Wedding Day Brewery Photos

All images © Susannah Allen 2014-2018

Colorado Wedding Day Brewery Ideas

Lovely Longmont, Colorado has a great collection of breweries to visit on your wedding day!

Ryan and Kelsey ran into Cyclhops (okay, this may technically be a restaurant, but it is most definitely an outpost for Oskar Blues!) for one shot. It was fast and quick for the group of 10-20.
The couple then headed to Shoes and Brews for a longer visit. This is a great spot to visit! I loved how there were many games to play, which would be great for any non-drinking guest. And, a couple of the groomsmen went on a timed run so that they could pay their 800 meter time per beer. (Roger Barrister could have had sub-$2.00 delicious microwbrew beers!!!)
I’ve also been to the main Longmont Oskar Blues during the wedding timeline gap…they obviously have pretty good food (There’s a Hippie in My House Sandwich anyone?!) and a great selection of beer and drinks. Again, this is also a great option for non-drinkers because of the options.
If I were to do this myself, I would also look at 300 Suns Brewing and Grossen Bart Brewery.

I will be sharing more photos from Kelsey and Ryan’s Longmont/Lyons, Colorado wedding in the (hopefully) near future. It most definitely was not all about the mini brew tour…the ceremony was lovely, the reception fun, and Ryan’s sister gave one of the best tidbits of advice that I’ve ever heard during wedding speeches!

Do you have any favorite breweries that you think would be a great place to spend a little time during a gap in your wedding timeline? If so, please share the details in the comments!