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That seems like an awkward gap. What about having the ceremony with the room already prepped for the reception?

Is there a coffee shop or brewery or something similar nearby that you could direct guests to for that hour? You could work out a deal with the business where guests all put their orders on one tab, and you cover the tab?

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Love this idea!

View Quoted Comment We’ve talked about that but my fiancée doesn’t want to do that because she thinks that the photos won’t be as nice if we do it that way.

View Quoted Comment That’s a good idea. I can look into that!

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I would try to organize a "happy hour" somewhere for your guests where you can cover their drinks/food. Technically you're responsible for your guests from the beginning of the ceremony to the end of the reception, so a hosted gap would be best.

An hour long gap is not very considerate to your guests. You're responsible for hosting them during that time, whether it's a cocktail hour, light refreshments or going right into a reception. The photos are not a very good justification for what you're suggesting, unfortunately. I wouldn't want to be all dressed up for a wedding, heels and all, and be told I have to wander around town or try to find a seat in a public coffee shop.

The other option I can think of is to hire more people to do a very speedy turn around of the space while you greet people after the ceremony.

Do you have a reason for the gap? Is a flip required if it means inconveniencing guests? Even when guests have to drive from point A to B, they will skip the ceremony or the full day if they have to wait around without a legitimate reason because of inconsiderate planning. Guests genuinely do not enjoy entertaining themselves and sightseeing elsewhere in between. Close the gap by having guests watch the ceremony from their reception seats ala the Golden Globes or find a different venue that doesn’t require one.