Changing between the Reception and the Hotel?

[Fancy605]

Hi all. My mother just bought me a dress for me to wear when FI and I make our exit after our wedding reception. It is a pretty dress (I''ll post pics when I have them) so I don''t mind leaving my wedding gown behind and wearing it out. My reason for needing a "run away" dress is because when we leave the reception, we are going directly to the hotel right across from the air port where we will fly out the next morning, and I will not have anywhere to store my wedding gown while we are gone, and there is really no way for anyone to come pick it up. FI needs to change too b/c his tux will need to be returned while he is gone.

So, my question for you is, when do we change into these outfits? At first I was thinking we could run away, so I could get pictures of us departing in my wedding dress and then come back and change...BUT, once we are on the road, we really need to be on the road, and I don''t want to do a fake exit and then come back. So, I was thinking these two things:

Either right before we make our exit (While people are getting organized to do the whole send off--I am afraid I will take too long to change)

or

Right after the bouquet and garter toss (which we are doing towards the end followed by a "finale" of dance songs). We could change while the people who catch the stuff are dancing together and be back for the last dance or 2. Then we could leave right afterward and no one would have to stand around and wait for us. I am leabing towards this, but I don''t want it to be strange for me to reappear in a second dress. I figure by the end of the night though, the people who are left won''t care too much what anyone has on.

What do you guys think?

 

[So_happy]

Hmmm.........

I think your first option is a bit better than the second because you won't miss any of your last dances. I don't think people will have to wait too long and it will probably build the suspense anyway Your second option has you missing last songs of the night and then coming back in to dance (in your changed outfit) and then leaving. I guess it seems more dramatic the first way; gives them a "reason" to wait....to see the change

You didn't offer it as an option really but I actually like your first idea best. I know you don't want to do a fake exit but all you'd probably have to do is actually get in your car, do the wave goodbye shots w/ the photog and then your done. You probably don't have to actually GO anywhere. I can see your point, tho, how this might feel odd but you get to exit in that gown of yours and THAT'S a huge advantage and you don't miss dances

ETA: You would also be able to change at a relaxed pace after the goodbye shots are taken

 

[robbie3982]

Hmmm, this is a toughy. I was having a bit of the same dilemma when FI and I were thinking about staying at the hotel by the airport the night of the wedding. FMIL actually offered to follow us down to get the dress. Any chance someone could follow you down and take it? How far away is the airport from the reception?

ETA: I just remembered that you have another dress to change into! Haha, sorry it's too early for me.

I like the idea of the fake goodbye best.

 

[Fancy605]

The airport is 2 hours from the reception, and none of the guests live in that general area. The reception ends at 11, so that means we won''t be getting to the hotel until about 1 if we leave on time, so whoever follows us wouldn''t get back to where he/she lived until 2 or 3 AM. That was what my family intedned to do at first, but then they thought of this changing into a get away outfit thing.

I dunno. I can get IN to the second dress really quickly--but getting out of the real one--well we''ll see how that goes. I guess a fake exit could work, but then if we came back, it would add additional time to change and my family would want to say goodbye all over again, and I am afraid it would just take up more time. We don''t want to get to the hotel much after 1 because we have to be at the airport at like 7 the next day (wow, I am begining to understand why people put a day or two between the wedding and honeymoon.)

None of it is a huge deal, I just want things to go smoothly as possible.

 

[So_happy]

If it helps, putting the gown on always takes a while, for me anyway. Especially with the corsetted lacing. But taking it off always takes mere moments. I just had a second fitting a few days ago and I was out of the gown and underskirt and into my jeans and top and flip flops in a total of 5 minutes. Have a couple helpers there with you to take the pieces as you hand them off (veil, shoes, underskirt, gown) and have them put them away in thier proper bags and boxes and you should totally be done in about that time

Of course, you may have a buttoned back and then all bets are off

Idea #1~Are you willing/able to ship the gown from the hotel to whomever is handling it while you''re gone?
Idea #2~Can you make a "real" exit, in your gown, but then stop off at a nearby friend''s place to change really quickly? Perhaps arrange for that friend to bring the gown where it needs to go in the morning?

 

[Fancy605]

I do have a buttoned back--well, it zips, and then the buttons are decorative. So with all those buttons, I guess it could take a few extra min. But my MOH is a buttoning expert by now, so she says she can get me out of it quickly.

I mentioned waiting until after we had gone away to change, but my mother doesn''t like that. Among her other 100 reasons why we should change before we leave, one is that she thinks it is cute to have a get away outfit. So.... I''m bacially like, "okay, whatever."

 

[Fancy605]

Here is a photo!

 

[So_happy]

Wow, your dress is just so lovely!!! You look fantastic!!! (head cut off and all

)

Sounds like you''re gonna have to work within the assumption you ARE changing that outfit then. And at the reception. So, unless you care to talk your mom out of this idea, I revert to my original post when I said you should do the change after all the dancing and before the sendoff. And I can see where the changing would be super cute!!

 

[ladyciel]

Definitely wait until the dancing is over! A 5-10 minute time lapse between the last dance and you running out the door is time you would probably need anyway to get all of your guests gathered at the exit. After you finish your last dance, disappear to your changing area and have your DJ announce to your guests that you will be making your grand exit in 5 or 10 minutes so will they please get [their rice, bubbles, birdseed, cameras, etc] ready to send you off. This gives your guests a chance to say their goodbyes and gather their things without worrying they''re going to miss you or feeling like there''s no reason to stick around any longer. You''re also assured a chance to show off your 2nd outfit and get lots of candid photos of your departure.

 

[Fancy605]

So Happy, thanks for the kind words! I like the dress. I think my FI will be happy too b/c it is strapless and he thinks that''s pretty. Can you believe it was just $70? Macys had a LOT of other white/offwhite dresses on sale too.

I think you guys are right and it would be good to change after everything is basically over. I tried dancing around in the dress, and... well it is a bit revealing for much dancing. A few of our finale songs are up beat, so it will probably be better to keep on my nice conservative, stays-where-it''s-supposed-to wedding dress