What time should we have our Friday night ceremony???

tblood

My Fiance and I would really like to have a later Friday night wedding (like 6:30 or 7) and then have a reception style wedding reception.  My big question is what time should we have the ceremony???? The reception is at the same location (well down the street) and will start immediately after. Restrictions on me picking a time: I want time for pictures in between, I want people to be able to go home and change or eat if they need to (we are just serving hordouvers) and the band has to stop at 11pm. Help???

charlsie26

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_time-should-friday-night-ceremony?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:a190eabc-0c41-4e59-bdfa-9a9ab2219e64Post:9c36abb4-1345-4cb0-8d40-aca994d21257">What time should we have our Friday night ceremony???</a>:
[QUOTE]My Fiance and I would really like to have a later Friday night wedding (like 6:30 or 7) and then have a reception style wedding reception.  My big question is what time should we have the ceremony???? The reception is at the same location (well down the street) and will start immediately after. Restrictions on me picking a time: I want time for pictures in between, I want people to be able to go home and change or eat if they need to <strong>(we are just serving hordouvers</strong>) and the band has to stop at 11pm. Help???
Posted by tblood[/QUOTE]

Because of this, you need to do a later start time.  You need to give guests time to get off work, go home to change and eat and then time to get to a wedding.  I would start the ceremony at 7.  For pictures, I would recommend doing all pictures before the ceremony. 

bbyckes

That makes no sense logistically, sorry.

It makes no sense to have a wedding starting at 7pm and then take time out for pictures and then you wanty your guests to be able to go home and then come back?  If I were your guest, the answer would probably be - I'll make one or the other.

You are going to have to compromise by taking your pictures prior to the wedding ceremony and have a cocktail hour (or coctail 3/4 hour for your guests) prior to the reception.  Heavy appetizers is fine, but you need to make sure it's enough to constitute a meal.

I would start the ceremony at 7p, and anticipate the reception formally starting somewhere around 8:15 - 8:30p and not expect your guests to leave to go home and change.  Serve heavy appetizers, good drinks and dancing until 11p.  Do not expect your guests to leave and come back.

tblood

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_time-should-friday-night-ceremony?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:a190eabc-0c41-4e59-bdfa-9a9ab2219e64Post:deeb95cd-3094-449e-9986-000d5979af39">Re: What time should we have our Friday night ceremony???</a>:
[QUOTE]That makes no sense logistically, sorry. It makes no sense to have a wedding starting at 7pm and then take time out for pictures and then you wanty your guests to be able to go home and then come back?  If I were your guest, the answer would probably be - I'll make one or the other. You are going to have to compromise by taking your pictures prior to the wedding ceremony and have a cocktail hour (or coctail 3/4 hour for your guests) prior to the reception.  Heavy appetizers is fine, but you need to make sure it's enough to constitute a meal. I would start the ceremony at 7p, and anticipate the reception formally starting somewhere around 8:15 - 8:30p and not expect your guests to leave to go home and change.  Serve heavy appetizers, good drinks and dancing until 11p.  Do not expect your guests to leave and come back.
Posted by bbyckes[/QUOTE]

Sorry I meant that I wanted to give them time after work to go home, change, and then come to the ceremony. Not inbetween the ceremony and reception. The reception will be immediately following the ceremony. They can start the party without us while we do pictures. Unless we do the pictures before the ceremony.....but then you lose that moment of him seeing you walk down the aisle. idk.....

girl2bewed

Well most people get off work at 5 so you figure an hour for travel (assuming they dont have to commute a long ways) and to be able to go home and change. Starting your ceremony at 6:30 would probably be most convienent, with the reception immediately following while they serve the guests hourderves so you and your FI can take pictures, you'd probably arrive at 7:30-7:45

But remember that since guests will probably have JUST enough time to drive home and change and turn around and drive to your reception that they will likely be expecting a dinner reception. Its unlikely that whatever time you pick to start the ceremony that guests will have had enough time to eat after getting off of work since most people eat dinner between 6-7.

apaadzzzz

We are getting married on a Friday, but its a holiday. Our ceremony is from 4-5pm , and hour cocktail hour will start at 6.  This gives us time for pictures , we didn't want to miss the cocktail hour. Our locations are a block away from eachother, but its also in a tourist destination, so there is plenty for guests to do just by walking around the location from an hour.  If this wasn't the case, we would have the cocktail hour immediately after the ceremony so we wouldnt inconven ience our guests. 

bbyckes

I understand that you want to have that a-ha moment, your clarification makes more sense to me now.  You could have your guests enjoying apps and cocktails while you and your new husband take pics and do your formal pics.  I would start the ceremony at 7p, but I'm partial as my ceremony starts at 7p.  Good luck!