Reception start time

caiti2u

Hello ladies. I've seen y'all debate times and gaps previously. I had been putting mine off for a while, but my reception venue emailed me today asking if I had a time yet for the reception to start. My ceremony is scheduled for 3:00pm. I'm estimating 1 hour to 1hr 15 min for this. Reception venue is then about 10-15 mintues away. I'm figuring some people may take their time, but if not is 30 minutes too big of a gap? I really don't want to have to start the reception at 4:30 and be over at 8:30. I'd prefer a 5:00 start time. What do you think?

ring_pop

I think 5:00 is perfect, not too long of a gap at all.

Say your ceremony ends at 4:15. It'll take 5-10 minutes to empty the church. Then people will dawdle, chat with friends and family they haven't seen in a while, and try to chase you down to give you a hug. Then they'll take a casual stroll over to their car before they head to the reception venue.

This all will easily fill the time before your reception begins. If anything, I think the time frame might be a little short if you want to start dinner right at 5:00, but if you're starting with cocktail hour, it doesn't really matter.

My ceremony was at 5:00 with a cocktail "hour" at 6:30 and dinner to start at 7:00. The reception venue was similarly 10-15 minutes away. With all the little delays adding up, we actually started dinner a little late.

ElisabethJoanne

I agree with ringpop. Also, I've never seen a wedding start on time, though I gather tightly-scheduled Roman Catholic churches operate differently. Though most of the weddings I attend are Roman Catholic, and, still, not on time...

caiti2u

Thanks ladies. I'm pretty sure I will be doing a fruit/veggie/cheese trays when guests first arrive and schedule dinner for a little later. The bar will likely be open then as well. That way, those that do get there early or right on time won't have to wait long for something to "start" in case we do run a bit late. 

professorscience

In DFW traffic, thirty minutes is plenty of time. 

caiti2u

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_reception-start-time?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:33babb5c-e68b-41c1-b2d6-474c73c29897Post:20d3300e-1737-497d-9597-0f7705fbec59">Re: Reception start time</a>:
[QUOTE]In DFW traffic, thirty minutes is plenty of time.  =)
Posted by professorscience[/QUOTE]

<div>Haha, true, though I do believe Mapquest on this one. There are no freeways between venues, just one main road and some neighborhoods. Though, if I remember in the next 9 months, I'm going to try to take a "practice drive" from the church to reception hall at the same time i'm planning on the real thing. </div><div>
</div><div>But I know what you mean, I met with a florist last week who was 15 mintues late due to after-work rush hour traffic on 35W.</div>

KFAW63012

Are you planning on doing a receiving line? I ask as that will factor into your schedule also.

chrissyinatl

Awww, Dallas (Plano) is my hometown.  I'm getting married in Atlanta (where I live now), and my distance is very similar to yours. 

Wedding:  1:30-2:45 (I think)
Reception:  4:00-8:30
My reception is about 15-20 min from the church.  There's a slight gap because I am encouraging people to go back to the hotel (about 5 min from reception place) and take the shuttle over.