Ceremony vs arrival time for my invite

nmeirose

Hi there everyone!

I am getting married at my reception venue.  Our ceremony starts at 11:30, but the venue said that starting at 11 they will be serving refreshments for arrivals and to put the arrival time on the invite as 11 so that everyone will be there by 11:30 to be sure  Our reception then starts promptly at noon.

Is this the right way to go?  My concern is that if I put 11, there will be people coming early to make sure they are in their seats on time, and then if they have to sit there for 30 min +, it will be uncomfortable plus I will look like a diva late bride.  What have others done?  I thought people took pains to be early to a wedding anyway, so I am leaning towards putting 11:30.

Thanks in advance for your advice!
Noelle

cindy9178

Maybe you could put a note that says refreshments starting at 11am, but ceremony starts at 11:30?

mbcdefg

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_ceremony-vs-arrival-time-invite?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:d57a6fdf-dcf4-4384-ab80-0c42c1771614Post:4e7e1aeb-7677-4ef4-b22c-d1ba1d57e17e">Re: Ceremony vs arrival time for my invite</a>:
[QUOTE]Maybe you could put a note that says refreshments starting at 11am, but ceremony starts at 11:30?
Posted by cindy9178[/QUOTE]

I agree.

Or something like,

Saturday, the second of April, two thousand eleven
eleven o'clock in the morning
<em>refreshments will be served for half an hour prior to the ceremony
</em>

maddie7

I would put the actual start time, people will get there earlier and be pleasantly surprised by the refreshments.  It seems silly to say 11.

Laurms15

I would put 11:30 that way those who arrive early can partake in the refreshments. What happens if you put 11 and they arrive at 10:30 I'd be annoyed that I was an hour early when I had planned on being 30min early.

golfrgal

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_ceremony-vs-arrival-time-invite?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:d57a6fdf-dcf4-4384-ab80-0c42c1771614Post:08c8a8d3-4caf-4a53-bab2-963ff9679cc3">Ceremony vs arrival time for my invite</a>:
[QUOTE] Our ceremony starts at 11:30, but the venue said that starting at 11 they will be serving refreshments for arrivals and to put the arrival time on the invite as 11 so that everyone will be there by 11:30 to be sure  Our reception then starts promptly at noon. Is this the right way to go? 
Posted by nmeirose[/QUOTE]

<div>This is what I am doing.  It's pretty common to have a half hour call time in case people arrive late.  Nothing's worse than being the person stuck in traffic who then has to run to grab a seat right as the BP starts heading for processional.</div>

cutiepie12702

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_ceremony-vs-arrival-time-invite?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:d57a6fdf-dcf4-4384-ab80-0c42c1771614Post:2d1a7418-62f8-4527-bc9f-01a25c6e8b13">Re: Ceremony vs arrival time for my invite</a>:
[QUOTE]I would put the actual start time, people will get there earlier and be pleasantly surprised by the refreshments.  It seems silly to say 11.
Posted by maddie7[/QUOTE]

This.

mchristian05

I am getting married at my venue as well.  My ceremony starts at 6:30pm but I put 6pm on the invite because my reception hall originally suggested to do that so people are not walking in the same time that I am.

However, I just met with my reception hall a few weeks ago and he insisted he did not tell me to put 6pm....I was furious when he back tracked what he said in our original meeting (my mom and FI remembers him saying 6pm as well).  Anyway, it was too late for me to change it but I am glad I put 6pm in case people run a little late especially becasue it is a Friday night.

goaliegirl

Put the correct start time on the invite.   That way people that arrive early to make sure they are in their seats by the time listed on the invite do not have to sit around waiting for almost an hour.     

nmeirose

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_ceremony-vs-arrival-time-invite?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:d57a6fdf-dcf4-4384-ab80-0c42c1771614Post:29b3d644-edea-49d9-859e-285f60ca8fcb">Re: Ceremony vs arrival time for my invite</a>:
[QUOTE]What happens if you put 11 and they arrive at 10:30 I'd be annoyed that I was an hour early when I had planned on being 30min early.
Posted by Laurms15[/QUOTE]

this was exactly what I was thinking!  I am going to go with 11:30, because there is not really room on the invites for info about refreshments.  thanks as always ladies!!!

lana22

We put a half hour early, our place also served refreshments, and they basically told us it had to be done that way. I doubt anyone is going to get there right at 11 and be pissed. More likely they'll put things down on seats, wander around, socialize and have a drink or two. If you have a wedding website you could always expand and say, ceremony starts promptly at 11:30, but this way you build in some leeway for people who are chronically late or running behind.