Wedding time

rachelouise

if my reception starts at 5, is 2:30 an ok time to have the ceremony?any advice is appreciated
I'm having a roman catholic wedding ceremony.

vanityink

How long is your ceremony? Are you having a cocktail hour? If you're having an hour mass (2:30-3:30), have everyone travel over to the reception by 4 and then have a cocktail hour it's fine. If you'rehaing a half-hour ceremony (end at 3pm) and then don't have anything until 5 that's too long a gap and rude to your guests

s-aries8990

Ditto Jessica.

You should start to host part of your reception no later than 4pm. It's kind of rude to expect guests to do nothing for an hour. Is there a fellowship hall on your church's campus (downstairs or next door?) where you can have a social hour with snacks and muzak before your reception? Or can you push everything up until 5pm?

It doesn't matter what denomonation your ceremony is, you should properly host your guests.

itzMS

Your parish and priest typically will have the say as to what time your ceremony starts.

Is 2:30 the time they gave you?

I do agree with PPs that you need to have your reception venue available and open to guests 30 minutes after your ceremony will end.

QueerFemme

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_wedding-time-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:84d8074a-20c7-4cd8-bbad-074ec0d46965Post:22e6e4e4-35b1-4439-8e08-fed7633a01f6">Wedding time</a>:
[QUOTE]if my reception starts at 5, is 2:30 an ok time to have the ceremony?any advice is appreciated :) I'm having a roman catholic wedding ceremony.
Posted by rachelouise[/QUOTE]

Unless you are having a 90 minute ceremony, 2:30 seems way to early to me.  Your reception should start as soon as your ceremony is over + an allowance for travel time.

Example:

2:30 ceremony (30 minutes)
15 minute travel time to reception venue

Reception venue should open at 3:15.  You could do cocktail hour from 3:15-4:15/4:30.  But, the cocktail hour is part of the reception.  You could serve dinner at 4:30-5:00.  But, there should be no gap between the end of your ceremony and the beginning of your reception.

thekorsans

who has a reception start at 3:15??? haha
a roman catholic ceremony will be at least an hour, plus 30 minutes for a receiving line and to get everyone out of the church. so people are gone by 4, reception starting at 5 is perfectly fine! you need to allow time for travel and in case the ceremony doens't start until 2:45, you won't be rushing!

MairePoppy

In Response to Re: Wedding time:
[QUOTE]who has a reception start at 3:15??? haha a roman catholic ceremony will be at least an hour, plus 30 minutes for a receiving line and to get everyone out of the church. so people are gone by 4, reception starting at 5 is perfectly fine! you need to allow time for travel and in case the ceremony doens't start until 2:45, you won't be rushing!
Posted by thekorsans[/QUOTE]

I did. My wedding ceremony was at 2pm. The reception hall was opened and waiting for early arrivals before 3pm, with full bar and snacks, followed by dinner and dancing at 4. My daughter's wedding was at 2 pm, also. The reception venue was set up for cocktail hour by 3, followed by a four course meal, open bar and dancing. The times were chosen for the convenience of the guests. 

QueerFemme

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_wedding-time-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:84d8074a-20c7-4cd8-bbad-074ec0d46965Post:6e321f24-d302-4c19-a922-c9725bde7174">Re: Wedding time</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>who has a reception start at 3:15</strong>??? haha a roman catholic ceremony will be at least an hour, plus 30 minutes for a receiving line and to get everyone out of the church. so people are gone by 4, reception starting at 5 is perfectly fine! you need to allow time for travel and in case the ceremony doens't start until 2:45, you won't be rushing!
Posted by thekorsans[/QUOTE]

My ceremony was at 3. My reception was in the same location, and I immediately hosted my guests at WHAT?!  3:15 ! 

I already said that it depends on how long the cermeony will last.  But, if her ceremony starts at 2:30, it should likely be over at 3:30.  Travel time between venues should be no more than 30 minutes, which means she should be prepared to host her guests by 4pm. 

it's rude to have your guests waiting around.

thekorsans

i don't think having an hour between your ceremony and reception is rude. it's extremely normal. people will like the opportunity to go home and freshen up. some people may take a cat nap. my family and i usually gather at someone's house and drink some beers before heading to the cocktail hour.

the only time it may be necessary to have everything back to back is if it's in the exact same location. but since you're having a roman catholic ceremony, i assume the ceremony is at a church and the reception is elsewhere.

Viczaesar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_wedding-time-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:84d8074a-20c7-4cd8-bbad-074ec0d46965Post:cd65bca4-e101-48aa-b23f-ba1c5351d172">Re: Wedding time</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>i don't think having an hour between your ceremony and reception is rude</strong>. it's extremely normal. people will like the opportunity to go home and freshen up. some people may take a cat nap. my family and i usually gather at someone's house and drink some beers before heading to the cocktail hour. the only time it may be necessary to have everything back to back is if it's in the exact same location. but since you're having a roman catholic ceremony, i assume the ceremony is at a church and the reception is elsewhere.
Posted by thekorsans[/QUOTE]
You are incorrect.

lizmanninger

The long gap is TOTALLY normal for a Catholic wedding. It'd be nice to have someone in town be the host couple, and allow guests to go over there in between.