Time wording?

mrstess2be · February 2010

Our ceremony is starting (to quote our venue coordinator) promptly at 3pm. However, my family is usually a few minutes behind schedule. Would it be appropriate for me to put 2:45 on our invites?
Also, how would I word that?

at quarter to three in the afternoon
or
at quarter of three in the afternoon

or something else?
Thank you so much!

joebeth22 · February 2010

I would say

at half past two o'clock in the afternoon

I don't think 15 minutes is nearly enough time to expect all guests to arrive, greet (each other) and get assembled so promptly. This is just a guess mind you, but I'm calling for my guests at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday evening in June... they can mill about a bit, look at the gorgeous light coming into the space and on the terrace and off the river (facing Statue of Liberty)!, refresh with some sparkling water served on a silver tray by a waiter upon their arrival (any caterer should be able to do this for you)... and take their seats, I figure, in time for a ceremony that will start, if we're lucky, at 7:15ish. I'm going to tell our officiant to plan on starting some time between 7 and 7:30 (wives tails be damned about the ceremony having to start with the minute hand of the clock moving upwards)!

I <3 Seabass · February 2010

Personally I would put that actually start time of the ceremony on the invitations. My family tends to be late too but for our wedding we put the actual start time and 98% of our guests showed up early. You don't want people who actually do get there on time or early sitting around for 15 + minutes for you ceremony to start.

banana468 · February 2010

Joebeth22, what you are planning to do is quite rude to your guests. PLEASE reconsider doing so as you'll have irritated guests as you start your event.

OP, I'd put the actual start time on the invitations...and then start promptly.

The only way to get people to be on time is to show them that you're not going to reward them for their tardiness.

aerinpegadrak · February 2010

"three o'clock in the afternoon"

Besides, "quarter to three" is 2:45. "Quarter of three" is 3:15.

Just tell your family that the ceremony starts at 3:00, with or without them. Then mean it.

tenofcups4me · March 2010

I'd put "three o'clock in the afternoon." People know to arrive on time for a wedding ceremony. If for some reason you need to add 5 minutes or so at the time because people are getting settled, then you can do that. It's really not your coordiantor's call.

To the poster who's calling her wedding for 45 minutes before the ceremony--I think that's a horrible idea. And I'd be really pissed if I arrived at about 6:15, which is when I get to the site if you called it for 6:30, and you didn't start your ceremony till an hour later.

[QUOTE] Besides, "quarter to three" is 2:45. "Quarter of three" is 3:15. Just [/QUOTE]

That's not true. "A quarter OF three" and "a quarter TO three" both mean 2:45. (3:15 would be "a quarter AFTER three.")

squirrly · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_time-wording?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:4ec85f22-9701-4d16-aaad-017bf3919b35Post:d0505492-c61e-43b5-8257-e5ba22c23fda">Re: Time wording?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Time wording? : This is absolutely HORRIBLE advice. Unless you're serving drinks or something beforehand, you put the time the ceremony starts. If your guests are rude enough to be late, that is their problem. I arrive 20 minutes early or so, so I would be pretty pissed about sitting around for a while because you gave the wrong time.
Posted by kristinanddan[/QUOTE]

This, exactly. Why should I have to sit and wait for AN HOUR because some people can't be on time?

Time wording?

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