2-Hour Cocktail "Hour" ideas/thoughts/tips

Knottie54371746

My Catholic mass starts at 3 pm at the latest and the transportation from church to venue is 10 minutes tops. We plan on holding back 30+ people at the church to take altar pictures (my mother is one of 8 so we want a family pic, and they grew up going to the church). With all that in mind, we did not want to start the cocktail hour right after the reception and have family miss half of it. We also didn't want to start dinner before 6.

The best option to fill the gap was to expand the open-bar cocktail hour so that it goes from 4-6. A "two-hour cocktail hour." Which brings me to my first question -- the extra hour includes drinks but passed apps won't start til 5. To tide people over, we can provide snacks. I'm thinking spicy corn nuts, fried fava beans and Marcona almonds. Substantial enough?

Second question. Our guests are of a character that would enjoy extended drinking and mingling. We're bringing together a lot of friends and family who live in different cities and friends who live in the same city and like to see each other. As far as activities go, we plan to display some pictures of our parents and grandparents on their wedding day. We'll also have cocktail hour music. And then once passed apps starts it's basically Pokemon Go catching all the apps - at least that's how I see it. I think people will be occupied, but I'm interested to know if there are any easy ideas for providing a little extra distraction to the cocktail hour.

Related, since we have so much time for drinks, I was thinking of maybe capping it off with a toast. Maybe my dad and then the MOH and best man can speak after dinner. Is that weird? 

banana468

Knottie54371746 said:

My Catholic mass starts at 3 pm at the latest and the transportation from church to venue is 10 minutes tops. We plan on holding back 30+ people at the church to take altar pictures (my mother is one of 8 so we want a family pic, and they grew up going to the church). With all that in mind, we did not want to start the cocktail hour right after the reception and have family miss half of it. We also didn't want to start dinner before 6.

The best option to fill the gap was to expand the open-bar cocktail hour so that it goes from 4-6. A "two-hour cocktail hour." Which brings me to my first question -- the extra hour includes drinks but passed apps won't start til 5. To tide people over, we can provide snacks. I'm thinking spicy corn nuts, fried fava beans and Marcona almonds. Substantial enough?

Second question. Our guests are of a character that would enjoy extended drinking and mingling. We're bringing together a lot of friends and family who live in different cities and friends who live in the same city and like to see each other. As far as activities go, we plan to display some pictures of our parents and grandparents on their wedding day. We'll also have cocktail hour music. And then once passed apps starts it's basically Pokemon Go catching all the apps - at least that's how I see it. I think people will be occupied, but I'm interested to know if there are any easy ideas for providing a little extra distraction to the cocktail hour.

Related, since we have so much time for drinks, I was thinking of maybe capping it off with a toast. Maybe my dad and then the MOH and best man can speak after dinner. Is that weird? 

1) I think if you have a Mass, you're going to be out at 4 PM.   Add a receiving line and guests are arriving at the reception venue around 4:30.   IMO, a cocktail hour that lasts until 6 isn't the end of the world.   

2) Please don't try to reinvent it.   Have plenty of food and alcohol.    If passed apps aren't until 5 what about a cheese and veggie table?   Many venues have them in the middle of the room and they're self serve. 

3) It's awkward to break up the toasts unless it goes with dinner.  

STARMOON44

People will get there around 4:30, and an hour and a half cocktail hour is fine. But start food immediately. Nuts are not remotely sufficient. You are having one cocktail hour, treat it as one unified event. If the venue cannot do passed apps before 5, do a cheese platter, antipasti, vegetables, a raw bar etc. 

lyndausvi

Start the food right away.   Have the venue space out the food so there is a continuous flow.  That way when the rest of the guests arrive they have fresh food.


Don't overthink the cocktail hour.  Guests will drink, eat and mingle with music in the background.    No need to overthink activities.  They are adults and should be able to handle a cocktail reception without activities.

SP29

Agree with the above.

Are you having a receiving line? That will take up time as well.

I agree that your guests will not likely arrive until 4:30pm, and having a cocktail hour until dinner at 6pm would be fine. Do make sure though you start the cocktail hour as soon as guests would be arriving. The point of cocktail hour is to give your guests something to do while photos are being taken. Don't make the rest of your guests stand around with nothing to eat because your family is still involved in photos. They can join in when they join in.

I would offer platters of cheese/crackers, fruit and veggies. Guests can serve themselves.

PrettyGirlLost

I agree with PPs.

The whole point of the cocktail hour is to host and occupy all of the guests that are not involved in pictures while you are taking pictures.  It's inappropriate and bad hosting to delay hosting your guests just because you and some of your family members don't want to miss out on the appetizers.

If you're worried about missing out, then have your caterer make a platter of apps just for you and those stuck back taking pictures with you, and then you and your family can sample the apps once your pictures are done and you all arrive at the venue.

But don't delay serving actual, substantial food to the rest of your guests until you all show up.  You should begin your cocktail hour and app service as soon as the 1st guests arrive, so ~4:15pm.  Talk to your venue/caterer and have this timeline adjusted- don't wait until 5pm to serve actual food.  If for some reason you can't get your venue/caterer to adjust the timeline, then you should have cheese and cracker, antipasta, and fruit platters out starting at 4pm.

Guests will arrive at your reception venue around 4:15pm or so- not everyone stays and bullshits after mass and not everyone goes through a receiving line, though I think it's a good idea to help fill that two hour gap before dinner.

Knottie54371746

Thanks for responses. More food seems to be the consensus, as well as wisdom on realistic timing. I'll adjust accordingly.

levioosa

Knottie54371746 said:

Thanks for responses. More food seems to be the consensus, as well as wisdom on realistic timing. I'll adjust accordingly.

Well.  That was refreshing.  

MyNameIsNot

I agree with everyone else but I think we've covered that already.

One additional note, I would make sure there is plenty of seating in the cocktail hour space. Venues often don't have enough seating in the cocktail area, which is usually ok for an hour, but with 2 hours, I would really want the option to sit down for a bit. It doesn't have to be full tables, some couches mixed in with high top chairs and tables would be fine.

southernbelle0915

Agree with others - two hours is too long. 1.5 hrs at the MAX.

I'd plan on a schedule like this:
3-3:45 ceremony
3:45-4:15 receiving line
4:30-5:30 - guests arrive at the reception venue (serve app/drinks immediately)
4:30 - pictures for WP and family
5:30 - picture people arrive at the reception venue
5:35 - introductions
5:40 - first dances
5:45 - toasts
6:00 - dinner

geebee908

southernbelle0915 said:

Agree with others - two hours is too long. 1.5 hrs at the MAX.

I'd plan on a schedule like this:
3-3:45 ceremony
3:45-4:15 receiving line
4:30-5:30 - guests arrive at the reception venue (serve app/drinks immediately)
4:30 - pictures for WP and family
5:30 - picture people arrive at the reception venue
5:35 - introductions
5:40 - first dances
5:45 - toasts
6:00 - dinner

They won't get a full Catholic Mass done in 45 minutes; it will be an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. There may be an issue with doing a receiving line at the church depending on whether they need to be out by a certain time to avoid a conflict with the parish's evening Mass. So if there is no receiving line, your timeline would be good starting from the 4:30 time and if there is a receiving line, the cocktail hour would get cut a little more.

MobKaz

MyNameIsNot said:

I agree with everyone else but I think we've covered that already.

One additional note, I would make sure there is plenty of seating in the cocktail hour space. Venues often don't have enough seating in the cocktail area, which is usually ok for an hour, but with 2 hours, I would really want the option to sit down for a bit. It doesn't have to be full tables, some couches mixed in with high top chairs and tables would be fine.

Agree!  I can handle a true cocktail hour if necessary, and forego sitting.  I usually take a small portion of that time to freshen up.  If this "hour" is extended to anything beyond an hour, I will be looking for a chair. 

PrettyGirlLost

geebee908 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

Agree with others - two hours is too long. 1.5 hrs at the MAX.

I'd plan on a schedule like this:
3-3:45 ceremony
3:45-4:15 receiving line
4:30-5:30 - guests arrive at the reception venue (serve app/drinks immediately)
4:30 - pictures for WP and family
5:30 - picture people arrive at the reception venue
5:35 - introductions
5:40 - first dances
5:45 - toasts
6:00 - dinner

They won't get a full Catholic Mass done in 45 minutes; it will be an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. There may be an issue with doing a receiving line at the church depending on whether they need to be out by a certain time to avoid a conflict with the parish's evening Mass. So if there is no receiving line, your timeline would be good starting from the 4:30 time and if there is a receiving line, the cocktail hour would get cut a little more.

And yet they want to take pictures with 30ppl at the altar after the ceremony.

They are going to run into the same issues with the pictures.

ILoveBeachMusic

PrettyGirlLost said:

geebee908 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

Agree with others - two hours is too long. 1.5 hrs at the MAX.

I'd plan on a schedule like this:
3-3:45 ceremony
3:45-4:15 receiving line
4:30-5:30 - guests arrive at the reception venue (serve app/drinks immediately)
4:30 - pictures for WP and family
5:30 - picture people arrive at the reception venue
5:35 - introductions
5:40 - first dances
5:45 - toasts
6:00 - dinner

They won't get a full Catholic Mass done in 45 minutes; it will be an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. There may be an issue with doing a receiving line at the church depending on whether they need to be out by a certain time to avoid a conflict with the parish's evening Mass. So if there is no receiving line, your timeline would be good starting from the 4:30 time and if there is a receiving line, the cocktail hour would get cut a little more.

And yet they want to take pictures with 30ppl at the altar after the ceremony.

They are going to run into the same issues with the pictures.

Not necessarily. DD was married in a Catholic church where they had to be out 20 mins after the ceremony ended. We had several different groupings of family members and WP pictures done. A photographer use to dealing with these kind of time restraints can get the job done.

lyndausvi

ILoveBeachMusic said:

PrettyGirlLost said:

geebee908 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

Agree with others - two hours is too long. 1.5 hrs at the MAX.

I'd plan on a schedule like this:
3-3:45 ceremony
3:45-4:15 receiving line
4:30-5:30 - guests arrive at the reception venue (serve app/drinks immediately)
4:30 - pictures for WP and family
5:30 - picture people arrive at the reception venue
5:35 - introductions
5:40 - first dances
5:45 - toasts
6:00 - dinner

They won't get a full Catholic Mass done in 45 minutes; it will be an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. There may be an issue with doing a receiving line at the church depending on whether they need to be out by a certain time to avoid a conflict with the parish's evening Mass. So if there is no receiving line, your timeline would be good starting from the 4:30 time and if there is a receiving line, the cocktail hour would get cut a little more.

And yet they want to take pictures with 30ppl at the altar after the ceremony.

They are going to run into the same issues with the pictures.

Not necessarily. DD was married in a Catholic church where they had to be out 20 mins after the ceremony ended. We had several different groupings of family members and WP pictures done. A photographer use to dealing with these kind of time restraints can get the job done.

SIL had 1 of 2 options.  Pictures by the altar.    Receiving line.   Could not have both.  Either one had to be done in 25 minutes.

PrettyGirlLost

ILoveBeachMusic said:

PrettyGirlLost said:

geebee908 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

Agree with others - two hours is too long. 1.5 hrs at the MAX.

I'd plan on a schedule like this:
3-3:45 ceremony
3:45-4:15 receiving line
4:30-5:30 - guests arrive at the reception venue (serve app/drinks immediately)
4:30 - pictures for WP and family
5:30 - picture people arrive at the reception venue
5:35 - introductions
5:40 - first dances
5:45 - toasts
6:00 - dinner

They won't get a full Catholic Mass done in 45 minutes; it will be an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. There may be an issue with doing a receiving line at the church depending on whether they need to be out by a certain time to avoid a conflict with the parish's evening Mass. So if there is no receiving line, your timeline would be good starting from the 4:30 time and if there is a receiving line, the cocktail hour would get cut a little more.

And yet they want to take pictures with 30ppl at the altar after the ceremony.

They are going to run into the same issues with the pictures.

Not necessarily. DD was married in a Catholic church where they had to be out 20 mins after the ceremony ended. We had several different groupings of family members and WP pictures done. A photographer use to dealing with these kind of time restraints can get the job done.

The issues I was referring to were the possible time constraint for pictures or a receiving line due to evening mass following their ceremony, not that it isn't possible to take pictures during that time constraint.