Cocktail hour

ethadiva

Hi all,

I am writing to get some advice.  We are having our ceremony at a church that is about 15-20 min away from the reception or the hotel.  The plan is for the ceremony to begin at 5pm, end by 5:30pm.  Then the question to whether to do a receiving line after the ceremony...how long do they typically take?  Our guest list is btw 175-200.  I'm worried that it will take a long time to greet people and that will cut into our picture taking.  We'd like to take pics at the church and reception hall, which has beautiful gardens.  The time for the cocktail hour to start is at 6:30pm.  The thought was that guests will have between 5:30-6:30 to either stick around and say hi, take some pics of their own, or for those staying at the hotel travel back there and catch the shuttle to the reception.  My problem is that I LOVE cocktail hour, it's my favorite part of the entire wedding and I really do not want to miss the entire thing.  Ideas?  Would it be horrible to change the time of cocktail hr to 7pm so that we had more time before it started?  We still wouldn't be able to be there for all of it but that way at least some of it.  My fiancee really does not want to take pictures before hand, and neither do I really, but that may be one of our only possiblities...anyone done that and regretted it?  How long is too long to make guests wait between ceremony and reception?  Also if some of you have not had receiving lines how has that gone? Any complaints..would you do anything differently? Thanks!

kmmssg

The reason people HAVE cocktail hour is to entertain and host the guests while pictures are finished.  It is incredibly rude to make your guests wait an hour so you can attend the event that is meant for THEM.

If you want to be there then FI needs to change his mind on the pictures before  hand.  If he won't then you won't be at the cocktail hour. Easy peasy.

It is selfish in the first place to stic your guests with a gap and not have it start until 6:30.  It is crazy selfish and rude to put it off until 7 pm just so you can be there.

It is what your guests do while you are taking pictures.

mlurness

If you and your FI are not wanting to see each other before the wedding do the pics with your BMs and GMs, each side of your fam before the ceremony..this will help cut down pic time after the ceremony. You two could do your pics together after, and joined fam, bridal pics as well. Also, maybe instead of doing the recieving line after everyone makes it out of the church, dismiss each row yourself and say hello as the two of you walk out. This way you can cut down on even more time and get to the party quicker!

kaos16

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_cocktail-hour-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:a7ca3373-21e3-4f04-af9e-0e793b1e1adcPost:1526f8fb-e997-41a0-8a9b-08e8ebcb8895">Cocktail hour</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi all, I am writing to get some advice.  We are having our ceremony at a church that is about 15-20 min away from the reception or the hotel.  The plan is for the ceremony to begin at 5pm, end by 5:30pm.  Then the question to whether to do a receiving line after the ceremony...how long do they typically take?  Our guest list is btw 175-200.  I'm worried that it will take a long time to greet people and that will cut into our picture taking.  We'd like to take pics at the church and reception hall, which has beautiful gardens.  The time for the cocktail hour to start is at 6:30pm.  The thought was that guests will have between 5:30-6:30 to either stick around and say hi, take some pics of their own, or for those staying at the hotel travel back there and catch the shuttle to the reception.  My problem is that I LOVE cocktail hour, it's my favorite part of the entire wedding and I really do not want to miss the entire thing.  Ideas?  Would it be horrible to change the time of cocktail hr to 7pm so that we had more time before it started?  We still wouldn't be able to be there for all of it but that way at least some of it.  My fiancee really does not want to take pictures before hand, and neither do I really, but that may be one of our only possiblities...anyone done that and regretted it?  How long is too long to make guests wait between ceremony and reception?  Also if some of you have not had receiving lines how has that gone? Any complaints..would you do anything differently? Thanks!
Posted by ethadiva[/QUOTE]

I am a huge fan of cocktail hours at weddings. It is my favorite part. As such, I wasn't missing my cocktail party for anything.  Therefore, my and DH had a first look and did all of our photos before the ceremony. We were able to walk out of the ceremony right into cocktail hour and enjoy all but about 10 minutes of it (while we took a few last minute photos) . We walked around and greeted and thanked all of our guests during cocktail hour as well. It worked out quite nicely.

ethadiva

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_cocktail-hour-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:a7ca3373-21e3-4f04-af9e-0e793b1e1adcPost:ae44c0fb-44b5-4c38-9918-7b08cec392c1">Re: Cocktail hour</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Cocktail hour : I am a huge fan of cocktail hours at weddings. It is my favorite part. As such, I wasn't missing my cocktail party for anything.  Therefore, my and DH had a first look and did all of our photos before the ceremony. We were able to walk out of the ceremony right into cocktail hour and enjoy all but about 10 minutes of it (while we took a few last minute photos) . We walked around and greeted and thanked all of our guests during cocktail hour as well. It worked out quite nicely.
Posted by kaos16[/QUOTE]

Thank you! Finally someone who understands me!  The wedding is about us after all and I don't want to miss cocktail hour.  After all I am paying for it!  Geez. People need to lighten up! Cocktail hour is for ALL...not just guests.  Anyways thank you for this.  The first look photos..how long of a time period for them did you have for them prior to your ceremony? Also any regrets in doing that? Missing the big moment of you coming down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time? Thanks!

ethadiva

In response to all of you. Thanks for your input.  I knew there were people out there that felt that way.  That is why I asked the question. Good luck with your weddings!

kaos16

Oh, it was completely selfish of me to want to go to my own cocktail hour. Once people are invited to a wedding, it's no longer about the bride and groom. I did a first look to ensure the comfort of my guests. It was a great idea, IMO, and took nothing away from walking down the aisle or anything else.

MrsGandthebeag

Do your pics beforehand, move the cocktail hour up to 6pm and enjoy it with your guests.  

kmmssg

It isn't at ALL selfish to want to go to the cocktail hour - 2 of my girls arrived in time to enjoy at least half of theirs because they did all their pics prior to the wedding and there was absolutely no gap between the ceremony and reception except for the travel time.

It is great if you want to attend. It is rude to make your guests have a big gap so you can take pics AND attend.  Take the pics before hand and go enjoy.

QueerFemme

In Response to Re:Cocktail hour:[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cocktail hour:In Response to Cocktail hour : I am a huge fan of cocktail hours at weddings. It is my favorite part. As such, I wasn't missing my cocktail party for anything.nbsp; Therefore, my and DH had a first look and did all of our photos before the ceremony. We were able to walk out of the ceremony right into cocktail hour and enjoy all but about 10 minutes of it while we took a few last minute photosnbsp;. We walked around and greeted and thanked all of our guests during cocktail hour as well. It worked out quite nicely.Posted by kaos16Thank you! Finally someone who understands me!nbsp; The wedding is about us after all and I don't want to miss cocktail hour.nbsp; After all I am paying for it!nbsp; Geez. People need to lighten up! Cocktail hour is for ALL...not just guests.nbsp; Anyways thank you for this.nbsp; The first look photos..how long of a time period for them did you have for them prior to your ceremony? Also any regrets in doing that? Missing the big moment of you comingnbsp;down the aisle and seeingnbsp;each other for the first time?nbsp;Thanks! Posted by ethadiva[/QUOTE]

No one needs to lighten up. Paying for it or not, the reception, including cocktail hour is a thank you to your guests for attending the ceremony.

Of course it isn't selfish or horrible for you to want to attend. Cocktail hour is fun! What is horrible and selfish is putting a gap in there just so you can attend.

Viczaesar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_cocktail-hour-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:a7ca3373-21e3-4f04-af9e-0e793b1e1adcPost:3753cc6e-98e2-4f9d-9327-346817d2848d">Re: Cocktail hour</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cocktail hour : Thank you! Finally someone who understands me!  The wedding is about us after all and I don't want to miss cocktail hour.  After all I am paying for it!  Geez. People need to lighten up! Cocktail hour is for ALL...not just guests.  Anyways thank you for this.  The first look photos..how long of a time period for them did you have for them prior to your ceremony? Also any regrets in doing that? Missing the big moment of you coming down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time? Thanks!
Posted by ethadiva[/QUOTE]


The CEREMONY is about you; the reception is about your guests.