Need Opinion on ceremony start time

[Deleted User]

My reception is going to start at 7PM. the reception site is about 20 minutes from the church. What do you think about starting at 530?

cwaggoner07

How long do you anticipate your ceremony to last? In all honesty, the reception is going to start the second the first person walks in the door from the ceremony. If you don't have the venue until 7, I might cushion your ceremony start time to ensure that no one arrives before 7.
It would be bad to have the ceremony end at 6:30 and have people be refused entrance into the reception.

furturekingsbury

I agree with PP, whoever is marrying you can give a 'guestiment' of a time to use.

lynn-michelle

Questions:
how long will the ceremony take? Is it a friend or pastor officiating? (friends are shorter/ officiants talk longer)
is it in a church? (more likely to start on time)
how many bridesmaids/groomsmen? (need time for everyone to walk up and down the aisle)
are you doing family pictures after the ceremony? (if you are seeing each other beforehand, you can do a few minutes of extended famiily pictures. If you are not seeing each other, you need to budget time for pictures of family, wedding party and possibly the the two of you together)


example:

4:30 time ceremony is supposed to start, but doesn't because guests are still arriving.
4:45-5:20 ceremony (4 bridesmaids, 4 groomsmen, short and sweet sermon)
5:30-5:45 family pictures
5:45-6:00 wedding party images
6:00-6:30 pictures of you + hubby
6:30 leave for reception (just in case there is traffic)
7:00 reception begins

professorscience

Are you having a cocktail hour prior to the 7:00 start?  Or is that 7:00 Cocktails are served?

I would say avoid as much of a gap as you can.

[Deleted User]

The ceremony will be held at our church. I only have 2 bridesmaids and my daughter is my maid of honor. The pastor told us he likes to keep the ceremony short and sweet. We will be taking all of the pictures after the wedding. 

Okay let me break down my dilemma....

my reception venue is not letting us get in until 4pm to do any type of decorating. Now, my decorations are very simple but I don't want my friends having to run like crazy to get back to the ceremony site but at the same time I want us to have as much time as possible for the reception. We actually get in the venue at 5:30pm for any last minute setup and for the vendors to set up. (Dj, Cake) 

Am I making any sense? I feel so lost. I don't know how you girls have gone through this.  

furturekingsbury

I would say start it at 6pm and tell your pastor that he needs to make it reach at least 6 30. I think you will be fine because you still have to drive and traffic can occur.