Reception timing. How long?

doeie04

We have to be out of our venue by midnight. Which means we have to start packing up at 11pm. What time would you have the ceremony?

PS~ We are having a fairly simple reception. First dance, father/daughter/mother/son dance, cake cutting, speeches only if people want to, dancing, drinkng and eating. No garter/bouquet toss, scheduled speeches, etc.

matcha

I have a similar schedule- everyone has to be out of the place by 11. So, we are starting at 4 for the ceremony.

4-4:30 ceremony

4:30-5:30 cocktails

5:30-7 dinner, first dances, speeches, etc

7-10:30 dancing

10:30-11- goodbye!

em01092

Are you doing a first look or taking pictures after the ceremony?

Firstlook timeline:

All pics start at 1 or 2, be done by 4:30

Ceremony: 5

Reception:6-10 or 6-11, whichever you prefer. 

No first look:

Pics with you and FI separate start at 1:30, be done by 3:30

Ceremony:4

Cocktail hour so you and FI can do your pics together: 5-6

Reception: 6-10 or 6-11

doeie04

We are doing a first look. This is what I had in mind, pending my photographer.

8am- 
Meet at our house. Have some muffins and juice/cofee/tea for breakfast. We will need 3 hours for hair. (I added in a little extra time in case we need it and I have a few friends that like to be late.)
 
Noon-
This is the earliest we can get into our venue. Be at the theatre to set up food/drinks, flowers, tablecloths and runners. Set up gift and card table. Set up cake table. Reserved seating at reception. Those that are helping will have their own tasks so stuff gets done in a timely manner. Have Corby set up the alter.
 

1 to 2pm-

Wedding party and parents get dressed.

2 to 3:30pm-
First look and photos of wedding party and immediate family. (Parents, grandparents, siblings and their children.) 
 
3pm-
Have Roni bring the cake over. Have DJ be there and setting up in theatre and lobby.
 
3:30 to 4pm-
Wedding party relax in green room.
 
4pm-
Wedding!
 
4:30-
Group picture of his side and my side.
 
5 to 11pm- 
Reception
 
11 to 12pm-
Clean up and be out by midnight!!!

What do you think? Did I forget anything?

LeiselEB

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_reception-timing-long?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:bcf0c739-34f3-41c1-8dc6-8015a9e37cd5Post:3c178879-07bc-457b-9cca-635c004dbafb">Re: Reception timing. How long?</a>:
[QUOTE]We are doing a first look. This is what I had in mind, pending my photographer. 8am-  Meet at our house. Have some muffins and juice/cofee/tea for breakfast. We will need 3 hours for hair. (I added in a little extra time in case we need it and I have a few friends that like to be late.)   Noon- This is the earliest we can get into our venue. Be at the theatre to set up food/drinks, flowers, tablecloths and runners. Set up gift and card table. Set up cake table. Reserved seating at reception. Those that are helping will have their own tasks so stuff gets done in a timely manner. Have Corby set up the alter.   1 to 2pm- Wedding party and parents get dressed. 2 to 3:30pm- First look and photos of wedding party and immediate family. (Parents, grandparents, siblings and their children.)    3pm- Have Roni bring the cake over. Have DJ be there and setting up in theatre and lobby.   3:30 to 4pm- Wedding party relax in green room.   4pm- Wedding!   4:30- Group picture of his side and my side.   5 to 11pm-   Reception   11 to 12pm- Clean up and be out by midnight!!! What do you think? Did I forget anything?
Posted by doeie04[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>That could work, but talk to your photographers about how much time they need to get good shots, or how much time they'd like to have. An hour and a half is about how long our engagement session took, and obviously that was only two people, so I know our wedding day photos will take a little longer. Make sure this timeline works with your photographer before setting it in stone. If anything, you'll just have to wake up a little earlier :)

</div>

Summer2011Bride

We ended our reception at 11 also.

Our schedule:
3 PM ceremony (we did not do a first look but took girl and guy pics separately beforehand)
Our ceremony was about 45 min. long. Guests ended up leaving our ceremony site around 4 after the bubbles, etc.

From 4-5:30 we took group pics at a couple locations, as well as formal photos at the Church.
During this time, our guests traveled to our reception site (about 20 min away), and when they arrived, they started the appetizers and cocktails.

We wrapped up bride and groom photos just before 6 and made our entrance at 6.
The dinner, dancing, etc. lasted from a little after 6 until 11. It was the right amount of time for us. Most guests started leaving by about 1030 anyway.

doeie04

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_reception-timing-long?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:bcf0c739-34f3-41c1-8dc6-8015a9e37cd5Post:e4b1eb3c-ef96-44ec-9c6d-d717151feb45">Re: Reception timing. How long?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Reception timing. How long? : That could work, but talk to your photographers about how much time they need to get good shots, or how much time they'd like to have. An hour and a half is about how long our engagement session took, and obviously that was only two people, so I know our wedding day photos will take a little longer. Make sure this timeline works with your photographer before setting it in stone. If anything, you'll just have to wake up a little earlier :)
Posted by LeiselEB[/QUOTE]

I would love to be able to get up earlier so we could have an earlier wedding, but we can only be in the venue from noon to midnight. :(

aragx6

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_reception-timing-long?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:bcf0c739-34f3-41c1-8dc6-8015a9e37cd5Post:3c178879-07bc-457b-9cca-635c004dbafb">Re: Reception timing. How long?</a>:
[QUOTE]We are doing a first look. This is what I had in mind, pending my photographer. 8am-  Meet at our house. Have some muffins and juice/cofee/tea for breakfast. We will need 3 hours for hair. (I added in a little extra time in case we need it and I have a few friends that like to be late.)   Noon- This is the earliest we can get into our venue. Be at the theatre to set up food/drinks, flowers, tablecloths and runners. Set up gift and card table. Set up cake table. Reserved seating at reception. Those that are helping will have their own tasks so stuff gets done in a timely manner. Have Corby set up the alter.   1 to 2pm- Wedding party and parents get dressed. 2 to 3:30pm- First look and photos of wedding party and immediate family. (Parents, grandparents, siblings and their children.)    3pm- Have Roni bring the cake over. Have DJ be there and setting up in theatre and lobby.   3:30 to 4pm- Wedding party relax in green room.   4pm- Wedding!   4:30- Group picture of his side and my side.   5 to 11pm-   Reception   11 to 12pm- Clean up and be out by midnight!!! What do you think? Did I forget anything?
Posted by doeie04[/QUOTE]

I'm a little worried about your hair holding up for that long -- is there any way you can pay people to set up your venue at noon so you can get your hair done later? Are you sure 1 hour will be long enough to get set up?

Also, what will your guests be doing between 4:30 and 5 -- your reception will need to start right after the ceremony -- even if the families come in a touch late after pictures.