what do you think of this wedding timing?

peanutty2

We're having an outdoor wedding at a winery in the poconos.  Buffet hot dinner /wine /beer /sangria /dj /75ish guests.  I moved it a week earlier than i was originally going to do (10/2 i think was the date) because i was worried it might be too cool out. so we're doing 9/25.  now i've been debating the time.  one hour has been driving me nuts. it was between 2-8 and 1-7. i have been leaning towards 1-7 in case it's cooler out when the sun goes down and because it's a sunday and people may want to get home.  How does starting it at 1:30 and ending at 7 sound?  about 30-45 mins for the ceremony (that's what the officiant said is her average) then straight into cocktail hour then reception.  That's still more than long enough right?  Even if it's 2:30-7 for the cocktail hour/reception?

I don't know why i get wrapped up in these little decisions.  First it was over 1 week then it's over 1 hour.  I alternate between it's not enough time and then that people are going to be bored out of their minds and want to go home anyway.  blah.

caraellen23

Does your venue give you a timeline?  I believe most venues give you 5 hours....1 hour for cocktails and 4 hours for reception.  Unless yours is open-ended, you might not have the choice.  You would just need to choose your start time.  Since you're having dinner, I would err on the side of a later start.

ETA: I just re-read your post.  If this is a location that people have to drive over an hour to get to, since its a Sunday, I would say to start earlier.

peanutty2

yea they are giving us 6 hours (ceremony/cocktail hour/reception).  we figured if we do the 1:30-7 we could tell the vendor 1-7 and use the extra half hour in the beginning for pictures.   or if we have an extra half hour we don't use so be it. i was just wondering if shortening the cocktail hour/reception to 4.5 hours instead of 5 would really make much of a difference.

even with the earlier time it sounds like a lot of people are going to be staying over anyway, but i still want to give those who want to get home the option to do so at a reasonable time that's why i was thinking to end it by 7, whether we start at 1 or 1:30.

caraellen23

I think either way would work fine, but I would probably plan to start earlier at 1 and give yourself a buffer in case things run behind.  If you have your vendor start the clock at 1 and plan to start your ceremony at 1:30 but you don't actually start your ceremony until closer to 2, then you've lost an hour.  You know what I mean?   I wouldn't start your venue timeine until you're ready to start your ceremony.  Can your photographer come earlier, maybe at 11?  Does that make sense?

peanutty2

hmm that's a very good point.  maybe i should just do 1 then and have a little time if anyone is running a little late.
thank you. i really like that idea.  it might be better to plan for 1 and have the buffer than have the extra half hour.

caraellen23

HTH, good luck! :-)