length of reception

aondera

hey gals!

Quick question.

How long is your reception?

We have ours for four, but I am worried that the extra hour to make it five would make a lot of difference.  So, I need some opinions and thoughts.

Thanks!

ChelC24

Ours is four as well. If you know that your family and friends will still be having a good time at the end of 4 hours then I think adding an additional hour would be fine . Do what you think is best. It is your special day after all! HTH!

mlharbis

I am having 5 total hours at the reception location. We are having a cocktain hour at the beginning and we are arring like half way through that but music will be playing, there will be drinks and appetizers too and then a 4 hour reception after at the same place.  I really think that 4 full hours for dinner and other reception type stuff while you and the wedding party are there is necessary.

cjbwifey2010

Mine is 6 LOL. We like to party so we paid for the extra 2 hours. We felt it was worth it. By midnight, we will all be ready to go home...in Canada, weddings didnt end until 3 o'clock in the morning! We can't afford THAT many extra hours, but thought it would be nice to go until midnight. 

Pretty Parula

Ours is four and it seems so rushed - it doesn't seem like we have much time for dancing at all. I wish we could have added an extra hour but it wasn't in the budget and we chose to spend the money in other ways. Ah well.

stardust21587

We're planning 4-5 hours.

bellebride116

We added the extra hour to our reception and I'm SO glad we did! It still seemed to go by so fast. It's def worth it!!

Theresa626

We have a one hour cocktail hour and a four hour reception. However, they scheduled the ballroom for five hours for us total and the DJ can stay later if we ask him.  So, as of right now, it will be four hours but if anything starts late or I want to continue dancing, I'm prepared to ask for another hour with alcohol on consumption basis only. 

Pretty Parula

Our four hours includes the cocktail hour (more like 45 min.) - gaaah it's packed tight!

cherriterri519

We have a cocktail hour then 4 hours in the reception.  After the reception, we plan to conitnue the party since we'll already be downtown.

thedrval

The standard cocktail hour before the four hour reception. I think I would have liked to have a longer reception but our venue closes ~10pm... : /

Maggie214624

We are also doing the standard one hour for cocktails and a four hour reception.  It would be nice to do it longer, but I suspect the bar tab is already going to be insane without adding another hour or two.

erin72682

We are also doing cocktail hour + 4 hour reception.  Although I think I would enjoy having more time at my own wedding, I have heard from some DJ's that they strongly advise against anything over 4.  I can see how maybe from a guests perspective, it might feel a little long.  From a bride's perspective though I say let's go all night long!  Haha.  Really though, I feel like alot depends on your family and friends and what type of people they are.  If the majority are partiers that like to kick back and stay up late, I say go for it ... if it's a large mixed group or if there are alot of non-drinkers, you might want to stick to 4 hours.

brit21489

Yeah, we actually just extended ours... lol. I think that our reception/cocktail time will be a total of 5 hours, too.

ashbosity

We were planning on 3 or 3 and a half, but you guys have me scared now! We have the venue from 5-11, but I think setup and cleanup has to be done during that time as well (Britt, do you know?). We aren't currently planning on a cocktail hour though, so it would be ceremony at 6, reception directly following til 10, unless we can go til 11 without extra payment.

bellebride116

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_florida-central-florida_length-of-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:66Discussion:e47f4aec-7d04-4c8f-bb6c-879f6252f644Post:8d104e15-9469-4140-a397-c983eafb800a">Re: length of reception</a>:
[QUOTE]We added the extra hour to our reception and I'm SO glad we did! It still seemed to go by so fast. It's def worth it!!
Posted by bellebride116[/QUOTE]
 
I suppose I should specify... we did the cocktail hour {45 mins ish - an hour} and then the 5 hour reception.

Pretty Parula

Ash, you're going to need something in between ceremony and reception unless you're doing ALL of your portraits before the ceremony. Otherwise your guests are gonna stand around and twiddle their thumbs for like an hour, or you'll miss part of the meal. Neither one sounds too good to me.

MrsWhitneyAmanda

Ours was four plus the cocktail hour (which we didn't get to participate in). Dinner was at 6 and the whole thing ended at 10. It went WAY too fast but I didn't have the option of going later since Dubsdread is in a residential area and there are noise ordinances.

Pretty Parula

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_florida-central-florida_length-of-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:66Discussion:e47f4aec-7d04-4c8f-bb6c-879f6252f644Post:ac59738d-475b-48a2-a92e-294c8dde486d">Re: length of reception</a>:
[QUOTE]Ours was four plus the cocktail hour (which we didn't get to participate in). Dinner was at 6 and the whole thing ended at 10. It went WAY too fast but I didn't have the option of going later since Dubsdread is in a residential area and there are noise ordinances.
Posted by MrsWhitneyAmanda[/QUOTE]

<div>We've got the same thing with Casa Feliz. We're eating at 7 and ending at 10. :(</div>

frozenxthoughts

Ours will be 3.5 hours. We're having a morning wedding (reception will start at about 10:45 a.m. with ceremony starting at about 10:15) so I think the 3.5 is perfect, plus we'll more than likely continue the party afterward. However, we're doing all formal portraits before the ceremony and cutting a few things like the garter toss (we're very untradiational); however, I may still do the bouquet toss. We're having a small pre-reception before the actual reception but nothing lengthy (maybe a half hour) All in all, we'll be there the entire time so I'm happy with the time limit.

SarahSmile23

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_florida-central-florida_length-of-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:66Discussion:e47f4aec-7d04-4c8f-bb6c-879f6252f644Post:c8546bb1-8df2-4c7f-92e0-0e9c0641a16b">Re: length of reception</a>:
[QUOTE]Our four hours includes the cocktail hour (more like 45 min.) - gaaah it's packed tight!
Posted by Pretty Parula[/QUOTE]

actually, yours is the only one on here that appeals to me so far. I'm usually ready to leave at about 3 hrs, including the cocktail hour. most weddings are brutally long and boring, IMO. as a guest, i'm done with it much sooner than you, the bride, would be. after a couple of hours i'm usually staring at my watch and dying for them to cut the cake so i can leave.

SarahSmile23

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_florida-central-florida_length-of-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:66Discussion:e47f4aec-7d04-4c8f-bb6c-879f6252f644Post:22305902-d00f-4c15-83db-34d05204c484">Re: length of reception</a>:
[QUOTE]Ours will be 3.5 hours. We're having a morning wedding (reception will start at about 10:45 a.m. with ceremony starting at about 10:15) so I think the 3.5 is perfect, plus we'll more than likely continue the party afterward. However, we're doing all formal portraits before the ceremony and cutting a few things like the garter toss (we're very untradiational); however, I may still do the bouquet toss. We're having a small pre-reception before the actual reception but nothing lengthy (maybe a half hour) All in all, we'll be there the entire time so I'm happy with the time limit.
Posted by frozenxthoughts[/QUOTE]

no, wait. you win. yours is the same length as ours was. ;)

Pretty Parula

LOL Grice you crack me up!

steverani

I have been so worried about our timing!! Our ceremony doesn't start until 8pm...and we are doing cocktails and hordourves (SPELLING??) for a half hour before and a half hour after ceremony and then dinner at 9 in the ballroom until about 12:30...I have had the hardest time trying to fit everything in! But, the hotel is going to have the lounge bar open until 2am for our hardcore party animals...