need opinion re: ceremony/reception time

TheSlowskys

My ceremony is in Watertown and reception is in Cambridge, about 4 miles apart.  Most of our guests are from metrowest, northshore, or boston, so I'm really not sure how many will actually stay in the hotel block (in Cambridge).

The latest time I can have my church ceremony is 1 pm, and it should be less than an hour.  I will have a small receiving line after.

When would you start cocktail hour?  If we do it at 3, that feels really early to me and like people might be rushing a bit if they have to check in to the hotel. Also, I really prefer how my venue looks at night. I am leaning towards 4, which gives enough time to get over to the reception, but if things run ahead of schedule people will have to kill time.  the other con is that 4 seems like a weird time to start cocktail hour.  Other option is 5, which I'd like in an ideal world, but that really leaves people hanging.

So from your perspective as a bride/guest which do you think is best?  Thanks

lodonnell616

Any chance you could extend the cocktail hour?  I just went to a wedding (I go to a TON) where the cocktail hour seemed to be about 2 hours long enabling people to drive to the reception and check in to the hotel if they need to.  It was okay, but I definitely was starting to get hungry by the end of it.

Otherwise, when its only 4 miles away I guess you'd want the cocktail hour starting at 3 since the majority of guest sound like they won't be staying over and its no fun to  be hanging around--unless of course there is a bar on premises for the guests to head to while they wait?

I'd never actually noticed this dilemma before either way--for my own wedding the ceremony and reception are taking place at the same location so the cocktail hour will be straight away.

TheSlowskys

Due to cost, I probably can't extend the cocktail hour.  Contracts are only for 5 hours of service.

It is only 4 miles but last time I drove it it took 25 minutes due to traffic.  There is a bar right across the street from the church (that both families love), and there's a bar within walking distance to the reception.

I tried to guess how many people on the guest list will stay over (based on what they've done for other weddings), and I'm guessing about 40 people (so about 20 couples) may be checking in that day, out of a total guest list of 138 (which includes us/our families).

Not sure if that changes anything...

love2nap

Personally, I hate gaps between the ceremony and cocktail hour/reception so I say earlier. If you have it earlier, it gives people something to do and a place to be. If someone wants to check in their room, they can still do that. We've stopped at the bank and run to the store for cards right after the ceremony (I know, slacker) and missed a few minutes of the start of the cocktail hour. We didn't know many people at those wedding, so missing time to mingle wasn't a big deal for us.

I would say start it early and have the cocktail hour go until 4:30 or even 5... That way people won't feel rushed, but they won't feel homeless either. (I agree, unless there is a bar or something else to do). You can work with your venue to space out the food, or even have a new app or display appear half way through cocktail hour... that way everyone will be able to get hot and yummy food

Blueyed228

If you have the option to avoid the gap, then do it.

I doubt people want to hang out at the local bar in their fancy outfits.

If you have no choice, maybe you can offer refreshments at the church?  You can do a receiving line too at the church to eat up some of the gap.

My church was at 2, cocktail hour at 4.  I timed it so that people could just leave the church and when they arrived at the venue, they could go right in and enjoy cocktail hour.

Im surprised your church only does weddings before 1.  Most churches will do them at 1 and 5 so that they can do afternoon mass in-between.