How many hours for the reception?

CapeCodBride28

How long is your reception? I am seeing that day wedding blocks are shorter than night? Why is that? Do you think 4 hours is too short, or just right?

bbyckes

Ours is about 4.5 hours.  I think 4 hours is fine.

Nebb

Ours was around 7-8 hours.

bbyckes

What goes on at an 8 hour reception?  Was there a gap?

crfische

Ours was 6 god damned god and fun hours. Smoothed out and slappy.

Nebb

Lots of partying, started at 6:30 or so (we had aprivate ceremony and we got to the reception site at 6:15 to start greeting guests), cocktail hour, dinner, speeches and all that crap, lots of partying. We didnt leave until 1:30 or so and there were still quite a few people dancing and having a good time when we left.

banana468

Our reception was 6 hours long.My guess is that in a day block,  you reach the point where people are going to want another meal - and many places need to get the next group in.  With an evening block, you may be able to pay the venue to be open for another hour or two.

bbyckes

Sounds like a lot of fun.  Our venue cuts it off at 10p, so no chance of that happening.

betrothed123

Ours was a daytime reception.  The cocktail hour started at 11:00 and at 5:30 they were kicking our guests out because the next reception started at 6.

anna.oskar

Ours will be 5pm-9pm (venue close) but I think we'll after-party at the hotel bar.

ggmae

My reception ran from about 1:30m until 5pm. We did our cocktail hour before our 1pm ceremony.

ac_in_dc

We had a church wedding at 2, then a reception from 3-7. It included a cocktail "hour," a full sit down meal, then cake cutting & dancing. It turned out well. I wanted an extra hour or two, but it wasn't feasible with our venue. On the bright side, I think it was just right for the folks with kids and the old people. No one left until the end of the reception, I was surprised. Mamy of our friends came back and partied with us after the reception at the hotel bar.

tenofcups4me

My first wedding was 7:30-12:30 including cocktail hour, so 5 hours altogether. That seemed to be the "normal" time block of places I looked at.

Joellee84

My Ceremony is 5:00 PM - 5:30 PMCocktail hour 5:30 - 6:30Reception 6:30 - 10:30 (venue closes)I think 4 hours is just enough.  good luck

RitaLee

Most venues limit day time receptions because of the time needed to set up for another party.  And most even limit night receptions too.  I've seen most places say you can only start at 6 ish and go to midnight or whatever time the venue closes.  I think for night weddings its a bunch of crock because if your willing to pay an extra amount of money you should be able to stay longer!  I can however see how setting up in between wedding should be a scheduled thing...