Time on invitations! Need opinions! HELP!!!

Luckyash26

I want to order invitations this weekend. We are having our ceremony in a Catholic Church and our reception hall is about 2 miles away from the church. We are doing our main pictures in a park during the day I'm okay with my fiancé seeing me before the church just so we have more time later and not much of a gap for guests. I am thinking to have the church starts at 4:30pm and cocktail hour at 6:30. Since the venue is close I don't know if its to much of a gap? And should I put 15 minutes earlier on my invitations so if people are running late to the church it gives a few more minutes?? Or just put the exact time it will start? Help any opinions. Thanks!! Ash

misssunshine17

1) Don't make people wait. If they are late, they are late but it's rude to make people wait for those who are late. 

2) How long will your ceremony be? Cocktail hour or your reception should start right after your ceremony ends, so unless your ceremony will be just under two hours, I'd suggest moving cocktail hour up. 

MyNameIsNot

Your ceremony start time should be the time you plan to start.  Most people (even ones who tend to run late) show up early for a wedding.  Don't punish the people who are on time just in case a few will be late.  If anyone does show late, have the staff person direct them to wait outside until an opportune time for them to slip in and take a seat at the back.  

There should be no gap at all.  Gaps are horribly rude.  If you are having a ceremony mass, it will probably last about an hour.  With two miles, the trip to the reception should be 5-10 minutes.  If your ceremony starts at 4:30, the reception should open at 5:45 at the latest.  You can start with a cocktail or social hour so that people aren't expecting you right away, but having them wait around until 6:30 is not ok.  

AddieCake

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_time-on-invitations-need-opinions-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:ed0351c5-9182-4e9d-8750-d89db8809809Post:2528f4d6-aabc-4d70-9c33-7e9c2f7c5735">Re: Time on invitations! Need opinions! HELP!!!</a>:
[QUOTE]1) Don't make people wait. If they are late, they are late but it's rude to make people wait for those who are late.  2) How long will your ceremony be? Cocktail hour or your reception should start right after your ceremony ends, so unless your ceremony will be just under two hours, I'd suggest moving cocktail hour up. 
Posted by misssunshine17[/QUOTE]

<div>This. </div>

banana468

If you want to start at 4:30 then make the reception begin at 5:45 or 6:00.

We had our ceremony begin at 2 with reception beginning at 4 and it worked perfectly.   We also made sure that anyone arriving early would be hosted properly.

mlg78

I have my wedding starting at 4:30 with the reception at 6pm...  We will arrive at 6:30pm.  You don't have to be there for the cocktail hour.

Luckyash26

Thanks everyone for the info!!! We are not having a mass just the ceremony which I am estimating 30-45 minutes. I'm still not sure if we are going to do a receiving line. But we are going to take some photos in the church with immediate family. I spoke with my photographer he suggested to have church start at 4:30 and keep coctail hour at 6:30 since we will take photos at church and then we are going to take some infront of venue when we arrive. We are going to attend out full coctail hour. It will be like a 10 minute drive were estimating from church to venue. Another situation is we are getting a hotel that guests/bridal party can go from church and leave their car at hotel and take shuttle to venue so they won't worry about drinking and driving so that may take people some time. I also spoke with the owner of the venue he said people are more then welcome to get there early and hang around but it won't start until close to 6:30, so at least they have somewhere to go even if its like 20 minutes waiting. So I, thinking its safer to have more time. And also I agree with everyone I will put on invitation exact time it starts. Thoughts on all this anyone?

MyNameIsNot

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_time-on-invitations-need-opinions-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:ed0351c5-9182-4e9d-8750-d89db8809809Post:c6f60c5c-8fa0-4fec-b8c7-c81ff45ae58a">Re: Time on invitations! Need opinions! HELP!!!</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks everyone for the info!!! We are not having a mass just the ceremony which I am estimating 30-45 minutes. I'm still not sure if we are going to do a receiving line. But we are going to take some photos in the church with immediate family. I spoke with my photographer he suggested to have church start at 4:30 and keep coctail hour at 6:30 since we will take photos at church and then we are going to take some infront of venue when we arrive. We are going to attend out full coctail hour. It will be like a 10 minute drive were estimating from church to venue. Another situation is we are getting a hotel that guests/bridal party can go from church and leave their car at hotel and take shuttle to venue so they won't worry about drinking and driving so that may take people some time. I also spoke with the owner of the venue he said people are more then welcome to get there early and hang around but it won't start until close to 6:30, so at least they have somewhere to go even if its like 20 minutes waiting. So I, thinking its safer to have more time. And also I agree with everyone I will put on invitation exact time it starts. Thoughts on all this anyone?
Posted by Luckyash26[/QUOTE]

<div>You are still forcing your guests to sit around and wait on you.  If it's not a mass, they will be done at church by 5:15.  Then they have nothing to do until 6:30.  Some may choose to drop off their cars and take a shuttle, but most people prefer to have their own transportation, and will therefore be at the reception by 5:30.   </div><div>
</div><div>Most of your guests are going to be sitting in their cars in the parking lot of the venue for an hour while you finish up photos.  Not cool.  </div><div>
</div><div>They should be inside the reception venue starting cocktail hour while they wait for you.</div>

beardownbchs

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_time-on-invitations-need-opinions-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:ed0351c5-9182-4e9d-8750-d89db8809809Post:c6f60c5c-8fa0-4fec-b8c7-c81ff45ae58a">Re: Time on invitations! Need opinions! HELP!!!</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks everyone for the info!!! We are not having a mass just the ceremony which I am estimating 30-45 minutes. I'm still not sure if we are going to do a receiving line. But we are going to take some photos in the church with immediate family. I spoke with my photographer he suggested to have church start at 4:30 and keep coctail hour at 6:30 since we will take photos at church and then we are going to take some infront of venue when we arrive. <strong>We are going to attend out full coctail hour</strong>. It will be like a 10 minute drive were estimating from church to venue. Another situation is we are getting a hotel that guests/bridal party can go from church and leave their car at hotel and take shuttle to venue so they won't worry about drinking and driving so that may take people some time. I also spoke with the owner of the venue he said people are more then welcome to get there early and hang around but it won't start until close to 6:30, so at least they have somewhere to go even if its like 20 minutes waiting. So I, thinking its safer to have more time. And also I agree with everyone I will put on invitation exact time it starts. Thoughts on all this anyone?
Posted by Luckyash26[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>The point of a cocktail hour is to entertain your guests while you take pictures. I've only been to one wedding where the couple attended the cocktail hour and they did a first look and all pictures before rhe ceremony. Making people wait around for you is rude, no matter how you look at it. It's better to have people miss a few minutes of the cocktail hour because they're bringing their car to the hotel than to ask them to wait around while you take pictures. </div><div>
</div><div>I say have cocktail hour start at 5:30 and allow your guests to enjoy it while you take pictures. You can ask your venue to make a plate of the cocktail hour food and bring it to you while you take pictures, but please PLEASE do not make your guests wait. 

</div>

NYCMercedes

You take pictures on your own time, not on your guests time. If your venue cannot be ready early for your guests, do a receiving line at the church. Then let your guests party while you take care of business. If you want to attend part of the cocktail hour, then do the first look as you suggested to cut down the picture taking time after the ceremony.

Viczaesar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_time-on-invitations-need-opinions-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:ed0351c5-9182-4e9d-8750-d89db8809809Post:c6f60c5c-8fa0-4fec-b8c7-c81ff45ae58a">Re: Time on invitations! Need opinions! HELP!!!</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks everyone for the info!!! We are not having a mass just the ceremony which I am estimating 30-45 minutes. I'm still not sure if we are going to do a receiving line. But we are going to take some photos in the church with immediate family. I spoke with my photographer he suggested to have church start at 4:30 and keep coctail hour at 6:30 since we will take photos at church and then we are going to take some infront of venue when we arrive. We are going to attend out full coctail hour. It will be like a 10 minute drive were estimating from church to venue. Another situation is we are getting a hotel that guests/bridal party can go from church and leave their car at hotel and take shuttle to venue so they won't worry about drinking and driving so that may take people some time. I also spoke with the owner of the venue he said people are more then welcome to get there early and hang around but it won't start until close to 6:30, so at least they have somewhere to go even if its like 20 minutes waiting. So I, thinking its safer to have more time. And also I agree with everyone I will put on invitation exact time it starts. Thoughts on all this anyone?
Posted by Luckyash26[/QUOTE]
You're missing the entire point of a cocktail hour, which is to host your guests while you are doing your pictures.  It is incredibly rude and selfish to make your guests wait around so that you can take pictures and still attend the cocktail hour.  Start the cocktail hour while you're taking the pictures, at 5:30.  Start the reception itself when you get there at 6:30.  Don't expect your guests to sit around with their fingers up their bums waiting for you to take pictures.