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Wedding Etiquette Forum
Wedding Duration
Ladies (or whoever is reading really),
a poll on how long an average wedding should go for. I'm thinkinfrom ceremony to the departure, my wedding will only last about 3 and a half hours. Plenty of time to say our vows, take photos while everone eats, do the special dances, eat a buffet style dinner, cut the cake and enjoy the DJ with some guests. Opinions?
Thanks in advance,
Alixe
a poll on how long an average wedding should go for. I'm thinkinfrom ceremony to the departure, my wedding will only last about 3 and a half hours. Plenty of time to say our vows, take photos while everone eats, do the special dances, eat a buffet style dinner, cut the cake and enjoy the DJ with some guests. Opinions?
Thanks in advance,
Alixe
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Wedding Duration
[QUOTE]Ladies (or whoever is reading really), a poll on how long an average wedding should go for. I'm thinkinfrom ceremony to the departure, my wedding will only last about 3 and a half hours. Plenty of time to say our vows, take photos while everone eats, do the special dances, eat a buffet style dinner, cut the cake and enjoy the DJ with some guests. Opinions? Thanks in advance, Alixe
Posted by alixebuny[/QUOTE]
<div>That sounds really short to me, which makes me think you'll be really rushed. Our reception alone was 5 and a half hours.</div>
Eta: oops, I just re-did the math, and it was 8 hours, not 9.
Our wedding started at 2:00 and ended at 6:00pm. This included ceremony, pictures, and reception. Our ceremony and reception were at the same location though.
While we didn't feel rushed, we could have definitely partied a lot longer had we had the venue until later.
We also had a smaller wedding (60 people attended) so that could have factored in too in a way.
My Wedding, for an idea:
Ceremony start: 4pm
Dinner/Reception start: 5pm
Dancing 6-11?
We have the venue until 12 so we made sure to give extra leeway for those people that are reaaaallly in the mood to dance the night away :P
[QUOTE]Weddings around here usually last at least 7 - 8 hours. Or if the couple is inconsiderate (you can flame me for saying that) and have a 12pm or 1pm ceremony, the wedding might be 12 hours long or longer.
Posted by dianemc10[/QUOTE]
why is a 12 or 1pm ceremony inconsiderate? I never heard anyone say this so I'm curious.
to answer the OP, I think 4-6 hours is typical. I think shorter might be rushed if your planning for dancing too. That might be better if your having more of a hanging out and mingling reception. I guess if your having a longer gap between ceremony and reception it might take longer, but I wouldn't recommend too long of a gap between them.
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wedding Duration : why is a 12 or 1pm ceremony inconsiderate? I never heard anyone say this so I'm curious. to answer the OP, I think 4-6 hours is typical. I think shorter might be rushed if your planning for dancing too. That might be better if your having more of a hanging out and mingling reception. I guess if your having a longer gap between ceremony and reception it might take longer, but I wouldn't recommend too long of a gap between them.
Posted by peanutty2[/QUOTE]
<div>
</div><div>IMO they are just a hassle (obviously unless it's an afternoon wedding.) </div><div>
</div><div>Guests have to get up early, travel, and then usually there is a long ass gap between the ceremony and dinner. I've been in a wedding before where the ceremony was at 12:30, ended at 1:30, then we spent 4 hours driving all around the city taking hundreds of photos, while the rest of the guests (mostly out of town) had to find things to do to kill the 4 1/2 hours until dinner. </div>
/that's all.
Bridal suite on site of ceremony 12:30---have that for 2hrs but in that time also taking the all female photos...men will be out taking their all guy photos. 2:30 load into carriage and start ceremony
Probably arrive 2:40 to my walk down the aisle, ceremony about 20 minutes
3-3:30 guests can take photos on the ranch, feed the horses ect...
Reception hall will open about 4, start a cocktail hour...we are taking about an hour to hour and a half for posed photos at the ceremony site, we might miss cocktail that is fine...
Dinner about 5:30...all the other jazz until 8p then clear out..I have a lot of older folks coming and dont want an all night even since we are hosting a brunch the following day for out of town guests before we leave on our HM
So total is 5.5hrs, that includes their travel time (about 15 min from ceremony to reception) it also gives leeway for a few people to arrive ahead of them to finish off things or fill the fountain drinks
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wedding Duration : IMO they are just a hassle (obviously unless it's an afternoon wedding.) Guests have to get up early, travel, and then usually there is a long ass gap between the ceremony and dinner. I've been in a wedding before where the ceremony was at 12:30, ended at 1:30, then we spent 4 hours driving all around the city taking hundreds of photos, while the rest of the guests (mostly out of town) had to find things to do to kill the 4 1/2 hours until dinner.
Posted by dianemc10[/QUOTE]
yikes! that is one long gap! i think a gap that long at any time would be inconsiderate, then again i think most gaps over an hour are. what the heck are you supposed to do in between?
i feel better now though, my ceremony is at 1, but there's no gap :)
Ceremony is from 3-3:30'ish (probably closer to 40 mins)
Group photo and recieving line
cocktail hour 4-5pm
first dance and cake cutting 5:15pm
dinner ~ 5:30 or 5:45
dinner should finish around 8:00.. people can then mingle and go home
I expect it will be 5 1/2 hours total.