15 min gap - Timing question

Habs2Hart · November 2010

Hi guys, looking at time here for my wedding.

We're doing some pics before hand, but not many (Fl doesn't want to see me before ceremony). Ceremony starts at 5 and then we'll have cocktail hour and then dinner.

I would like an hour and half between ceremony and dinner though, so I want to add a 1/2 hour in there. Just in case pictures take longer (we may leave the site for a few) or we get done early and can socialize.

So what is better? It is all at one location.

Option A: Ceremony          5:00 - 5:30
                Break               5:30 - 5:45
                Cocktail "hour"   5:45 - 6:45
                Break                6:45 - 7:00
                Reception          7:00 - 1:00

Option B: Ceremony          5:00 - 5:30
                Break               5:30 - 6:00
                Cocktail "hour"   6:00 - 7:00
                Reception          7:00 - 1:00

Option C: Ceremony          5:00 - 5:30
                Cocktail "hour"   5:30 - 6:30
                Break                6:30 - 7:00
                Reception          7:00 - 1:00

Option

No breaks
                Ceremony          5:00 - 5:30
                Cocktail "hour"   5:30 - 6:30
                Reception          6:30 - 1:00

I'm leaning towards A... but is two 15min breaks rude? There would still be music, just maybe not food/drinks right away.

aerinpegadrak · November 2010

Why do you need an hour and a half between the ceremony and dinner? If it's to give yourself padding for pictures, you really shouldn't need it. Just give your photographer a detailed shot list and get as many of them done as you can before the ceremony. Honestly, a decent photographer doesn't need more than an hour unless you're taking a truly ridiculous number of pictures.

I would personally compromise and do cocktail hour 5:30-6:45 and start the reception immediately after. It really doesn't work to have any sort of "break" at all when everything is at the same place. Your guests probably won't perceive it as a scheduled break, they'll just think that the party all of a sudden got really boring.

Habs2Hart · November 2010

I don't know how long pictures take. Pretty much all the weddings I've ever been to has had at least a 2 hr break between ceremony and reception, so I have no idea really. lol.

That's kinda why I put "hour" like that. The breaks would be extended cocktail hour. I like your solution.

iamjoesgurl · November 2010

Can you do pictures during the cocktail hour and not have any other breaks? (Most weddings I've attended had the bride's and groom's entrance after the cocktail hour and before dinner.)

I agree with aerin that if you give your photographer a detailed list of pictures that you want, it should be an efficient process. If you have a DOC, he/she should also be given a list so that he/she can help to keep things moving along. Also, make sure to let your WP and family members know what is going to happen so that they are available for the pictures and you won't need to wait around for them to be available.

Habs2Hart · November 2010

Yes, the plan was pictures during the cocktail hour, I just didn't know if one hour was enough time...

iamjoesgurl · November 2010

You should be fine. DH and I did not see each other before the ceremony but we did a lot of pictures (me with the girls, him with the guys, etc). Our pictures after the ceremony only took about 1/2 hour. Then we went with the photographer to do pictures of just the two of us while our wedding party went to the cocktail hour. That took under 1/2 hour so it was an hour total. If you go 5-10 minutes over, I'm sure nobody is going to notice. They won't serve dinner until you get there.

Habs2Hart · November 2010

Well off location would be the lake 2 min down the road. Which we may not even do, it's not like we'd be scrambling all over town and it's not like we're leaving them with nothing to do, we are hosting a cocktail hour for them.

sister2groom · November 2010

Don't have breaks. I don't think you need an hour and a half, but even if you did, I don't quite get why you would have breaks, would you really save that much money by not providing drinks for half hour? If the issue is the cost of apps for that half hour then maybe you could serve the apps a little slower.

If you just have continuity then if you come back early you can just have some drinks and start making rounds of seeing everyone.

katheriner89 · November 2010

I say not to having any "breaks" - most guests won't even notice it's a "break", they will think it just got boring. like erin said.
BUT, I do understand that you don't want to see each other before the ceremony.

you might be able do this:
Take pictures of you & the bridesmaids, any family that is there already, his family, his groomsmen, etc.
THEN you go inside & hide, refresh your makeup & hair if needed, while he's outside taking all of his pictures.
after the ceremony, you will only need pictures of the two of you, which won't take long at all..

you can even talk to your photographer about you & your FI doing a "day after" shoot. so you can get some of those really cool pics, but not having guests waiting.
good luck

colourz · November 2010

Guests will find breaks boring. Who wants breaks from a cocktail hour?

Habs2Hart · November 2010

Thanks everyone. I guess the "break" doesn't really make sense. I'll talk to the venue about extending the cocktail hour a few minutes if need be. I still have lots of time to figure that out.

Katheriner89 - Great ideas about pics. Thanks.

goetzr19 · November 2010

As long as you have snacks/appetizers and drinks at your cocktail hour, you shouldn't need a "break" If you are not there for the entire cocktail hour, that's ok. I've been to plenty of weddings where the B & G weren't there for the entire cocktail hour.

Habs2Hart · November 2010

I'm sorry Stage manager. Your advice was incredibly helpful also, so thank you.

Heather8505 · November 2010

If you are set on taking slightly longer than an hour for pics but do not have the budget to cover drinks and apps during a prolonged cocktail hour, can you just end the reception at 1230? Do the cocktail hour from 530-700 then the reception from 7-1230..it's still 7 hours and there are no breaks

SheenaNash1 · November 2010

Actually StageManager you didn't give the same advice so stop being so petty and childish about not getting your credit. The other poster suggested a day after photo shoot which is a solution to this issue. You, on the other hand, just told her that she should give up the posed, off site photos. Two totally different things. Get off your high horse.

simplebride_24 · November 2010

Option B: Ceremony 5:00 - 5:30
Break 5:30 - 6:00
Cocktail "hour" 6:00 - 7:00

Reception 7:00 - 1:00

This is what I would suggest. People can then relax a tiny bit and if need be go to a hotel room or run home if need be. (Sorry, I didn't read any posts beside your original one.) This is similar to what I am doing and it is not considered rude where I am from, it is the norm around here. HTH!

15 min gap - Timing question

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