How late should the reception go?

chinofiesta93 · May 2012

I've attended just a small handful of weddings and I left not too late because I'm just like that, LOL.

Our reception venue is rented in a big 6 hour block, and you can add additional hours to that if you need to.

We are thinking of renting from 3pm-11pm. Is that gonna end the party too early? Ofcourse there will be an afterparty somewhere else, but for the venue?

Christine9866 · May 2012

Our reception is over at 11pm as well! Our ceremony is at 5pm, should go about 20 minutes, and we go right into cocktail hour... We do have the venue all day if we want it (to go and get ready there etc)

tokyolondon · May 2012

I think thats a great block ... 6 hours is enough time for the love and dancing

sleepyb · May 2012

I'm fairly certain that mine will be over at 10pm. We have the church ceremony at 2pm so I'll have the photographer beginning at 1. 5-6 for cocktail hour at the venue. 6-10 for the dinner/dancing portion. That still means having the photographer for more than the standard 8 hours.

Ending at 11 will be fine.

erbear84 · May 2012

Mine ends at 10. Ceremony at 4, cocktails at 5, dinner/dancing from from 6-10.

svanculin · May 2012

Wow, now I feel like mine is going to be really short. Ceremony 66:30, and reception til 1030. We are doing pics before, and everything is at the same venue. I think 10:30 is the latest we can go though, because of the venue.

sleepyb · May 2012

My FMIL thinks that the 5 hours we have at the venue is too short. I think she's nuts! I'm going to be so tired by 10 since I have to be fully ready to go by 1:15 (when I leave my parent's house to head to the church). And lord knows I'll be up by 7am.

Blondy214 · May 2012

Your time slot sounds good. I think that ending at 11 is perfectly fine, especially if there will be an after party somewhere else.

We are going until midnight, but we're not starting the ceremony until 7pm. Cocktails from 7:30 - 8:30, dinner/dancing from 8:30 - midnight.

redjellybean128 · May 2012

Ours is ending at 10pm too. We were thinking about 11, but since we are getting married on Sunday, we didn't want to inconvience guests that won't be able to stay out that late due to work the next morning. We were thinking about a small after party afterwards for those out of town that are staying the night, but after FI and I talked about it, we decided that likely we will just want to crash after 10 because it will be a long day.

princess pop · May 2012

My fiance thinks a 5 hour reception is too short too! crazy dude. We have our ceremony at 6 pm, but the reception starts at 730-1230. Of course, we are going to be in Vegas so I'm sure the party will continue.

chinofiesta93 · May 2012

Thanks for all the replies!

Our ceremony is at 2:30 and the reception venue is like 15 minutes away.
So I would expect guests to arrive to the reception between 3 and 3:30. We could do apps for an hour, then an early dinner (I'm contemplating carving stations instead of a plated dinner) around 5, and continue until 10. I'm really thinking 11pm is too late. I'm gonna be exhausted, my family will be exhausted, I think everyone will have a long day if it goes until 11.

AGH this is hard!

Christine9866 · May 2012

Have you thought about pushing your reception time back? Just from my knowledge of just going to weddings and stuff the average reception is 5-6 hours and when the ceremony is at a different site from the church and reception it is usually later. Like if if the ceremony is at 2:30pm, the reception will follow starting at 5pm and you can go to 10pm or 11pm.

snn07102011 · May 2012

my ceremony is at the church at 1:30-2:45ish, cocktail hour at 5:30pm, and reception ends at 11:30pm.. i think 11:30pm is early, but we had no other option.. good thing there is a hotel and a nice bar attached to the reception venue that are open until 2am!!

we like to have cocktails and party

How late should the reception go?

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