Thoughts on my timeline?

Re: Thoughts on my timeline?

• Options

  QueerFemme member

  

  March 2013

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_thoughts-on-my-timeline?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:ab7b6669-6d37-4eae-9f2a-02f599c5d3edPost:30aac716-1794-4747-a947-eb66fd63eeb8">Thoughts on my timeline?</a>:
  [QUOTE]I'm getting married on a Friday in June and I'm driving myself bananas trying to figure out the timeline.  Most of our guests will be traveling with commuter traffic so I'm not sure when the best time to start the ceremony is.  Due to venue restrictions it can't start before 5:00 and we have booked it for 5 hours.  We are planning to serve a BBQ buffet and I feel like it's kind of odd fare to serve too late in the evening, so what I've got right now is: Ceremony: 5:30-6:00 Cocktails: 6:00-7:00 WP Announcement: 7:15 Dinner: 7:45 Dessert: 8:30 Dancing until 10:30 On this timeline the sun would set just after we cut the cake.   Does this look realistic?  Would it be better to push it back an hour to give the guests more time to arrive?  All opinions would be greatly appreciated!
  Posted by cmacch[/QUOTE]
  
  For a Friday, 5:30 is still very early for the ceremony, if you are hoping people won't have to take time off work.  Commute traffic, depending on where they are coming from can be 30 minutes or 90 minutes.  And I imagine many of your guests are going to want to go home and change before coming to your wedding. And, most people try to get to the ceremony 10-20 minutes early.  So, that is something to consider when choosing your ceremony time.
  
  So, I would suggest doing almost all of your photos before the ceremony and doing a short cocktail "half-hour".  Maybe as follows:
  
  6:30              Ceremony
  7:00-7:30       Cocktails
  7:30              Introduction of the WP/Bride & Groom
  7:35              Buffet opens
  8:15              Dessert/cake cutting
  8:30-11:30     Dancing/rest of the reception activities (if you are having any.  Like bouquet toss/garter, etc.)

  

  Websites/blogs where our wedding has been featured:

  http://www.dapperq.com/2013/11/a-very-dapper-wedding/
  

  http://www.onabicyclebuiltfortwo.com/2013/10/wedding-christina-g.html
  

  http://4realequalityweddings.com/2014/05/16/g-christina/
  

  Report0 Reply
• Options

  beardownbchs member

  

  March 2013

  I like cmgilpin's timeline. There is no need for 15 minutes to prepare for the WP announcement and 1/2 hour for the announcement. Even if you go right into your first dance after the intro, this should really take 10 minutes, max. If you're doing the first dance later, Stage is right - anything more than a few minutes will be boring for guests and they'll be sitting around waiting for dinner.

  Report0 Reply
• Options

  cmacch member

  

  March 2013 edited March 2013

  <div style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10px;background-color:initial;color:#1f1f1f;font:normal normal normal 11px/14px Arial, sans-serif;text-align:left;background-image:none;background-attachment:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;line-height:normal;">In Response to <a style="text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal;color:#1f1f1f;" href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_thoughts-on-my-timeline?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:ab7b6669-6d37-4eae-9f2a-02f599c5d3edPost:dcbec9f9-8f05-4e0e-905f-71203b0e282c">Re:Thoughts on my timeline?</a>:
  [QUOTE]It shouldn't take half an hour to announce the WP. If that takes more than 3 or 4 minutes, your guests are doing to be crawling under the table and digging an escape tunnel with their silverware.
  </div><span style="line-height:normal;" class="Apple-style-span">Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]</span><div>Ha! No I wouldn't expect the WP announcement to take that long. I was trying to remember the few other weddings I've been to, and I don't think the food was served right away. We watched the first dance and sat around drinking for a bit. I'd actually PREFER not to have too much time in between, I just wasn't sure what was normal or standard, that's why I asked here.</div>

  Report0 Reply
• Options

  libby2483 member

  

  March 2013

  I second cmgilpin's timeline.  

  Report0 Reply
• Options

  alithebride member

  

  March 2013

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_thoughts-on-my-timeline?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:ab7b6669-6d37-4eae-9f2a-02f599c5d3edPost:30aac716-1794-4747-a947-eb66fd63eeb8">Thoughts on my timeline?</a>:
  [QUOTE]I'm getting married on a Friday in June and I'm driving myself bananas trying to figure out the timeline.  Most of our guests will be traveling with commuter traffic so I'm not sure when the best time to start the ceremony is.  Due to venue restrictions it can't start before 5:00 and we have booked it for 5 hours.  We are planning to serve a BBQ buffet and I feel like it's kind of odd fare to serve too late in the evening, so what I've got right now is: Ceremony: 5:30-6:00 Cocktails: 6:00-7:00 WP Announcement: 7:15 Dinner: 7:45 Dessert: 8:30 Dancing until 10:30 On this timeline the sun would set just after we cut the cake.   Does this look realistic?  Would it be better to push it back an hour to give the guests more time to arrive?  All opinions would be greatly appreciated!
  Posted by cmacch[/QUOTE]
  if it were me i'd push it back to 630 start time.
  630-7: ceremony
  7-8: cocktails
  8-805: WP introductions
  810: dinner then dessert. why do you only have 45 minutes for dinner if you hae the place for 5 hours? you need to leave time in between for people's food to settle.
  and not for nothing but 1130 is 'late' in the evening. anything before then is not.

   

  Report0 Reply
• Options

  duffnerashleyocc

  

  March 2013

  I agree with the 6:30 start time

  Report0 Reply