3 hour reception?

Sp2012 · December 2011

Hi Ladies,

I looked up sunset on my wedding date, and it is listed as 6:48pm. As our ceremony is outdoors and reception indoors, we are talking about timing our cocktail hour so we'll still be outdoors during sunset, but this means our reception would only be 3 hours, so like this:

?4-5 first look & family photos - actually I'm not sure how long to allot for these
5:30-6 ceremony
6-7pm cocktail hour
7-10pm dinner reception
10pm to close - additional time at the resort bar for guests who want to continue

When I booked my vendors I told them our ceremony would be at 4:30, so if we change to 5:30 I'll have to contact them again about this change, but I figure it's not a big deal for anyone other than maybe hair & makeup if I want her to start later rather than at 11 like she suggested.

So any comments, pros vs cons of 3 hours vs 4 hours?

destiny1108 · December 2011

3 hours could work if you do not have too much in your program. May want to make sure your minister is available laters sa they sometimes do more than 1 event in a day.

kaesha · December 2011

Are you wanting to keep things outside for photos or just because it's pretty? Our sunset pics were taken 45 minutes before the sun set and we wrapped up 15 minutes before because the really good light was gone by that point. Could you do it from 5:30-6:30? Here's what our timeline looked like:

2:30 photographers arrive - shoots the girls and me
3:30 Phil arrives on site with the boys, the photographers shoot them while I hide out inside Olowalu
4:00 guests arrive
4:30 ceremony
5:00 -6:00 cocktail hour/croquet/Phil and I do family shots and then escape by ourselves
6:05 - welcome toast
6:10 - cake cutting/ridiculous music thing that we performed
6:15 - plated salad served
6:20-6:40 - we escape for sunset pictures
6:40-8:00 dinner/speaches/cake (we'd alloted less time, but everyone was enjoying the feed)
8:00-9:30 - dancing
9:30-10:00 - wrap up

kimmykupcakes · December 2011

You could do 3 hours, but it all depends on what you want to do. We are having a 2 hour cocktail/picture time and a window for up to 3 hours for the reception. But, we aren't doing a full reception. We won't be having dancing at it, except for our first dance that will happen at the cocktail hour.

Sp2012 · December 2011

We're thinking about staying outside during sunset since it's pretty and also for photographs.

I checked w/ our officiant previously, he already said he has no other weddings after ours.

Good point about when the lighting is best - I think I heard that that the time period before actual sunset is the "magic hour", I just called our photog today and am waiting to hear back about this.

Our reception will be on the less complicated side I think. I don't have a timeline yet, but we'll have maybe first dance (not sure about parent dances) 2 parents toast, 2 wedding party toasts, dinner, cake cutting, dancing. We're not doing garter or bouquet toss.

angelia12 · December 2011

Perhaps you could have your cocktail hour first, if you wanted to extend your reception time.
For example, you could do cocktail hour from 4:30 to 5:30 while you are getting your first look photos done, then do ceremony from 5:30 to 6:00, then reception would be 6:00 to 10:00. Often the bride and groom don't attend the cocktail hour anyway, so that would afford you more time for your actual reception activities.

Sp2012 · December 2011

Thanks ladies,

I spoke w/ our photographer and he sent some sample timelines and did put in a suggestion going with a 4 hour reception timeline, and getting guests seated and reception program started, but then pulling us out to do the sunset photos, so something pretty similar to timeline alyson had.

3 hour reception?

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