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Reception time??

marip123marip123 member
10 Comments 5 Love Its
in Wedding Reception Forum
Our wedding ceremony will start at 3:00.  Should last a half hour.   The drive from the ceremony to reception is about 25-30 min.  Were thinking reception starting at 4:30.  Cocktail hour from 4:30 to 5:30.  Dinner at 5:30. There will be photographs after ceremony.  What do you guys think?
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Re: Reception time??

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    500 Love Its 500 Comments First Answer Name Dropper
    My only problem is-- what will people do for that extra half hour? Could you push it up to 4:00 instead? Not all of your guests will be sticking around for the photo part, so that kind of leaves them hanging.
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  • ViczaesarViczaesar member
    Ninth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
    Cocktail hour should start at 4, not 4:30.  Gaps are rude.



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  • AddieCakeAddieCake member
    10000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 25 Answers
    The cocktail hour needs to start immediately following the ceremony so that as soon as guest leave the ceremony and arrive at the reception venue 25-30 minutes later, the cocktail hour is available to them. 
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  • marip123marip123 member
    10 Comments 5 Love Its

    If the reception starts at 4:00 can we have the cocktail hour last till 5:30? Have the cocktail hour last longer than an hour.  That way it gives the bridal party enough time after taking pictures to get to the reception. 

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  • Maggie0829Maggie0829 member
    Eighth Anniversary 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    @marip123 you can definitely have a longer cocktail hour.  As a guest I would much prefer an hour and a half cocktail hour then to have to deal with any gap.

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  • marip123marip123 member
    10 Comments 5 Love Its
    Also what is normal time for the bridal party to arrive at the reception?   1/2 hour after reception starts?  Hour after reception starts?  I'm afraid if we make the reception start right after ceremony by the time bridal party finishes up pictures it will be an hour by the time they get to the reception.  Isn't that too long to keep quests waiting.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    500 Love Its 500 Comments First Answer Name Dropper
    marip123 said:
    Also what is normal time for the bridal party to arrive at the reception?   1/2 hour after reception starts?  Hour after reception starts?  I'm afraid if we make the reception start right after ceremony by the time bridal party finishes up pictures it will be an hour by the time they get to the reception.  Isn't that too long to keep quests waiting.
    No, not if you're having cocktail hour.  I don't think I've ever been to a wedding where the bride and groom attend the cocktail hour.  Usually they are annunced after everyone sits down at the reception.  I think it would be good to have ceremony from 4-4:30, cocktail hour 4:30 - 5:00, and you show up at 5:00 - 5:15 after everyone is settled in at their tables.
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  • MyNameIsNotMyNameIsNot member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    Start the reception at 4:00.  Your cocktail hour should be an hour.  A little over an hour is ok, but going to 90 minutes is pushing it.  If you do go 90 minutes, make sure you have plenty of seating available in the cocktail area.  

    Any decent photographer can get the WP photos done in an hour.  WP normally trickles in during cocktail hour or comes in just before B&G after the guests are seated.  
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  • cmcole4509cmcole4509 member
    10 Comments First Anniversary 5 Love Its
    Not sure on your point of view but if you are not already dead set on doing photos after the ceremony one day to get rid of most of the wait time for guests is to do most or all of the photos before the ceremony. That also has the added benefit of everyone looking fresh (like hair and make up still in place for girls, no one really sweaty if its hot that day, etc). Even if you did every photo except for the ones with both bride and groom, that would take a lot of the wait time off. Just a suggestion :)
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  • KerisaHarman21KerisaHarman21 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    I agree gaps are not appropriate for your guests unless you plan on having some type of entertainment for them?? I wouldn't appreciate driving the 25-30 mins and then having to sit and wait for the reception to start.
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  • marip123marip123 member
    10 Comments 5 Love Its

    Our ceremony and reception timeline worked out great.  Ceremony started at 3::00. It ended at 3:30.  There was no pictures taken after the ceremony because the church is pretty small.  Instead the bridal party and our quests we mingled outside and talked for a half hour.  At 4:00 our bridal party left the church for pictures to be taken at a near by park while our guests took off for the reception which is a 25 min. drive for the 4:30 reception.

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