Time of church service????

Firstly welcome to Hitched!

I think that timing sounds about right tbh. As long as people are aware that there is potentially a 2 hour drinks reception then I don't see the problem. Are you providing canapes? Or are they able to buy crisps etc at the hotel? Everyone will amuse themselves, checking in, drinking, chatting etc and once you arrive and have the group pictures that will be the focus of their attention anyway.

xxx

Im having my church ceremony @ 12.30 because:

A) I want to wear / show off my dress as long as possible

B) if your for a wedding you do nothing that morning except get ready anyway so shouldnt be putting people out

C) my church is local to where 95% of guests live - so if they want they can go home for a hour whilst we get pictures taken to let their dog out etc

D) I want the line up @ 4.45 sharp prior to meal

I dont think people mind hanging around hotels etc when they are at weddings whilst pictures are being taken - it par of the course of being a guest (in my opinion).

Our photographer recommends 2 hours for photos, particularly if there is going to be a lot of people present.

It's not your responsibility to keep your guests entertained for every moment of the day, the adults are perfectly capable of going to the bar and ordering a drink if they want, and the children are their parents responsibility.

If people know it's a 12.30 wedding then it's their own fault if they don't take something to eat for lunch before the ceremony; how hard is it to much a sarnie and a kit kat?

Thanks for the advice! I think I just needed reassuring that it wasn't too long for people to be hanging around, plus my mum has been moaning saying she thinks it's too early (but this is only because my sister got married last year and had her service much later, but this was because she didn't have access to her reception venue until about 4:30).

Definitely don't want to be rushing and want to enjoy the day as much as possible! I had thought about canapes but after seeing the price for how little we were getting I was a bit put off, may reconsider as at least then the guests get a little something before the wedding breakfast.

I agree with the times of 12:30 for the cermony!!! As a wee thought to it is a winter wedding so there wont be much day light in the afternoon so the photographer prob needs as much time as possiable for pics outside!!!

Mine are getting tea, coffee & shortbread - canopies at my venue were like £10 a head & i'd rather have that towards evening buffet.

That sounds like a good option. Ours are £10 per head too and don't think I can justify it for 4 tiny mouthfuls each!

? This sounds like my typical lunch; OH and I looooove kitkat chunkys!!!!

If you aren't going to provide canapes, I would provide some sort of timetable in your invitations or just a note to let people know they should eat before the ceremony. There was a hugeeee thread on a similar topic recently. Some people felt that if people hadn't eaten lunch beforehand it was "their fault" if they were then really hungry before the wedding breakfast. Other people (including me) thought that was quite unfair especially as some people haven't been to a wedding in years and don't know that the wedding breakfast is served at an abnormal time (abnormal from an everyday point of view I mean).

Our wedding is at midday but if people have eaten beforehand then they'll be disappointed when they can't eat much of the lovely afternoon tea we're putting on at about 2pm! (I included a timetable in the invitations.)