How much time should be between the wedding ceremony and the reception?

Question

The reception site is literally 5 minutes away. What would be a typical amount of time to wait from the ceremony's end to the time cocktail hour should start? My fiance and I will be taking pictures in between but are planning on missing the cocktail hour so our pictures wont interfere.

Answer 1

Why make your guests wait while you take pictures? I suggest that you have the reception set up to immediately follow the ceremony. Have cocktail hour set up while you take photos. You can make your grand entrance when your guests are seated for dinner.  

Answer 2

The reason for the cocktail hour is to entertain your guests when they first arrive to the reception venue. If the venue is that close, I would think 30 minutes from the time the ceremony is expected to end since most times the ceremony ends, then your guests linger to exit the church and socialize outside.

Speak to your banquet manager and ask for advice.

Answer 3

One hour. Have some finger foods available such as fruits or veggies. Make sure water is available too. I recommend taking all your individual pics before the wedding and all the others after the wedding. Guests get restless when they wait hours for the wedding party to take their pics.

Answer 4

a half hour is to forty five minutes is enought time.

Answer 5

Considering the average cost of a wedding, you'll spend about $5000 for an hour of standing around waiting. Take your pictures BEFORE the ceremony (gasp!), then start the party right away! If you are in an arranged wedding, where it matters that the groom doesn't see the bride beforehand, that's different. I usually get the groom positioned in the church an hour or two before the ceremony, then have the bride softly call his name from her entrance point. Very romantic as we start the 'staged' pictures while it's still cool (who wants sweaty wedding pics?) and get all that out of the way so the bride and groom AND their guests can enjoy a smooth-flowing ceremony/reception transition and enjoy each other without that awkward, rushed, and annoying interruption. I estimate this reduces the average wedding day stress by a huge amount, since you don't start the day making everyone wait.

Answer 6

my cousin had a day in between but in your case probably half an hour to an hour

Answer 7

You can budget for an hour, but as you're so close, it will probably be closer to 45 minutes.  Plan for extra time - it's worth it.

You can chill in a back room at the reception place if you come back early.  Cocktail hour with snacks for the Wedding guests, and then poof, it's announcements time!

Have a great time!

Answer 8

I would say about half and hour after your wedding ceremony ends. You will have a brief "receiving line" time, but after that everyone will head to the reception. No one wants to be sitting around outside waiting for doors to open. The bridal party can take pics and be to the reception as cocktail hour is wrapping up.

Answer 9

25 minutes to a hour.

Considering it's only 5minutes away.