How should the timings go on wedding day??

Question

im getting married on oct 4th at 4.30 in eve at a civil ceremony in a lovely hotel which ive been told will only take 30 min for the ceremony then photos after should take about 1hour 30 mins we should be havin about 60-70 guests at ceremony then another 70 odd in eve we not eatin our hog roast till eve people get there but im still wondering when the eve people should arrive as i dont want people hangin around bored waiting to be fed! also when should the we dish out the shampoo!! for toasting????? please help seriously!

Answer 1

While you're off getting pictures and your guests are at the reception, have music playing, appetizers being served, drinks, etc. That way they can mingle and enjoy a glass of wine or whatever before you arrive and dinner is served.

And I'm pretty sure you mean champagne, not shampoo.

Answer 2

I'd say... evening guests arrive at 7.30  (allwing u half an hour with day guests before they arrive)

Then u eat the roast at 8.30pm

Answer 3

about half 6, 7 o clock maybe?

Answer 4

I don't know, but don't you mean champagne?  You're using shampoo for toasting?  Weird.  

Answer 5

Well usually cocktail hour is held during the photo session and then you'd probally want dinner around 6:00 or 6:30.

Answer 6

I was going to answer this, until I saw your all-caps ranting about upper-class people calling champagne "shampoo." Then I figured out you really don't know what you're talking about.

You are pretty s****. for spending 1 hour 30 minutes taking pictures while your guests are waiting for the reception. Tell them to get there whenever you want to. And you can just show up when you feel like.

Obviously around 5:30-6 would be good for guests to get there if they get cocktails or what-not. Unless you are making them drive like an hour away as well.

Answer 7

Sounds from your own timings that your photographer should be done by 6.30 (but see link below for advice on photographers) so this could be a good time to start your champagne reception.  Bear in mind that people turn up at different times.  If you were to allow 90 minutes for the drinks reception, this would take you up to 8.00 for food service.  

You mention that this is a hog roast - presumably with some buffet-style accompaniments?  If so, you're probably looking at another 90 minutes for everyone to have been served and eaten (this will depend on the numbers of staff the hotel provide to service your buffet/hog roast)- which gives you a 9.30 first dance (or next activity).