Wedding day timeline

I'm doing only 1 hour in between ceremony and reception. That's the cocktail hour and we will be taking photos at that time.

If it's 30 minute drive for you between ceremony and reception - I would anticipate a 1 hour travel time. You'll have to account for unforeseen traffic or people getting lost or things like that. then if you're doing cocktail hour that's another hour there, so you could do a 2-2.5 hour break and your guests won't be bored and will be there when you get there. In terms of maximum, I think that anything more than 3 hours would be too much because some people are uncomfortable in wedding dress and don't want to just sit around doing nothing for hours or potentially ruining their outfit.

Do you plan to have a cocktail hour? a 30 minute drive sounds fine tbh.

View quoted message I wasn't going too but I think I will have too. I don't want them to get bored

View quoted message I like that timeline that's more what I was thinking of doing as well

Are you doing a cocktail hour at the reception? You could have the cocktail hour start about 30 minutes after the ceremony. That way if people want to go straight there, they can and have a bit of entertainment/something to do.

Typically you/bridalparty/family will need 1.5hours for photos.

I’m getting married just outside of Sherwood Park and our reception is at a hall in southeast Edmonton. We have a 4 hour break between the end of our ceremony and when doors open at the hall. We figure people can go grab lunch (our ceremony will be over at about 12/12:30) or they can go back to their hotel rooms or whatever. 2/3 of my bridesmaids will have young children, so they’re all going to the one’s apartment and putting the little ones down for a nap. I’ve seen it where couples do most of their pictures before hand, and there is no break between the ceremony and reception. They just do the rest of their photos at cocktail hour. Your break can be however long or short you want it to be.

View quoted message No problem good luck!

View quoted message It was what ultimately convinced us to do West Ed. Was so we didn’t have to worry about the time in between to take photos lol. Ok, I guess I’ll get on finding a photographer. Thank you!

View quoted message It is! It’s helpful for your timeline though as I wasn’t sure as well and then when we had our engagement photos done I asked and it helped clear things up!
Id be happy to have a gap at west ed lol there’s so many things to keep people entertained!

View quoted message I guess I better get on hiring a photographer!! It’s Such a hard choice to make!

View quoted message I would ask your photographer, ours said to leave 2-2.5 hours for pictures so we have 2.5 hours in between.

I'm letting everyone go the the reception hall right after the ceremony while we get pictures done because they aren't from there so they can have drinks and food while they are waiting for us but we will be an hour and a half with pictures

I find this really hard to figure out too! I wanted to do 2.5 hours between. Our ceremony and reception are at the same location. We are getting married at west edmonton mall in the hotel, so I figure there’s a lot for people to do between. The only reason why I wanted so much time between is because we are going to have to leave to go get photos done. Maybe I should cut down the time between.

Mine is an hour and a half. The problem I'm having is it will be in a town that no one lives so I don't know what they will be doing with that time. Its not like they can go home.

I timed it so that I would have enough time to do my pictures, so I'm giving myself 1.5-2hrs.

I would say at least an hour, incase people decide to stop for a coffe or snack, or run home to pick up a forgotten item. And an hour and a half at the most. That is probably plenty of time for everyone to arrive and get seated/mingle.