Timeline Struggles.

It depends on your priorities. Does the 3 hours include the entire event or just the reception? If you have cake and coffee and greet guests with no dancing, toasts or other festivities, then you can do 3 hours with no problem. Dinner on its own will take up the majority of the short reception, and there is no way to get through all the tables if you plan to greet guests that way. Even at an industry standard 4 hour reception that has dinner and dancing (and dancing is limited because there is no time), couples only get through half the tables because they don’t want to greet guests during cocktail hour or dismissing rows at the ceremony that takes 20 minutes tops. When that happens, the guests who are not approached feel left out like they are not important.

Are you having a meal? 3 hours is tight in that case. If you’re just doing appetizers, finger foods, or dessert, 3 is plenty. Mine lasted about 3 1/2.


If you’re concerned on timing, could you do your pre-wedding pictures at a nearby picturesque location instead of the actual venue?