3 Hour Reception

I've been to one and I thought it was fine as a guest. I originally wanted to do this for myself, but now think it may be a little too hectic. Sorry I wasn't much help just wanted to let you know that your guests will still have a really good time even in such a short time.

I am doing a 4 hour reception. I don't think it will feel rushed partly because our wedding is super small.

What kind of reception are you planning on having? Dinner and dancing? Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres only? Are you planning to do a lot of "events"-- i.e., bouquet toss, garter toss, parent dances, etc?

It really depends on what's going on-- 3 hours could fly by or it could feel like a million years.

Mine is going to be 3.5-4 hours, it doesn't seem too rushed to me! I went to one that was only 3 hours long, and it was fine and fun. (But I was part of the go-team for set up and breakdown and had been up since 6 that morning, so I was ready for it to be over so I could get some grub )

Probably a buffet, can forgo bouquet tosses and such but would like the special dances (me and my dad, groom and his mother). I really just want a big fun party after all that with booze and dancing.

Also thought I should mention the one I attended with the three hour reception still had all the traditional dances, a bouquet toss, and a seated dinner. As a guest I thought it was an ideal time, but as a bride I plan on doing four hours for mine just to be safe.

3 hours for a guest will be fine. For you, I think it will fly by. Mine was 5 hours and ended at 11:00 pm. No one was ready to go home so we all partied at the hotel. I wish I had done a 6 hour just so the dancing could have lasted longer.

We're being kicked out after 4, plus 1 hour cocktail. We will have plenty of time. If you are doing buffett or stations I think 3 hours is plenty of time. Just work out a timeline so nothing seems rushed or out of place. We are doing first dance immediately following intro into reception to make that quicker. Doing toasts and father/daughter dance while others eat.

Ours will probably be about three hours. I'm saying 4pm on the invitations for the ceremony, but I'm sure it'll be more like 4:30. Get the reception going around 5. We have to be out of the park by 9, so I'm thinking people will probably start leaving around 8-8:30. We're having a potluck bbq reception, lawn games.....mostly just people mingling. No bouquet toss, or garter toss, none of those first dances or anything. It's just a big party, we're there to have fun!

I think it's fine but possibly consider trowing out a few of the traditional bouqet toss, garter, etc so guests can mainly just eat and party