4 or 5 hours of cocktail hour/reception?

Do the cocktail hour! We did a first look and we still needed time after the ceremony for additional pictures. That wasn't part of the original plan, so I'm glad we had that "buffer" hour. If you don't need that time after the ceremony, you can mingle with your guests and enjoy your cocktail hour!

Also, ignore @Brea's advice.

My cousin didn't have a cocktail hour and had their ceremony at a church with a banquet hall reception. There was a couple hours between the ceremony and reception. We just went to a restaurant and had an appetizer and drinks with one of my Uncles. I didn't think twice about it. Do what you can afford - no cocktail hour needed.

Thanks everyone!

Would just champagne and hors devours at the cocktail hour be tacky?

I was debating the same thing this weekend. I think I'm doing a 5 hours- I keep thinking time will fly by and I'll be so sad to think I could have made the day last longer! We get one day, might as well enjoy it!

I'll be paying about the same for extra hour as you but we only have 30 guests!

My whole event was from 5 to 10.

I think it went really well- but I can tell you cocktail hour flew right the fuck by. we had cocktails from 5:30 to 7. But dinner for 30 people on a buffet line was over and done- we wrapped up pretty naturally by 9:30 and started drifting out by 10 and broke down and were out of the venue before 10:30.

Brea? Stop it. This is the second 'let them pay for it' post you've done today, and it's rude as fuck to make your guests pay. If you want YOUR guests to pay, they you can deal with the fallout, but don't advise others to make the same shitty choice.

There is nothing tacky about champagne and hors, but do have a non alcoholic option too.

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate it. We are going to do a cocktail hour for sure now!

And I just ignored Brea's post. It's too early for that nonsense! Lol