Anyone opt out of doing cocktail hour?

My husband and I don’t drink. So eliminating cocktail hour was easy.

View Quoted Comment My fiancé and I don’t drink either as we live a fitness lifestyle but the majority of our friends and family don’t share that same lifestyle which is totally fine

We're not doing it. Pretty much as soon as the reception is over the party starts! While the food is being set up and chairs moved from ceremony to the tables we'll take pictures and if people want some drinks then they'll be available

I am skipping the cocktail hour but as I am not having actual hard liquor at my wedding. I am having a 30-45 minute period after the vows so we can take pics. I am having a minimal amount of food and people can grape a soft drink or some wine...eek

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Are you having your ceremony and reception in the same space?

View Quoted Comment Yes. same place

We are after the wedding for a hour.

Skipping it all together.
I've only been to one wedding with a cocktail hour, so I didnt find it necessary.

I feel you on what you’ve come up with for responses — cocktail hour is great in your case as it allows guests to arrive and filter in at their leisure and while you finish up pics and make your way over. But I did want to mention— there’s no reason it *has* to last for a whole hour! Having a little mingle time is great, but it can be just 30 min or 45 or whatever works for you! Didn’t see that come up here yet so wanted to mention it. Nothing wrong with keeping it short and sweet (as long as you don’t have to stress rushing through pics )

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Great suggestion!! I'll keep that in mind as I'm arranging the times with both venues

Cocktail times used to be short, if there were any at all. More people did receiving lines. More got all but bride and groom shots done just before the wedding, or even pulled aside for a half hour during dancing. Until the recent trends, to spend up to an hour away from guests, only 20-30 minutes was spent on photos immediately after the ceremony, usually. Over the past decade, an hour with no host at the party has increased the time of cocktail hour, for most weddings now. If a cocktail time exists, the couple should be there for at least half the time. And any time, as many photos as possible should be taken ahead of time, leaving only bride and groom shots for after the ceremony. That said, it is fine not to have any cocktail time, and start the main reception immediately. Most weddings used to. But the couple must be present, not off elsewhere.

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Thanks for the input! To cut some time after the ceremony I suggested to my fiance if we should do first look photos before the ceremony, but he likes the tradition of first seeing me when I walk down the aisle so that idea is out. We will try to work most other photo shots prior to the ceremony to cut down on some time.

We are skipping cocktail hour altogether. We will have a first look and most pictures done pre ceremony and will only do a few pics after. Our officiant will open the buffet while we finish up and by the time the last table is seated and eating we will do our grand entrance.

My ceremony and reception are in the same spot. And we have only 3 hrs for reception so instead of a cocktail hour I’m doing a “cocktail mingle” for about 30 minutes just so we can finish up some family pics. All the other pics will be before the ceremony and a first look will be done.

We aren't doing a cocktail hour just going straight into the reception. As for pictures we will get some before the ceremony and during and the ones after will happen has people are leaving the church and heading to the reception. If we don't get pictures with everyone then then we can at the reception.