Buffer time for start of Ceremony?

View Quoted Comment I had no idea. The timeline was proposed by my caterer. 5pm, guests arrive. 5:30, ceremony. I've always been taught its rude to show up to anything early and I know my family would definitely not show up before 5:15 for a 5pm start time, but I will discuss with the caterer further and rethink this!

I like the 30min buffer and am considering this myself

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Well you know your crowd best! I think that it depends on the venue too. Like in a church, there's nothing to do except wait, so it's not like other people's examples on here where they are going to have drinks and refreshments for people. My wedding will not be in a church but in a chapel right next to our reception venue, so I wouldn't have them wait around for half an hour.

View Quoted Comment This is exactly how we do it in my circle, too. I will have music and cocktails. Everything is inside so sun/heat/cold won't be an issue.

I feel kind of had now because I would never show up on time, and especially not early, for something like this. I'm usually ~5 minutes late to give the hosts a little buffer time. I was raised that this was expected and polite.

I’m not doing a buffer time. If adults can’t get them self somewhere a few minutes early and be prepared for my start time that’s on them. My ceremony is scheduled for 4pm and that’s when it will start. If they arrive late they can wait until cocktail hour to join us. People won’t walk in to the ceremony late, it’s distracting

Feel a little bad*

As someone with family that also runs on island time, and who is also from South Florida, add the buffer. My family has a mindset of "weddings don't start on time" and they aim to be there by 30 minutes after the invite time. Maybe not a full 30 minutes, but pad the timeline with at least 15. If your VIPs arent there within the 15 min buffer you can push it to 30 if necessary. We have a 15 min buffer built in only because my immediate family will be travelling with me to the venue. Even so, I would not be surprised if we start later than planned. Let's face it, things happen.
You can offer light entertainment for guests who arrive early: have your dj or ceremony musician play light music, offer fruit infused water, the mariachi band would be great! The only thing I would say you absolutely should not do is have them sitting outside in the heat if you have an outdoor wedding. If that's the case plan for an indoor or coveree staging area with the water station and move them to the ceremony area when you are ready to start the ceremony.

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Yeah, I too didn't realize it was so out of the norm to start a little later. Interesting to see the other perspective. I grew up in South Florida, mainly around a lot Carribean and Latin persons, so almost no one shows up really early to things. I actually had someone native to Miami tell me that in Miami it's almost considered rude to arrive early to a party because the hosts are usually still getting things buttoned up and ready, as you said. My mother's family however is definitely more punctual, so they're the ones I imagine arriving early, and the only reason I thought to pose this question.

I didn't imagine people would actually get "pissed" at waiting 15-30 min. But it's good to know!

View Quoted Comment Thank you!! It's definitely a "know your crowd" situation. If you know your gusets are always tardy, take it into consideration. If been to one wedding that started on time and many seats were empty. Every wedding in my family had people still arriving 15 to 20 minutes past the invite time.
For those saying they'd be pissed as a guest, be pissed. Even if the bride did plan to be there on time, something may have happened the day of and she runs late. I was a bridesmaid in a wedding that ran two hours late and it wasn't intentional. Are you planning to interrogate the bride at the reception to ask whether she had a buffer? No. She shows up, everyone enjoys the wedding and goes home.

I guess I am the opposite and find it extremely disrespectful to show up late.

This is one of the things I thought of as we were planning the timeline, my family is always late and I have a fairly large bridal party plus 4 kids of my own so something is bound to make us a little late lol so we are doing a welcome cocktail set up so guests who come early have a chance to mingle get a drink maybe cheese and fruit but 30 mins before the ceremony and that's all the extra time we felt was necessary but that is worded on our website and will be on the invites

I put the actual start time on my invites but on the details card I wrote "Ceremony starts at 4:30. Please arrive early to find your seat."

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Don't do this. People know to arrive early for a wedding, so if you do this people will arrive around 4:45 and be sitting around for 45 minutes. I'd be irked.

My invites will have a seating time and a ceremony time 30 minutes later. Since we are doing online RSVPs, my website repeats the times and is specific that I will be walking down the aisle at 5pm sharp.