How long is too long for a cocktail hour?

I always just assumed cocktail hour is about an hour. After an hour your guests have already gotten a drink or two and have eaten probably most of your appetizers. I would say anything more than an hour and a half is too long, and that's still pushing it.

I went to a wedding recently where the cocktail "hour" was almost 2 hours, which would've been fine, except the passed h'orderves were almost non-existent and I was getting hangry!

An hour to an hour and a half max is usually ideal...any longer and some guests get a little antsy. Some may also leave.

1-2h as long as there is plenty of food and drinks. Or, it has to be done by 7pm. If I haven't gotten dinner by then, I'm leaving to get my own.

I think 1-1.5 hours is standard. Just don't run out of food and drinks!

Ok-- what type of food? Fruit and veggie trays or something more substantial? Also how much per guest?

I'd say 90 minutes is a good max...especially depending on your guests and how much they like to drink. I worked a wedding as a catering staff where the cocktail hour was 2 hours--plenty of food but there was decent amount of people who were trashed beyond the point of it being fun or funny.

I would do more than just fruit and veggie trays. We're doing avocado spring rolls, mac and cheese bites, artichoke and spinach stuffed mushrooms, bacon wrapped scallops, and a large veggie tray.

Anything over an hour is too long. I feel like as the hosts, the bride and groom need to show some consideration for their guests, and disappearing during a chunk of their party is pretty rude. Yeah, they've got things to do, but they need to be mindful.

Yep, definitely try to do more than just veggies and fruit. We're doing fruit, crackers, cheese, and ceviche w/chips. I'd do more, but our timeline is pretty quick and we're eating dinner immediately after cocktail hour, so I don't want to overdo it.

As far as how much per person? Yeah.....totally haven't started figuring that out yet.

We figured 4-5 pieces per guest. That is what our venue suggested. People are going to be mingling and will know dinner is coming, so you don't need to have TOO much.

I agree with previous posters. I would try and keep it as close to an hour as possible.. Most certainly no more than two. IMO I would say you need something more substantial than fruit and veggies. For example, our cocktail hour was an hour and we had shrimp cocktail, bite size conch fritters, bacon wrapped chicken skewers, and fish dip on a wanton... and an open bar. My caterer based it on each person having at least two of every option.. you can do the math lol

ETA: spelling

60 minutes if all you have is something like crackers and cheese. 90 minutes if you have full passed apps (but even then, by 90 minutes I'm definitely AWARE that the bride & groom haven't returned).

1 hour unless the drinks are easily accessible and there is plenty of food. If they have to stand in a long line with one bartender making drinks for 150 guests and there are 2 servers walking around with small trays of appetizers then you'll have grumpy guests after your 2 hour cocktail session. I, personally, would like an 1.5 hours for pictures after the ceremony and so we'll have a bartender and the event coordinator making drinks for those who want cocktails or beer, servers walking around with trays of red and white wine so that everyone can easily get drinks, there will be passed appetizers and an appetizer station, and the ceremony musicians will continue through cocktail hour. I don't think that anyone will be missing us. LOL. With all this I still plan on having it be no longer than 1 hour 15 minutes and then having the reception area opened up so that everyone can move inside and find there seat (allowing an additional 15 minutes here for all to get situated) and then we'll enter.

It depends. At weddings where I don't know anyone besides FH...an hour max. Even though we end up meeting new people, it's just not the same as when you're hanging with close friends and family. An hour max with up to 15 additional minutes to move folks into the dinner space.

I went to a wedding that had apps and live music during cocktail hour. It ran almost 2 hours and even with the entertainment and food... People were obviously getting antsy. 3 hours? I'd go home.

1.5 hours is the norm here, unless you're talking brunch.

An hour.

I went to one that was longer - I wasn't a fan of the hors'd. selection and I nursed one soda, the whole time (by choice).

I went to a cousin's wedding that only had a half hour, for the cocktail time, and it seemed too long to me. They only had 3 passed hors'd. and my family was only offered one of them. My sister didn't like it and I really wasn't a fan, but ate one anyway, to avoid chewing on the napkins.

A friend married a few months after me and her cocktail hour food spread was so big, that I've actually attended weddings where guests don't get offered that much food, over the entire evening.

We did 2 hours for ours but looking back it wasn't the way I would do it if I could do it over again. I had been told that if I really wanted formal pics with the families and posed pics with DH then I needed 2 hours for pics. We had drinks for the first hour and then a really generous spread for the second hour. The food situation was fine because the wedding was at 4, it started on time, and the ceremony was only like 15 minutes. So people were being fed by 5:00 and we told them the schedule ahead of time. But in the end we really didn't need the full 2 hours for pics. We *could* have been done in an hour, though we would have rushed a bit, and if we had just planned for an hour and maybe gone 10-15 minutes over we would have been totally fine. The benefit was we walked around the area and got what I hope will be some great shots, but the downside was I think it zapped peoples energy a bit. We ended up telling the caterer that if they were ready they could serve dinner early. They were and we did dinner like 15-20 minutes before we planned which was nice. I would advise that if you are doing it all in one place only have a one hour cocktail hour and if it's going to be longer maybe have an activity for people.

It certainly depends on how much food, drink, entertainment and seating you have. Anything over an hour and the apps need to be heavy and constant. The drink (easier to manage bc you can sip what you like vs. being forced to pick from whats being passed around as in with the food) so just make sure there is a solid variety and good wine. As far as entertainment, soft music is good, and a larger guest list allows for more mingling. But if you only have 50 ppl anything over an hour is a bit much. My FH would tell you to have some cigars in a courtyard for guest who like them, it passes time and makes for good conversation even among strangers. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY seating. Usually there is very limited seating during happy hour and thats ok. but not for over an hour. So if you're going over an hour: photobooth or backdrop for photos, good drink selections, ample seating, constant food. I probably wont complain esp if the food is served quickly once we are inside the reception.