How many hours did you book your Venue?

I don't know if this helps but we have a 1hr cocktail hr followed by four hours of reception, but if your clean-up time counts towards your time then maybe add an hour?

We had our venue for 5 hours and our time line went like this.

4:00-4:30 ceremony

4:30-5:30 cocktail hour (while we took pics)

5:30-6:30 dinner (did the BP walk in-introductions and toasts here)

6:30-9:00 formal reception and dancing (we did the special dances, cake cutting and bouquet toss during this time)

I thought the 5 hours wouldn't be enough time, but it was perfect. It was early enough that the hard core folks went out to a bar afterwards. But hubby and I made our exit at 9:00 to head to our wedding night at the resort we booked!

We have our venue for 5 hours as well.

Cocktail hour is 1-2 and the reception is from 2-6

Our venue wasn't by the hour. Our ceremony-outside/reception-inside are at the same location. Ceremony begins a 5-530 and we have to be out of the bldg by 12am.

We have a 5.5 hour time from the time I arrive and the last guest leaves.

5:30 = bride and BM's arrive and get dressed

6:00 = Groom and GM's arrive and finish getting ready

6:30 = few pictures

7:00 = ceremony

7:30 = start or reception

11:00 = last guest leaves.

We can add another hour if we want for extra cost-- but I think by 11pm we are going to be ready to start the honeymoon

We have ours for 5 hours,

4-4:30 guests arrive and seated

4:30-5 ceremony

5-6 cocktail

6-9 Reception

If you're CC is responsible to clean and that is included in the time, then I think you should be fine if you end everything by 11, but it's all depend on hour much time you want for dancing.

if you start at 5, your timelime can go like this:

5-6 ceremony

6-7 cocktail

7-11 reception

11-12 clean up

To me that's enough but it's all up to you

Our venue gives us 4 hours but we can add an hour for $750, so originally it was 4-8 but we are planning on adding 1 hour so 4-9. I think it will look a little like this:

3:45: Guests arrive and sit

4:00: Ceremony

4:30: Take pictures/cocktails

5:00: Reception begins

5:05: Guest dinner

6:15: First Dance

6:18: Open floor

6:45: Toasts/Cakecutting

7:00: Open floor

7:30 Bouquet & Garter

7:35: Open floor

9:00: Reception ends

I think if you have a cocktail hour and a seated dinner, you probably want about five hours. If you are doing something other than a full meal, but are having dancing, you probably want about four hours. If you are having only a meal with no dancing, you probably want about two to three hours. Set-up and clean-up time would be in addition to that.

We were lucky. Because our venue was a private club, and had no other activities going on that night, we were basically able to stay as long as we wanted.

THe first time around, we had our venue for 6 hours. The bar closed for dinner hour.

This time around, thankfully, we have no time constraints when it comes to booze or DJ. HOwever, our caterer will take rentals away at 9:00(4.5 hours into it). This is fine because the venue has glassware and we are bringing in good plastic in case there is leftover from the buffet/cake/dessert tray,etc. This way the guests can help themselves again when the midnight drunk munchies roll around.

Thank you for all of the replies. This helps a lot. We are planning a short ceremony, cocktails, dinner, dancing, and an hour before we end having an expresso bar. Most of his side are Correctional Officers and he has already said they will all head to a local bar afterward so I don't think we need to party up until midnight at the venue. One other question? How much time did it take for the caterer to set up?

But did that include setting up and cleaning up?