Invitation start time...

I was late for a wedding once; but like 5 minutes. We didn't go in & just showed up at the reception when that started. We didn't want to interrupt the wedding at all.

Welllllll....find out later that they started at least 20 minutes late & the guests weren't happy about sitting around that long.

I'm still for starting at the time listed on the invite for the ceremony. If guests feel they can just pop in at any point during the ceremony...that's on them :o

We put ours at the time that we intended to start, and we started at this time. Some people were late, but it didn't bother me.

I put the actual time. I had some friends come late and they were not allowed into the ceremony area. Not a big deal. I saw them at the reception.

My venue told us to put a 4pm invite time for our 4:30pm ceremony. The venue welcomed them with champagne.

We put the actual start time on the invitation even though our Church said the same thing. We absolutely started on time- literally the second the clock hit 5:30 music started and the first person was walking down the aisle. Did people straggle in late? Sure, but our coordinator held them until the processional was done, then guided them down the outer aisles. No one even noticed.

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We put the actual start time, we started precisely on time, and everyone was there on time in their seats - no problems whatsoever with lateness.

You could use the promptly statement. My parents are always late and they aren't late for weddings. Usually people come 15-30 minutes before the start time. I always get mad if the wedding doesnt start when it says it should.

I think this is a regional thing. We're getting married in NYC on a Friday evening. Our planner told us to write 6 on the invite but start at 6:30 because people inevitably will get stuck in traffic even though they had all the best intentions of getting there on time. However, we will have the bar open for beer and wine from 6-6:30

My family is like yours. My ceremony start time is at 2:30 and That's what was placed on the invitation. I took another brides advice not to punish does whi make it on time by naking them wait for everyone else

Love this thread bc I was feeling somewhat uncertain. Our ceremony is starting at 6pm sharp and I put 6pm on the invite. After speaking to a few other people, they said I should have put 5:30. I disagree bc the start time is the start time. People should know to come sooner, no?!

Our ceremony starts at 6:00 and that's the time we are putting on our invitations. Anyone who is late will kindly be asked to wait.

Our (Catholic) church wedding coordinator suggested that. Our ceremony will start at 2 pm but my invitation states 1:30 pm. We will use the 30 minutes for our photographer and videographer to take pictures/video of the guests as they arrive.

I've thought about this as well but I am putting the actual start time for the ceremony. What I will do though on my insert card is note that the church is street parking only. I'm *hoping* this prompts people to arrive a bit early in time to find parking.

On my invites, I put:

Seating to begin at 1:00 PM

Ceremony to begin at 1:15 PM

This could solve your whole problem

I'm interested to see so many people appalled by putting an earlier time, I thought that was standard procedure? I'm pretty sure our venue suggested we put a half hour ahead of time (I haven't gotten that far into the process).

I went to a wedding last month that listed a half hour early and we just chatted and filled out the guest book until they told us to take our seats.

We wrote the actual start time (5:30). Out of 160 guests about 6 guests showed up at 5:25 as I was entering the building through a separate entrance. 3 guests were late and had to sneak in or watch from the doorway. They felt guilty but it didn't make a difference to us and it definitely wouldn't have been worth making everyone else wait for them.

Jillian, it's a etiquette faux pas to put an earlier time on. It leaves guests hanging for that amount of time. It would also make you look like the late one!

We are starting at 2 pm and that's what the invite says but I'm having a few special songs played giving people a few extra minutes to get settled