Is 3:30-4pm Too Early For Dinner?

I don't think so.

I wouldn't mind eating at 4pm

I would personally rather eat dinner at 5. If your venue will let you push everything later I would do that but it's ultimately up to you!

If you have the ability to move the ceremony forward, do so. My ceremony is at 4, doing a cocktail half hour, first dances, then dinner will be served at 5:30.

We're having our ceremony at 3 p.m. and dinner starts at 5, but I don't think that 4 is too early to eat.

If there's a (catered) meal in front of me, it's going in my mouth regardless of what time it is.

Most of the receptions I attend do not serve dinner as soon as we are seated. There's usually at least 30 - 40 minutes of introductions, dances, visiting the bar, and socializing. Just do some of those things first and dinner will be closer to 5:00 than 4:00 (although 4:00 wouldn't bother me).

I don't think it's too early, but 3:00 would be better.

That is my timeline.. I don't think it is early at all.. it is your wedding do what will make you happy

Personally, that is too early for me. My FH is Italian (grew up in Firenze) so we eat lunch at 2 and dinner at 8. So I guess it would be late lunch for me?

I'd make it work, though.

I don't think eating dinner at 4 is an issue. I am having my ceremony at 3 and planning on eating around 4:30-5:00ish, so I think 4 is fine.

I mean, I'll eat whenever lol, but I think that's a bit early. 4pm is a midday snack for me. 5pm is better.

Dinner wouldn't be right away, if your reception starts at 4. It would be closer to 5.

Food is good at any time. Better too early than too late

I think if you can move your ceremony back to 3, that would be better, only to give you and your guests an extra hour to get ready. If the reception starts at 5, dinner would be served closer to 5:30-5:45 which is more appealing to me so that I'm not getting hungry again by 10:30

I'd find it odd as a guest.

Is there a reason for a 2pm start?

I would rather push it back so dinner can start at 6pm or 7pm.

We are doing 5 pm ceremony and dinner starts at 7pm with cocktail hour in between.

How late will your reception go? If dinner is served that early, can you have your caterer bring out some snacks a few hours later?

I prefer eating earlier, so I wouldn't mind it. Centerpiece is right though... If your reception starts at 4:00, that doesn't mean people are eating then. Introductions, dances, and toasts might happen first, so it could very well end up being closer to 4:30-5:00 by the time food is served.

We have the hotel up to 1am based on the contract. There isn't a set reason to start at 2, just really wanted to maximize the time we are allowed to use the space. I felt if starting after 5, we'd only have less time to enjoy my beautiful venue. My family and friends like to party, so I thought it would be nice to get the formalities out the way (ceremony and reception) and have more time for a HUGE party/after-party. But I'm not set in stone either!