Is Cocktail Hour Necessary???

It depends on how long you will be taking pictures. If it's going to be an hour or less between the time the guests arrive at the venue and the time they are eating dinner, I think cheese and crackers is enough, but any longer and people get cranky.

It depends on what time your wedding is. Like ceremony at 2 or 2:30, people need to eat before that, and then are STARVING while you take pictures. I think you need to have a cocktail hour.

What would your guests do during pictures if you don't have a cocktail hour?

Will you have something to keep your guests occupied while you are taking pictures? It would be okay to omit cocktail hour but in order to ensure you get to eat you'll want to wait to start the buffet until you are able to join your guests. As long as they aren't sitting with nothing to eat / drink or anything to do for an hour you can get rid of it.

Edit: I may have misread- are you just omitting fancy apps but still having the bar open and having cheese and crackers? That would count as a cocktail hour in my book.....

We are taking most of our pics before the weeding (first look also) and nixing the cocktail hour. We will serve cocktails when they arrive for the ceremony and right after the ceremony we will head in and begin serving wine, cocktails and the first course.

I'm assuming you won't need to travel to your reception? If not, it may not be necessary.

I don't think its necessary if you aren't having a long time between ceremony and dinner. We had about a 30-40 minute gap but we still provided a few apps and drinks just to give them something to do. Was it necessary? Probably not but it didn't cost that much more and I felt the guests would appreciate it.

Wait, you'll still have the fruits, cheeses and crackers and open bar? Thats fine, no need to have additional hors d'oeuvres

The guest would be mingling and eating from the cheese display and the bar would be open so they would be able to have drinks. Our wedding is at 1:00 so we scheduled the buffet to open up after we are announced so between 2-2:15.

Pictures would be less than 30mins Im sure.

Jamila B- No, we will have our ceremony and reception at the same venue.

Tiffany, if you have the cheese display and will only have 30 minutes for pictures you should be good!

@Blair- thats what I was thinking too. At first I just wanted to make sure ppl wouldnt get hungry waiting for us, but now I am rethinking.

@FMC- Thanks! I think I am going to talk to our planner to make the change.

I agree with the ladies above if it's not going to take too long for pics then cheese, crackers, and fruit platters will be more than enough. In fact, that is EXACTLY what we'll be having during cocktail hour since ours we'll be about 30-45 minutes as well, just enough time for family photos (We're doing a first look as well so all of our bridal party pics as well as most of ours will be taken care of.)

Yeah, for my wedding we are having a 1.5 hours of cocktails and food. Some of the food at the cocktail hour is going to be just the start of a night full of eating for my family. We are gunna take pictures awhile while the cocktail hour is going on.

I think lite apps would be appropriate. I'm going to assume the bulk of your guests are adults and unlike children, we grown ups won't fill up on the apps and be too full for dinner like the kiddos would do. LOL

Thanks ladies!