No cocktail hour

Ok, I know I can't ask questions within a post, but I'll say from reading comments it sounds like we would take pictures for awhile and then have enough time to see our guests and say hello for a bit and then proceed to dinner. I honestly thought, we would miss cocktail hour and that was just for the guests and we would still walk in during dinner time anyways. :0

So is your plan to have your guests eat dinner while you take pictures, and you just not eat? Or you eat after your guests do, so they are trying to congratulate you in between your bites?

Guests will not eat before you're there.....

I agree with at least a half hour is needed and then we can go from there. Thanks so much ladies for the explanation!

I wouldn't do this especially because you don't seem to have a good reason for forgoing it and a cocktail hour serves several purposes.

Even if you do a first look and take pictures before the ceremony, I still think cocktail hour is a good idea. It flies by, and gives you a chance to just breathe and have a moment as newlyweds. It's the only time that evening you'll get to be alone- take it!

We plan on having a super short 'cocktail hour'. I told our photographer that it is very important to us to actually enjoy our party and spend time with our families WITHOUT having a first look (we're traditional), so we are taking minimal photo's after the ceremony, and then having 3-4 hours of coverage for the reception. Those are the pictures that matter anyways

It is my understanding that the having the first look gives you the opportunity to mingle with your guest before your reception begins and it also gives you an opportunity to grab a little something to eat just encase you don't actually get to eat your full dinner due to your timeline at the reception. We are only doing the first look because the park that we chose closes before the ceremony is over and i am really in love with this park. It's really up to you guys on what you want.

Standard dinner party etiquette is that the guests don't start until the hosts do. So you'll have a roomful of people staring at a wilted salad.

We didn't do a cocktail hour for ours and also didn't do a first look. The venue and ceremony were a short distance (like across the street) from one another. We did all of our bridal party photos before the wedding (at least the ones that didn't require both of us), and did the others after the ceremony when the guests were heading to the reception site. The bar was open when they got there, as was our buffet dinner. It worked really well for us, because our photographer and DOC were super organized and on it with our picture time. And we even got a chance to eat dinner ourselves.

Huh? Why can't you ask questions within a post? Who says you can't?

Anyway, even though you only have a small wedding party, don't you want as many photos as possible with your FH? Although we did a first look, H and I took photos for 90 minutes (I paid for the time at a garden near the venue). I'm excited because now we'll have hundreds of photos. FYI I also had a tiny wedding party: 1 MOH, 1 best man, usher, ring bearer and two flower girls.

So even though we had a first look, during cocktail hour, we mostly stayed inside the bridal suite which allowed us to relax and breathe by ourselves. It's going to be a very long hectic day, you're going to wish you had time to chill. Trust me - the time is going to fly by.

Also.....FOOD. HELLO! lol

I think you could go straight to dinner IF you do photos beforehand. Otherwise, I would do a cocktail hour. Even for couples photos without any bridal party it is going to take at least 30 mins if you don't do any beforehand. Not to mention your family and BP to be in those pics. It's a good hour even with a small BP.

My sister did not do firstnlook and although she was able to enjoy the reception her wedding did not last so I refuse to give that portion up. My opinion though. I’m not doing cocktail hour either so I think that part you and you fh should do what you want