Party bus

Most people have 4-5 hour receptions, and nearly everyone has one hour for cocktail. That's why it's called cocktail hour - not cocktail two hours.

I would leave wiggle room on the back end. If you have the venue until midnight, end the reception at 11:30pm - 11:15pm even. Shit, go for 11pm. You could always have an after party.

ceremony 5:30-6pm

cocktail hour 6-7pm

reception 7pm-11pm

If your ceremony and reception are at two different locations, provide a gap b/w the ceremony and cocktail hour depending on the distance.

OP I have my venue til midnight as well and that's basically what we're doing. An evening ceremony at 6:30, 7-8 cocktail hour and 8-midnight reception.

I assume you only need the bridal party for a few pictures and the rest will be just you and your FH. Can the bus drop your bridal party off at cocktail hour once you get the pics you want of the bridal party while you are finishing up pictures? My FH has been in multiple weddings and has never missed the whole cocktail hour.

They are at the same venue! They have an on site wedding planner there that also works for the same company and I'm starting to question her now. I guess I didn't really know what the time frames are even supposed to be! She basically said as long as we have appetizers that it would be okay hence why we added them. But I am still concerned if we only have an hour it won't be enough time, but maybe I'm over estimating how long the picture will take?

@pickles I'm sure they could drop them back off! We have the bus for our entire cocktail hour and are paying a set amount for it for as many trips as we want during that time.

OP I'll just share with you that my step brother and his wife had a 2+ hour cocktail hour at their wedding and people were pissed. It's something that still gets talked about (in a bad way) almost 10 years later.

If you're worried about time for photos, do a first look so you can get a majority of the photos out of the way before the ceremony and then you'll only need a to get a few done during cocktail hour. Then you, your husband, and your bridal party can go to cocktail hour.

Or if you don't want to do a first look, get as many photos done with the bridal party before the ceremony and then you can do photos with your husband after the ceremony but let your bridal party go to cocktail hour after getting a few large group shots. You and your husband could drive around to wherever you were going to go for pictures then if you wanted and it would probably be within the hour you have for cocktail hour.

Two and a half hours is a LONG time. First of all, you probably don't need that many pictures. If you do, do a first look so that your guests aren't waiting that long. Your guests are going to be at your venue from 1:30-2:00-midnight. That is a long time. Especially those who have to travel, get ready, etc.

As far as the party bus goes, I was under the impression that you would also drive around during that time. 2.5 hours is a lot of time to take pictures while the rest of your guests are just hanging out. In that case, I would invite SO's. However, if you're only going to quickly take pictures, it's fine not to have them present. Every wedding that I've been in has used that time to get a party bus and take pictures as well as stop off at a bar or two. Those instances have always included SO's. So I guess it just comes down to what you will be using that time for.

Where are you going for your pictures? Is it far? If it is, I'd reconsider. Where I'm going is less than ten minutes away from our venue, but I'm doing a first look.

I went to a wedding where the cocktail hour was 2 hours. Things got awkward pretty quickly with people getting annoyed that it was that long.

FH doesn't want to do a first look at all, he said he doesn't want to see me in my dress or the morning of the wedding until I'm walking down the aisle. I don't think I can sway him otherwise. I'm actually getting pictures done on Saturday by our photographer so I'm going to talk to her then and see so I know if I am just thinking she will need way more time then she actually will.

I am gonna say if the party bus is for pictures then no, SO's don't need to be there (I was confused initially about what you meant). However, 2.5 hours is way too long for a cocktail hour. I would suggest doing a first look and getting pictures before, OR maybe staying onsite for pictures so it is quicker vs driving around to different locations for pictures since that can take up a lot of time.

Thats WAAAAAY too many effing pictures. It's just unnecessary. I didn't do a first look, because my husband didn't want to. And I'm not going to lie, I was a little worried we wouldn't get enough pictures. But we DID! My photographer only took pictures for about 30 minutes and we got a ton of great ones!!! And ultimately, you're only going to hang a few of them up in your house. We have one big one on the mantel and a handful of other sprinkled around.

There's only so many times/different ways you can pose in the same outfit. Just saying.

Cut back pictures to 45 minutes to an hour, and get that reception started. Or you'll have people irritated, furious, and leaving. Keep the food for cocktail HOUR. End the reception around 10:30 or 11. Trust me, you'll be freaking exhausted. Have an after party if you'd like at a bar close by. But for heavens sake, readjust that timeline.

I went to a wedding that did that...ceremony, 2.5 hour break with apps and beer, then reception all at a hotel. My college friends and I hadn't seen each other in awhile so we went to the rooms and got wasted. I think half of us were black out drunk by the reception.

Two and a half hours is far too long for cocktail "hour". I went to a wedding last fall and the ceremony ended at 3, the appetizers were served at 4 and dinner was at 6. Even with a photo booth it was boring af. I plan on extending the party bus invite to SOs and letting them decide if they want to come or go to cocktail HOUR.

Why do you need to travel somewhere else to take pictures?

2.5 hours. That is a nap plus.

@CMC - not sure if that's directed to me or OP, but I'm traveling to a park to take my pictures because the park is gorgeous AF. My venue, although beautiful, is limited with picture taking opportunities.

2.5 hours is a super long cocktail hour! Like previous posters have commented, the typical reception length is 4 hours, plus 1-1.5 hour cocktail hour, plus the ceremony. Even if you have a ton of time included in the venue rental, each additional hour you are hosting your guests will cost you more money in food and booze! I'd definitely eat a lot more appetizers if the cocktail hour was 2.5 hours The longest cocktail hour I've ever attended was 1.5 hours and I was getting antsy by the end of it!

If you guys are still dead-set against doing a first look, then I'd do a few things. First - take as many pictures as you possibly can before the ceremony. Both of your solo shots, detail pictures, and pictures with your respective family members and wedding parties. Second - ditch the party bus for the wedding party, you probably won't have enough time to drive around to multiple locations (each location means more time!). Third - make an iron-clad shot list and prioritize! Immediately following the ceremony finish up any family pictures left to take, then dismiss family to the cocktail hour, repeat with your wedding party, then finish with just pictures of the two of you!

@CMC - This is really popular with my friends from Philly! They rent a trolley and drive around taking pictures in a few different locations. I didn't love it as a bridesmaid, but I'm always trying to minimize my time spent taking pictures

@GymRat - Sorry, that was directed towards OP! In this case it sounds like a lot...renting a huge party bus, alotting 2.5 hrs, etc

Oh yea, for sure.