Things for guests to do during cocktail hour?

Mocktails?

People will be fine socializing. The hour will go by quickly even without alcohol.

Since you won't be having alcohol, maybe offer some kind of "mocktail" for your guests. Both you and your FH can choose a signature drink for each of you to offer. I think if you have that with the appetizers, and have some nice music playing in the background, they should be fine just mingling for an hour.

Adults are fine socializing.

Also, about this finger paint guestbook: make sure you fully think this through before you commit to it. It sounds messy. Your guests will be dressed up and most probably won't want to get covered in paint. I know some brides on here have had problems with those thumbprint tree guest books because guests don't want to even put ink on their hands.

Passed aps, and mocktails with background music. you should be fine, there will be plenty of people to talk.

Cut the video camera if your paying for it and provide alcohol?

I wouldn't do the finger paint thing as a guest just too risky. Look into theknot.com they have some ideas there as well. I have seen some people have a polaroid camera during cocktail hour and let the guest do like there own photo shoot, less pricey but fun. People tend to like to do things that involve them personally.

Ok scratch the fingerpaint idea-- I don't know why I typed that. I meant something like either a guestbook quilt or a guestbook wall art where they can just write their well wishes or advice or whatever. That way it's both functional and beautiful-- it's not just a book we're going to put on a shelf and never look at again.

Oh, and we were considering buying a handful of disposable cameras and giving them to guests to play around with. Since there won't be any kids there, I'm not too worried about photos of random things being taken. That way there is both a photographer and then the guests can have fun with pictures too.

They will be fine with what you have. They will probably just stand around and talk with people, anyways. It's a good time to catch up with family you haven't seen in a while.

Could you take most of your pictures before the ceremony and skip the cocktail hour?

Honestly, I'd feel more uncomfortable things being organized. The things you have listed just sound like things you'd expect at a wedding anyways so I think those will be fine, I wouldn't get to much more organized than that. Adults will socialize and entertain themselves, even without alcohol

JP+AP, I would except that we aren't having a traditional reception- with dancing and partying all night.. it's just going to be a formal three course meal and then mingling/ hanging out afterwards. We are having a string quartet for the entire day so if guests want to get up and dance, then that's a possibility but otherwise, it's going to make for a short day. We've booked the quartet til 8pm so I feel like, if we cut out the cocktail hour, that it'll be the shortest wedding in history. Plus, I'd like to take the pictures in the early evening, anyway...

My guests socialized just fine (I asked a few people). I had apps and a mocktail station for them (syrup station for the sodas).

Then I think mocktails and passed apps will be plenty!

You're good just leaving them to socialize as long as you have some refreshments for them. No entertainment is necessary. It's the first hour -- nobody's going anywhere. Keeping the party going may be more challenging as the night goes on (you can bank on a three hour mocktail hour/dinner/reception with no alcohol, but after that, some of your guests might start to get a little restless and say their goodnights), but for that hour that would normally be a cocktail hour, just let them do what people do.

I'd want wine and that would be enough.

Mocktails are a great idea!

People will mingle, snack and have their beverages..Id let them be.