I may have posted this a while back, not sure.... I wanted to ask some opinions on a start time for the reception. Here's the situation.... it's the Day Before Thanksgiving which could mean good AND bad things... some people are off already, and some places make it mandatory that you work that day or else you don't get holiday pay. My hall is on the water so I wanted to do a mid afternoon time so that we could watch the sun go down over the water. That would mean a time of around 4. Then I thought... well maybe do 5 or 6 so people can have time to get out of work. But in all honesty... I don't want to do it too late because I want time for my new hubby and I to relax afterwards being that the next day is Thanksgiving...Also, keep in mind that anyone that was coming to the church would have to take off or leave early anyway....HELP! I need your opinion!
This is an actual table shot of our place when the sun goes down... isn't it gorgeous!
Laura1976
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Re: Need help planning reception time
Even though watching the sun go down would be beautiful, there's a lot of traffic that day too. You might want to leave a little extra time for people to get out of work and time to get to the reception.
CaCRmr
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Re: Need help planning reception time
Can't see the pic. Is your ceremony at the hall?
DayBeforeThanksgiving
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Trying to post pic now... Do you guys know what size file it needs to be?
i love the idea of the day before thanksgivig but not sure you can much ealier then 530 or 6. some people are out some are not. if you were the day after that would be ok to do earlier. whatever you chose just remeber who will be there are the people who want to be there and mean the most. :)
hmm8191
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Re: Need help planning reception time
If people really want to come they will. Do it when you want to!!
DayBeforeThanksgiving
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Ok, I know that I keep nagging about this, but I figured I'd bump it one more time to get a few more opinions.... Ladies, please let me know what time you think is best....
bump
RedRoses
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Re: Need help planning reception time
What time is the church? Wouldn't people already be out for that?
eogara
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Are you getting married at the hall or somewhere else?
You should keep in mind that the day before Thanksgiving is the worst traffic day of the entire year.
laughinlala
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Re: Need help planning reception time
Posted by hmm8191
If people really want to come they will. Do it when you want to!!
I agree!
GoingNutty
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Re: Need help planning reception time
Sun goes down early in November... but it might not be a bad idea to start the reception a little earlier than most people would because people might want to be home early to start getting Thanksgiving prepared.
CLM is beautiful anytime of day!! LOL
DayBeforeThanksgiving
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Re: Need help planning reception time
We haven't set the church time yet either. We are still trying to decide what time for the reception then we'll book the church. I agree with making it early because of Thanksgiving, but there seems to be a lot of people posting for 7pm.
12-3Princess
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Re: Need help planning reception time
I posted for 7 because I really don't know many people who have that day off! Most people I know get Thursday and Friday but not that wednesday.
That said, it IS your wedding and you should do what makes you happiest. Guests who want to be there, will be there. You just must keep in mind that some people can't get off work early even if they really want to!
nferrandi
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Re: Need help planning reception time
This is off the topic of start times, but are you planning on prpviding any kind of transportation for your guests? In addition to that Wednesday being the biggest traffic day, they are also TONS of DWI stops at night. I would tell your guests to be extremely careful about how much they drink.
randella
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Re: Need help planning reception time
Posted by hmm8191
If people really want to come they will. Do it when you want to!!
I agree-- if I have a wedding away or something- I usually always leave early on Fri due to travel or whatvever-- peeople will know in advance and let their superiors at work know they need to be somewhere.
Every job I have ever had- people can leave at 3 the latest- some leave before cause they have travel plans..
littlewilson
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Re: Need help planning reception time
Hmmm, it's really a tough call.
You can start the reception at 7 (and the ceremony at 6, or earlier?) and hope that some of your guests will be able to get out of work early enough to make it to the reception, if not the ceremony. I would have to take a half-day off to make it to a 7:00 wedding on a work day, but maybe some folks work close to the event and/or get out of work relatively early.
OR...you can do the complete opposite - start everything as early as possible - for a couple of reasons. For one, some people will have to take off from work (even if just a half-day) if they want to make it to your ceremony no matter which time you choose. For those people, it may not make much of a difference if the ceremony is at 6, or if it's much earlier, like at 2. The second thing is that this is the night before Thanksgiving - a) people will have lots of preparation and cooking to do that night, and b) guests will be hitting more and more traffic the later it gets. For these reasons, your best bet might be to have everything as early as possible, let people get home at a reasonable time, and understand that even in the best situation, folks will have to take some time off from work to make it.
Ack, sorry so long-winded. I'm really not sure what I'd do, but I wish you luck! Your day will be wonderful no matter which way you go with it, and as everyone said - there are lots of people who will take off whatever time they need to in order to share your day with you.
DayBeforeThanksgiving
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Re: Need help planning reception time
Decisions, decisions! Most peopled polled at 7. I actually went to a wedding the night before Thanksgiving last year at it was at night, wasn't so bad... I'm thinking maybe 7 would be okay.
Thanks for all of your help.... I'd still love to hear more of your opinions! You guys are all so helpful! This site is amazing!
RedRoses
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Re: Need help planning reception time
I think that's a good choice. Even if you did it earlier, I seriously doubt that people would be able to do much T-day preparation when they get home. Better to give them the option to do it earlier that day if they're off or earlier in the week if they need to.
