Dear Sinead:
When planning the time for all of your wedding day events you want to ensure that you are not rushing things but also want to be certain that your guests are not hanging around with nothing to do. The rule of thumb is that something new should happen every 30 mintues or so, to keep things interesting. So, if the ceremony is about 45 minutes to 1 hour long then
I would suggest you start the ceremony at 4 p.m. After
the ceremony you will most likely spend some time greeting your guests and taking some group photos, so plan on being free only after 5 p.m or later. If the chruch is not too far from the reception venue your guests should all be in the new location by 5:30 p.m or a bit later. If you are celebrating your marriage in a medieval village or rustic farm house in Tuscany it is possible that your guests are sleeping at the reception location so you may want to allow them some time to go to
their rooms to freshen up for the evening's festivities. Therefore, I would
suggest you start your cocktail reception at 6 p.m. then
followed by the dinner. If your guests are lodging at a location other then where the reception is held, then you will want to start the cocktails immediately upon their arrival. Plan the day's activities so that they happen at a relaxed pace so that you and your guests can enjoy every minute of your special day.
I hope this suggested agenda helps!
Sincerely,
Darlene
