Timeline with change of season?

What are your start times at your ceremony and your reception? I'd love to help but need to know more to make suggestions! I am waiting for your reply! - I promise, where there is a will there is a way.

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Haha, thanks. I wasn't sure what details to include! Our ceremony and reception are in the same place, so no travel time required, and we can basically start any time from 4pm, although hour reception package is 5 ours without a cocktail hour, and if it runs later than 11 we have to pay extra (which we are fine with, but might be helpful to know).

Right now we don't have a set ceremony start time but the basic time-length details we anticipate are:

30 minute ceremony

30 minutes of mingling afterwards before beginning of cocktail hour (we must start our cocktail hour within 30 minutes of the end of the ceremony)

1 hour cocktail hour (I THINK the cocktail hour MUST run basically directly into the reception at conclusion).

Would love to hear others advice for this type of thing too! Sunset for our date is 8:30, so even if we start late, will have to leave at some point if we want these golden hour photos (and I really don’t wanna leave the party).

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Right? Exactly! At my sister's wedding when they finally sat down at the reception she said she was done. She wasn't getting up again until the dances/speeches etc.

Granted, her wedding day was over 40 degrees C, so that contributed, but I suspect I'll feel the same.

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I assumed that golden hour photos are 3 hrs. after everything begins at 4pm.

I'd do the ceremony starting at 4pm, then mingling/family photos, and cocktail half hour. This is the first 1.5 hrs. right? Next be introduced (along with the bridal party) and then go right into your first dance (15 minutes). At this point, you used 105 minutes or 1.75 hrs. of your time. Exit the dance floor and do toasts and dinner - plan about 1.25 hrs. Be mindful of toasts - you can always include some during the cake cutting to save you time.

It's now golden hour.

Have your DJ invite everyone to the dance floor for dancing (you already had your first dance) and either dance for a song or two (time permitting) - or step out for photos. It's the first 30 minutes of dancing with guests - it won't be a huge thing to miss.

Come back and do your special dances, cake cutting, etc.

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Hmm. That's an option I hadn't thought of! it's so funny what you get stuck in your head as 'the only way'. I'll suggest this to my fiance and see what he thinks! It would definitely be better to have the dancefloor open when we sneak out!

I just had my reception on Saturday. It lightly rained during our first look/couples portraits, but was clear (cloudy) for the ceremony. During the beginning of dinner (salads), the sun came out for perfect sunset pics. We ran out and got some great shots in 10 mins. It was honestly fine and I would do it again in a heartbeat! I didn’t feel like it messed up the flow of the night at all.

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Thanks, that's good to know! That shot is beautiful. I guess part of me is just conscious that my fiance will definitely want to eat, and if they drag us out when our food is just put in front of us, both of us will be like..