How to Decide How Long to Make Your Wedding Reception

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A big choice when planning your wedding is how long to make your wedding reception. There is no exact length that is the “right” length for a wedding reception. Many people choose to have a wedding that is four hours in length but other people will make it shorter or longer. The following are tips on how to decide how long to make your wedding reception.
Does your location require specific times?
If you have your heart set on a specific wedding reception venue, then you should find out if they have specified times. You might not have a choice of wedding length if you want a certain place. Other places will be more open and allow you to make it for as long as you want.
Price
You may have to pay more for a longer wedding reception. A lot of halls give you a specific amount of time, and if you go over that you may have to pay significantly. It is not just the hall that you might have to extend either. You might have to pay for extra time spent by other vendors such as the band, photographer, videographer, etc. Another big charge is the cost of keeping an open bar for additional time. Add all of these extra items together and see whether it is financially feasible for you to have a longer event.
Consider the time of day you are making at
When deciding the length of a wedding reception, you may want to think about the time you want it to start and how late that will make it. For instance, if you want to have a party that starts at eight in the evening, a four-hour reception will go until midnight and a six-hour reception will go until 2am. Think about whether you would want it that late.
Think about how long people will stay
You do not want to spend all this money for your reception only to have people leave earlier anyways. You might want to think about the people whom you invited and their tendencies. Do they tend to leave things quickly? Do they like to stay and talk for hour after hour? Obviously, this is different from prior parties you threw or attended, however you might be able to get an idea from people’s behavior at past events.
What do you have to fit into the wedding?
Think about all of the different activities and things you want in the wedding. Certain people have more than others. You may have different religious ceremonies, toasts and other different events. The last thing you want to feel is rushed during your own wedding. Think about how much time you will need to fit everything in so that you can enjoy it and feel that you have enough time for everything.
Consider the above tips when deciding the length of your wedding.
Updated On: 03/28/2010 Published On: 03/28/2010 How to enjoy spring cleaning