Is a small gap or longer cocktail hour better?
We are having a Catholic mass ceremony from 3:30-4:30, and our reception venue is about 15 minutes from the church. With mingling after the ceremony, parking, and commute time, we expect most guests would arrive around 5 if they go straight to the venue.
We are debating between:
• Cocktail hour from 5-6:30 (1.5 hours)
or
• Cocktail hour from 5:30-6:30 (1 hour)
Our concern is mostly about the overall length of the day for guests. Since guests will likely arrive at the church around 3:15, and the reception runs until 10:30 followed by an after party, we are wondering if a small gap between ceremony and cocktail hour actually helps break up the day and gives people time to recharge or freshen up, or if it just creates inconvenient downtime.
Other details:
The cocktail hour will have substantial food/drinks, enough lounge seating for everyone, live entertainment, and multiple areas to spread out.
Or if guests arrive early to the hotel and need somewhere to go during the gap, there are also other public bars and lounges onsite where they could grab a drink before cocktail hour officially starts.
From a guest perspective, would you rather go straight into a longer cocktail hour, or have a small break before a shorter one?