Is this enough time for the wedding and reception?

It's absolutely enough time. I'm assuming the cruise plan is based on working with an operator who will put the whole thing together.

5:30 to 9:30 is four hours. Your guests will leave home or motel at least an hour before, and get back an hour after. That's six to eight hours out of their day - plenty of time!

If you have a land reception, people can leave if they need to. If you put them on a boat, they're trapped until it docks again, and 9:30 PM is plenty late enough to end. The only ones who'll be disappointed are the people who expect your wedding to substitute for Saturday nite at the clubs.

i might first be thinking and eating places interior the section that have the seating obtainable and would have the means to offer a room or close on your journey. As for the exterior, that sounds solid. you have quite some time to make it take place. you don't choose a tent in any respect, yet whilst there's no longer a severe high quality shaded section, possibly supply a small one, some human beings get somewhat stricken with the aid of the solar. Given that's an casual reception I see no reason you ought to no longer have low-cost table cloths, bypass get fabric from any fabric keep. you additionally can use low-cost plastic utensils and plates. that's all approximately you getting married and then having a competent time, so don't get too caught up interior the significant factors of each and every thing else. as an occasion, no person cares in the event that they have an embroidered serviette or dollar keep serviette.

you'll have to cut out things that are in a reception normally. No hors' douerve hour, 10 minute ceremony at the most, probably no more than a 2 course meal (I waitress at a banquet facility 'full plated dinner' to me means at LEAST 3 courses which takes up an hour and a half alone serving, waiting for people to finish eating, and cleaning up, serve next course etc.) and very very little dancing if any at all, you MIGHT get away with it. I'd be disappointed if i were a guest though, the dancing is the best part!

My hubby and I got married on a harbor Cruise in San Diego 3 years ago and I can't begin to tell you how lovely it was and how much all of our guests enjoyed themselves.

Our wedding was also 4 hours long and from the bride and groom standpoint this was enough time after a busy day (oru wedding was from 6pm til 10pm). I know some of the guests wish it could have been longer, but we were exhausted and ready to get home so we could head off to our honeymoon the next day.

Getting married on a boat is great because usually venues have views of the water, but nothing compares to having views from the water and the pictures taken from on the water with the sunset in the background are just absolutely gorgeious.

There was still plenty of time for the ceremony, cocktail, dinner, dancing, cake cutting, bouquet toss, garter toss more dancing etc...

The time is definitely plenty...and the experience of having your wedding ceremony out on the water on a boat is absolutely amazing!!!

5:30 till 6:30 Wedding

7:00 till 9:30 Reception

Sounds perfect and memorable!

The ceremony should take 1/2 hour or less. So I say there is enough time.

Personally I would only attend your wedding if I was family. I would HATE to be stuck on a boat for four hours with people I don't know. If you had it a restaurant I could leave when ever I wanted, but on a boat I am stuck.

It all depends on how long the ceremony lasts. My sisters ceremony was less than 30 minutes long. I think 3 hours is plenty of time for some one to eat their meal and to cut the cake. Unless they eat super slow.

Best of luck and Congrats!

yes it is, i have been to several weddings that were only 3 hours and that was with full plate dinners

It's going to be rushed. You're going to spend the majority of time eating or having the ceremony and you won't have time to dance if that is what you want to include as well.

You are really going to be pressing for time, but if you have everything done in a orderly way, then things should be fine for you.