The most common complaint after a wedding is almost never the venue or the decor: it is the waiting. An hour of unexplained gap between the ceremony and dinner, while the couple takes photos, quickly turns a great day into one that drags.
The sequence that works best
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Ceremony (30 to 45 minutes), immediately followed by a short congratulations window
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Cocktail hour with entertainment (music, food) while the couple handles part of the group photos
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Solo couple photos timed just before or just after the cocktail, not spread through the whole cocktail
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Entering the hall and starting dinner right after, with no extra gap
The real trap: underestimating photo time
Group photos (extended family, friends, wedding party) almost always take longer than expected, especially with many people to coordinate. Ask your photographer for a realistic estimate per group photo, not an optimistic overall one, and build in a 15 to 20 minute margin.
Filling the cocktail hour so waiting is not felt
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Continuous music from the moment guests arrive, never prolonged silence
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A buffet or passed food substantial enough to cover 45 minutes to 1.5 hours
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A light activity (game, quiz, photobooth) with no obligation to join in
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Seating available for guests who cannot stand for long
Coordinating the photographer and the caterer
The caterer needs the exact time guests will enter the hall to time service, and the photographer needs to know exactly how much time they have for couple photos. Share the same timeline with both, with precise times rather than rough windows, so neither ends up waiting on the other.