Time: When Should Guests Arrive?

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By Lara Shriftman
Celebrations Expert

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Including a detailed time on your invite helps your guests as well as you.

Invitations For Any Occasion

Shh! Surprise Party Invite

In general, be as specific as possible about timing. The more explicit
you are, the less likely it is that guests will arrive too early or
stay past their welcome.
If you know from past parties that some guests are more likely to
arrive late, include a bit of a schedule for them. For example write, "Come for cocktails at 7PM" or "Dinner will be served at 8PM." By
doing this you allow guests to plan accordingly.
If you're hosting a surprise party inform guests as to when the guest
of honor will arrive. Nothing blows a surprise party more than when
the birthday guy or girl arrives along with tardy guests. Putting an
acceptable time down will allow delayed guests to arrive safely without
ruining the surprise.
The invitation is your line of communication, so choose your copy
carefully. For example, for a seated dinner, let your guests know that
fashionably late won't fly. Be polite, but don't be afraid to use a pointed adjective
like 9 o'clock "sharp" or 9 PM "on the dot." This is especially
important if you are working within a strict time frame (e.g., you only
have your venue for two hours). I like to be very specific, so I spell
the time out saying, "8 o'clock in the evening."