Party invite says 7.30

[Yepy]

What time do you arrive?
Just wondering. It’s at the person’s home, in case that makes a difference.

8pm.

When I'm hosting and say 7:30, I mean 7:45 as that gives me time to flush the downstairs loo, take out the recycling and brush my hair.

I usually am more specific so I'll say: come at 7:30 and I'll serve up at 8, or if it's open house then anytime after 7:30 is more appropriate.

It does depend on the nature of the party though.

I'd assume a friend's house party was going to go on until at least 3am so I don't see anything wrong with arriving at 11pm.

7.30 to 7.45 it’s incredibly rude in my view to turn up at 8.30 to a house party. A big pub party fair enough but not a small party held at a house.

7:30

If I was hosting I’d hope you’d appear around 8, and would be perfectly happy with anything up until 9. I hate it when people turn up on time. All my friends know this.

Dinner parties in our house seem to end around 2-3 am, so turning up at 11 you’d have missed starter and main, but probably on time for dessert and more drinks. Haven’t had a party-party for years, but same thing really.

If I invite for 7.30 I expect arrivals at 7.31

If I was hosting I’d hope you’d appear around 8, and would be perfectly happy with anything up until 9. I hate it when people turn up on time. All my friends know this.

Why don’t you just ask them to come at 8 then? I don’t get this at all. I get social stuff wrong quite a lot though happy to accept I’m the weirdo!

8 at the earliest. I'd never go at the start time. It's a given that no one does that.

7.40 for dinner, 8 if a party.
If it is a party they will have made sure the 'besties' are there at 7.30 though.

It’s psychological. I have bad anxiety so it’s a buffer. If necessary, I have time to sort out anything I’ve noticed at the last minute. Sort my hair out if it’s gone flat. Change a top I’ve spilt something on… I did say my friends are aware of this though, not that it’s standard.

Although a lot of my friends are from the south of France. I mentioned to them I like people to come half an hour late, and they looked at me like I was insane. They told me they’ve never known anyone come less than 30 minutes after invite time.

If I’m hosting and say 7.30, I mean 7.30. I’ll have finished everything including my own titivating by 7pm and be drinking my first Prosecco from 7.01pm, ready for people to arrive at the time I asked them to arrive.

This thread is so stressful with its 8.30s and 11s! Why would I say 7.30 if I meant 8.30?!

If it's a close friend arrive at 7 and help her set the table. A distant friend a little bit late.

But are you actually going to get there for 7.30pm that’s the real question?

I had a house party for my 50th, the start time was 19.30 and all my guests were there before 19.45.

Agree if it's at someone's home (and not a sit-down dinner) then 10-15 minutes after the invite is fine.

Most casual house party drinks invites we get are 'from 7.30' for example, not 'AT 7.30'.

I don't think I've ever been ready for guests to arrive at the time I've invited them, so the short grace period is appreciated.

With a dinner party I would expect the invitation to be ‘drinks at 7:30, dinner at 8:00’ and would aim to arrive 10 minutes late to avoid the hostess being in the bath scenario. For a part I’d aim for 7:30 as I know how stressful it is when you’re the host wondering if anyone will be turning up (we’ve got a party coming where almost nobody has replied and I’m slightly on edge that we could have anywhere between 10 and 60 people!).

No! Probably 7.45-8pm.

See I must be older than you. A while back we were invited out for Friday drinks at 9pm. I was AGGRIEVED that I got home from work, had dinner, settled in all cosy and then had to get ready and leave the house at 8.30pm

I’ve seen this sort of thread before and I honestly don’t understand. If I’m told anytime from 7.30 that’s what if I’m for .

The OP doesn't say "any time from 7.30 though?!
It clearly says time as 7.30!

Exactly it's likely to be a sleepover and most people would go to the pub first let the parents go home to the babysitters and then the party begins. If it's just a gathering I wod.get there for 7.30 and leave by 9

Again I find this stuff so baffling. What if I like the parents?

How about the time it states on the invite...👀🙂

7.30 (after waiting at least 10 minutes outside)

We're in France and before now have arrived and our hosts told us they knew exactly who was at the door as we were on time. (Dh is French but also likes arriving on time).

If we're hosting then everything is ready 15-30 minutes early so when we say 7 30 we mean 7.30!