11am or 1pm ceremony?

3.5 hours for your meal is a long time.

We are having 3 courses with 110 guests and have been advised 1.5 hours max.

I think you would be fine with a 1pm service, personally never been to a wedding as early as 11am before.

I would have it at 1pm personally. It wouldn't be too cramped at all and some people may get antsy at waiting around for a long time, unless you found a great way to fill it. We are getting married at 2pm (partly because our venue don't usually allow any earlier than 2pm) and fit everything in fine. Some people might start getting tired if it's a long day and you want them to have energy and enjoy the evening.

Hope that helps.

I think an 11 am ceremony is a little early for my comfort (and by that, I mean for my soberness, as I drink away the spare hours...).

We had a 2 pm ceremony, 58 guests, everyone photographed/fed/watered by 7:15 pm. Several guests commented about how there was no "down time" and that each section flowed well into the next.

You've got two hours between dinner/evening. You can therefore push your ceremony back two hours. I also think that three hours is erring on the side of caution for dinner, so you'll probably have a little breather anyway.

It's a five course meal in a restaurant where it's encouraged that you take your time, so 3.5 hours is about right.

Personally I'd push it back to 1pm. I had a noon ceremony but I think 11am is just a bit too early.

That way you fill the time between the meal and the evening guests arriving, too.

How many guests do you have?

I had my wedding breakfast (well, the whole day) in a restaurant, with a focus on relaxed dining, sufficient wait between courses and lots of post-prandial lingering. Ours was 3 hr 15 mins but that included speeches.

Can you only have 11 am and 1 pm?

I had this same dilemma of 11am or 1pm. I've gone for 1pm simply because I don't think I could be ready for 11am. Ideally you need to be completely ready 30 mins before so that's 10.30am. My MUA said an hour for my hair, an hour for makeup, an hour for BM's hair. That means starting at 7.30am!

My timings are:

12.30pm guests arrive

1pm ceremony followed by a welcome drink then photos inside and outside

2.30 - 3.30pm drinks reception with a pianist

4pm meal

8pm evening guests arrive

This was on the advice of both photographer (my dad who is also a wedding photographer) and my venue. I thought 3 hours between ceremony and meal seemed a long time but apparently not...

People will mill about and chat. We've got a few children and we're providing colouring books, bubbles and playing cards to keep them entertained. It can take 15 minutes to usher people along to their places, outside for photos and so on. I'd go with the later time if I was you...

Hope that helps!

I would be worried about having enough time in the morning to get ready for an 11am wedding. That would be a seriously early start and make it an incredibly long day. Our wedding is 3pm (although it is all in one place so no travel time required) and we're still expecting to have plenty of time for a 7.30pm evening reception,

We have gone for a 13:00 wedding and our over view of the day is (We also have 3 hours for food and speeches

Suggested time plan:

12.00 pm Guests arrival at the hotel

1.00 pm Ceremony in Suite

1.20 to 2.50 pm Drinks reception and photographs

DJ set up in lower Pb

2.50 pm Sit down

3.00 to 6.00 pm Wedding Breakfast + Speeches

6.00 pm Interlude

7.00 pm Evening Guests start to arrive

7.45 / 8.00 pm First dance

9.00 pm Evening Buffet

12.00 am Music Finishes

12.30 am Bar Close

I would always go for 13:00 it gives you more time in the morning to get ready, My Hair/make up lady is already arriving at 08:00 to do our hair and make up of me and my bridesmaid and 2 flower girls and 3 of my sisters ..

Hope this helps

A unanimous decision then, haha! There's 40 of us. When we go for dinner as a couple, we're there for just over 3 hours. Glad you all think 1pm is okay. I agree 11am would be a long day and an early start. Definitely don't want tired guests - especially as 7 of them are children aged 3-10! Just pretty anxious about it being rushed before the meal. We're getting married somewhere else (Wollaton Hall) and since we're paying £1250 for that, I want to have time to enjoy it (the grounds are stunning, and there is a museum inside) rather than racing off to the next bit.

Thanks for your advice :-)

We've gone for 11!!!

6.30 get up and getting ready - this is a lie in for me! Our bar closes at 11.30 and we need time for the room to be turned/around set up. Keeping guest occupied with garden games All fits nicely for us to be honest. We can do everything that we want to do, including going elsewhere for photos. It's our day, it's the way we want it. Our other option was 1pm and that would have ruled out something's for us as well as making it feel rushed.

Best thing I'd say is to work your day backward to see what latest start time you can get and go from there

I agree, 1pm. Enough time to get ready in the morning, and guests wont be waiting around for ages twiddling their thumbs after the meal.

I think 1pm is a better time as opposed to 11am. As you say, you have a gap in between 5:15pm and 7:30, so you could possibly push it forward to later. Also, if you have to be up early, at the 7/8am time, it could really knacker you out - especially if you are having a MUA coming and having your hair done.

Awesome venue - Batman's house!

Seems like you've chosen anyway but just so I'm slightly on topic - I would (and will) go with 1pm

We are getting married at 11.45 ,and to me that's too early but we didn't have a choice as that was the only time slot for the day we chose .

Im panicing now that I wont be ready in time ,me 4bms all hair and makeup to be done ,looks like im going to be up at daft o clock .

if I was you id go for the 1pm time slot .

I'm getting married at 11am and I don't think its ridiculous.

My hair and MUA is getting to me by 6am to do me, 3 bridesmaids and flower girl.

I hate waiting around for things to happen and I want the full day ?