11am wedding??!

I have been a wedding photographer at many 11am weddings so they are not that unusual. I don't think it matters what time the wedding is you do not want to be setting up the venue in the morning unless you really have no choice so setting up the day before is good and not an issue.

Can you get ready at the venue.

I don't call them gaps but more of a time to relax and chat to the people that you didn't have time to before the meal - chill for a while. A lot depends on the nature of the venue and Winter/ Sumer wedding. If its a hotel then people can check in at that time I know some may even have a little nap. I have seen them reappear an confess they missed seeing the first dace !

I don't think that's a problem at all.

You can do so much now for the times in between - acoustic singers, games, canapes. Also, you and your groom can go off for photos without feeling rushed! You'll actually have time to mingle and see people too, and enjoy whatever bits you put on.

As long as you can either set the venue up, or have people you trust to do it the morning of, and don't have a million bridesmaids, I think you'll be fine.

I've just booked my registrar for a midday appointment. I would have loved to have done earlier, but I have 6 bridesmaids and 2 flower girls in addition to myself!

I think get the ceremony done, and then you can enjoy the rest of the day - after all, it is your wedding DAY, not your wedding afternoon

Enjoy! X

I think 11am is quite early and quite a long day for guests so I wouldn't expect them to stay till the end of the night if it's finishing at 12 or 1am.

I personally think this is very early for a wedding, especially if it is a civil ceromony and not a church service. Have you tried contacting a few other registry offices close by to see if they have any other times available? If they don’t, I’d stick with the 11am ceromony and just make sure guests are aware ASAP so that any who are travelling can make arrangements.

In terms of your concerns:

1. Most places allow you to set up the day before. As long as no one books the Friday before our wedding, we’ll be setting it up then. I think this makes so much more sense, early wedding or not.

2. This is unavoidable tbh. There is only 3 of us having hair and makeup and it’s been recommended that we get there for around 10am (4 hours before the ceromony). The only thing I can think to suggest, is hiring separate ladies to do hair/makeup as that means one person can be having hair done while another has their makeup done.

3. I do think that it will be a looong day for guests, so I’d consider doing an afternoon tea instead of formal wedding breakfast so guests don’t have to wait too long for their food. In terms of the gap between the the meal and the reception, there’s nothing to say you can’t start the reception early (and finish a bit earlier) or put on some sort of activity to fill the time.

I was bridesmaid at an 11am wedding (civil ceremony) last year. It was fine - great fun and we all lasted until midnight without any problem.

Get friends and family to help out setting up the night before (we all pitched in) and enjoy the fact you’ll be able to really stretch out your special day!

xx

After being and advising on this forum for many years I can say that what the 11am wedding question comes up it usually is very split right down the middle with equal amounts of "its a disaster of an idea" to "Fantastic" idea.

If its your ideal venue and date then don't compromise because of 2 hours because after all most weddings are around 1-2.

Now then you want early I think I have shot 10am weddings but I cant remember because I was probably not awake ?

Which is another factor because if your photographer has a 3 hour drive to get you getting ready at 9am, that's a 5 am start

Thank you for all the replies, I feel a million times better now!! I'm particularly glad to hear it's not as unusual as I had thought. The venue have said we can come in the evening beforehand to set up, so that should be fine. And actually now I'm starting to get excited about having longer to enjoy ourselves!

We'll make it work ?