Is anyone planning on being late?

I'm planning on being early because I'm often running late and end up rushing and really hate it; our ceremony is at 1.00 so am hoping to be ready by between 11.30 and 12 so with the pre-ceremony meeting thing and the 10 minute drive to the venue I'll have half an hour or so to have a breather and collect my thoughts!

I will almost definitely be early. I hate being late so always go to the other extreme lol

I know lots of people are saying that they will be on time, but personally, I think a Bride has to be a teeny bit late on her wedding day - it's tradition! And the guests secretly like to see the Groom getting just a tiny bit nervous before his Bride walks in :-) I went to a wedding once when the Bride was early and no one was quite ready for her! Obviously you don't want to take the mickey and I know that civil registrars do have tighter rules, but a few minutes late certainly won't hurt.

I'm not planning on being late, I'm getting ready in the venue so will only have to come downstairs. I wouldn't have an issue with a bride being just a few minutes late though, although much more than that and I might start to fidget a bit!

You asked for opinions, I gave you one. ?

In the absence of other information, people will assume that the time on the invitation is the ceremony time, and will arrive appropriately early. I just think that deliberately misleading them is rude and I would be annoyed if someone did it to me, as it meant they clearly didn't respect or trust us enough to realise that a wedding is an important occasion and that we might want to arrive on time.

You may notice if people walk in late, but honestly, having been there and done it, it doesn't matter. They're the ones missing out on your ceremony, why should you get upset about it? As I said before, I had a couple of friends rush in past me as I was outside talking to the registrar, because their train had been delayed. So they saw me in my dress before I walked down the aisle. The world didn't end, and I was just glad they were there.

We stated on our invites 'Ceremony at 1pm' and said that guest are welcome to arrive from 12pm (ok, it's not a church wedding and there is a bar to entice people to arrive early!). I plan to arrive 5 minutes early, which gives me time to sort myself out before arriving at the ceremony on time. I don't want to be late, I'm looking forward to it!

Dont forget that you will need to see the registrar before and so you need to be looking at arriving at 12.45. All your guests should be seated by then and you can be "smuggled" in without being seen. Speak to the reg and compose yourself and enter 1.03

My understanding is that alcohol just can't be brought into the room where the ceremony is. When I have been to weddings where the bar is open before hand, you had to leave your drinks in the bar area (or finish them ?) before making your way into the ceremony room.

If you're only going to be driving for 30 seconds, why are you having a car? Sounds like you're making any late guests later just so you can have a car and block off the road....

Ah, our registrar hasn't said anything about needing to arrive that early or meeting beforehand. We met with them last week and went through my arrival time and there were no issues. i'll chaco with her again though to be sure.

And re: alcohol, we've been told the guidelines by the venue so guests are aware, and they know that they definitely can't take drinks in to a ceremony! I think a lot of venues differ on their rules, I was at a wedding in September in a hotel, and we were allowed to drink in the bar up until the bride arrived and we took our seats. Others won't allow drinking for the hour leaving up to the ceremony either.

I once had a wedding(it was in Hornchurch) where the bride ran late. This had a knock on to two following weddings at the church. The vicar told them that to save time and limit the affect on the following weddings that the couple would have to return AFTER the last wedding to do the register signing.....

To the op, I would suggest that your cars need to park near enough without causing the roadblock and phone someone in the house to let you know that they are in the area and will await a phonecall to ask them to come to your door. Cars have a habit of arriving quite early, and by the sound of things this would be a major access problem if they did..

Peter

LOL. To be fair, I thought that too, until it dawned on me that a 30sec drive, is about a 5 minute walk, in posh shoes and a dress with a train... through mud and stones (it's a lane). Plus, she'll need the car to get to her reception, assuming that's not in the same road as the church!

You're completely right Mischeifmumma...how dare I have a car to take me to church in my £1500 wedding gown and 4inch heels, and how dare my dad come with me in said car with his ulcerated foot and right leg with metal rods and plates holding his bones together. We really are being completely inconsiderate...
Hell, we can just take an umbrella in case it rains too...

Oh, and I'm sure we can hitch a lift the 15 miles to the reception venue...

Gosh, I really have been inconsiderate having a car!

Well I'm not planning in being late but my invitations say 2pm when the actually ceremony doesn't start to 3pm

i did that to ensure my guest and family got there in good time and to avoid late comers!

I anticipate none of my guest will arrive intone and The venue will be empty at 2pm other than a few friends outside of my culture who I've forewarned...

So I guess some will believe I'm a hour late!

knowing my luck people will anticipate this is what I've done and not show up till 3 anyway...

Obviously you know your guests best (especially if you are already envisaging them being late), but as an aside, if I was made to arrive at 2pm for a 3pm ceremony I'd be seething. Is there anything to do for those who arrive on time while they are waiting? Walk around premises / bar etc.

I'm not planning on being late, if anything they will have to hold me back from being early! I've waited 2 long years (of engagement, 6 years in total) for this precise moment, I'll be running up that aisle! hahah maybe not quite but since my wedding is at 4pm it's late on in the day anyway I cant afford to be that late!

I hope you do know your guests because if I was told the ceremony was at 2 I would be there for 1.30.

I'm having a civil ceremony so have been told I have to meet with the registrar 15 mins before the ceremony. I'm not great for being on time for things so will have to aim for half an hour before I think!