Ideal ceremony time?

I'm trying to get 3pm or 30 for my wedding in November 2025. We don't want a sit down meal, we want to go straight to the reception for drinks and a buffet meal so we can all mingle and chat before the DJ starts at 6.30.


If you are having a sit down meal before your evening reception then you probably need your ceremony earlier in the day

We got married at 3pm as suggested by the venue organiser. If I were to do it again I would have chosen 2pm so that we would start earlier and the party last longer! :-)

You didn't mention if it was a Church or registry office or wedding at a venue. As you will need to factor in travel times and logistic times for guests getting from A to B.

No one ever factors in "real world" timings. For a Church people say oh its 40 mins BUT. --

If you do it on purpose or not allow the ceremony to start 10 mins late

By the time all the guests are out and fully mingling that's another 10 mins

So that 40 mins is now 1 hour

In my experience most photos are taken at the reception but allow 30mins for mingling and a few quick photos so that 2pm wedding is now 3.30pm before you are in the car and on your way.

Then if your venue is 20 mins away - you need to allow 30 mins - you got to get out the car maybe have some photos - go to the loo.

So its now 4pm

Drinks and photos are usually 1.5 hours -- now its 5.30 pm call in for food.

Do not have a receiving line as it will take another 30 mins to get everyone in. Thankfully this is now an old tradition and early done but resist older relatives telling you that you need one.