Wedding Day Timings

What time of year is your wedding?

Hi Peter its in June 2012

I'm quite worried about the timing thing. We have a 12 Noon ceremony and then the reception is maybe a 40 min journey away.

Im kinda allowing the following:-

12 Noon - Ceremony

2.00 - Arrive Back At Reception For Photo's / Welcome Drinks

3.00 - Speeches / Cutting Cake

3.30 - Wedding Breakfat

6.00 - Tea / Coffee (DJ Set Up)

7.00 - Evening Guests Arrive

7.30 - 1st Dance

7.40 - PARTY TIME

8.00 - Buffett

11pm - Everyone kicked out as venue closes

Failing that will just wing it on the day ?

I'm leaving an hour for photos and welcome drinks, etc before everyone is allowed to be seated for the breakfast but there's no rush as it's a BBQ so they can go up and get their food when they want. From the moment the ceremony ends.. it's a kind of go-with-the-flow situation.

Speeches we have left abut half an hour but again.. it's go-with-the-flow really. My live band are playing before and after the speeches but they even said they will just wait and have some food themselves while the speeches are taking place so there's no rush.

Have you been to the church toa ask what times are available? As i wanted a 1.30pm ceremony and has all my timings booked for that and the priest has a service to perform in another town 30 mins away at 11am so not able to make it in time!

So my times are as follows

2pm ceremony

2.45pm ish photos outside the church

3.30pm arrival drinks at hotel

4.15pm h2b and myself return from getting more photos done at a beauty spot and have a quick drink with guests.

4.30pm go in for meal and do speaches

5pm meal starts

6pm ish cut the cake

7.30pm evening do starts at anoter venue (guests have time to freshen up/ drop off younger kids to baby sitters etc.

8.45pm bring out surprise birthday cake to dp and get everyone to sing happy birthday (its his 30th on the same day!)

9pm Evening buffet

12pm i think this is when it ends?

We went for 2pm, as church and reception venue are within 3 mins walking distance from each other. We are hoping that the later time will also mean that people eat lunch before the service, so we don't plan to feed them twice - we're having a BBQ followed by cheese and crackers and cake (but not a full on buffet) in the evening. Also, I am notoriously bad at getting ready quickly so at least this gives me plently of time, lol.

Here are our timings, if it helps:

2pm - Church service

3pm - Drinks & canapes for guests/photos

4.30pm - Speeches/cake cutting (we are having speeches first to get them out the way with, and also cutting the cake then so caterers can plate it up as we are serving it for dessert)

5pm - BBQ

6.30pm - Meal finishes

7 - 7.30pm - Photobooth opens/disco starts/evening guests arrive

9pm - Cheese and crackers put out

11.30pm - Disco finishes

I was asking the date as a winter wedding means that you lose any available light earlier. June should not be a problem with whatever time you choose.

One thing to keep in mind regarding the photography time is that if you are going to have a receiving line, these can take around 20 minutes, sometimes longer. The venue will whisk you and parents away to set this up which could well affect how much time you really have for any photography. Do keep this in mind with your time scheduling.?

hth

Peter

If you go here https://www.weddingdja.co.uk/ and click on 'planning your wedding' there are some timings hints.

Hi

we are getting married in February so have chosen;

1pm Ceremony

1.45 Drinks/Canapes/Photos

3.30 Wedding Breakfast

5.45 Speeches

6.30 Guests leave the room

7.00 evening guests arrive

8.00 first dance

9.00 Buffet

1.00a.m Bed time!!

xx