AIBU to ask what time of day is the best time to get married?

[Dorisdaydream2]

Just that really! Asking for a friend

Ours was at 3 or 330pm can’t remember, then photos with all our guests, go to reception venue which was 5 minute drive or 15 minute walk from the church. We had an open bar and dinner was ready at 6 (buffet), then cake and dancing afterwards. I have been to some very long all day weddings before which had a lot of waiting around which is ok if you have family/friends you can socialize with but if not it’s pretty boring and lonely as often the bride and groom either aren’t around because they are taking photos or talking to their other guests. I took a nap at someone’s wedding once because it was 11am - 1am.

2pm so everyone could have lunch beforehand then we ate about r.e0pm and partied from 7pm.

Pretty sure my ceremony started at 1pm.... or was it 12.30?....

Damnit. I'm going to have to dig out my wedding album now. I could ask my DH, but he's useless at remembering times and dates.

As late as you possibly can. There is far too much faffing about and hanging about otherwise. Do it so you eat dinner at a relatively normal time (who in their right mind wants to eat a 5 course meal at 3pm?). Seriously, put yourself in your guests shoes - you’re the host.

We got married at 4pm, time for photos and stroll around venue (castle).
Dinner at 7pm
Coffees etc 10.30
Finished by midnight

Late as possible.

No earlier than 2pm for me.

We got married at 2, ate at 4 30 I think and then had hot food at 9ish.

I'd go for 3ish I think. It's a long day for people. Although if lots of kids are going so parents would leave earlier then maybe earlier in the day?

We had all of the guests to the whole wedding, so had the church wedding at 4, and then drove back to my parents' place for drinks and canapés on the lawn whilst we had photos etc, and then dinner and dancing. Worked brilliantly and no long pauses (or being starving) in between.

2pm worked for us. Guests had time for lunch beforehand, but we had a few snacks available as they arrived at the venue. Canapés afterwards - but substantial ones. Then sat down to eat about 4 (probably 4.30 by the time we’d had very short speeches and food actually served).
More food at 9 pm in the evening.

I had a horror of anyone going hungry! Everyone seemed happy with the above though and we had loads of compliments on the food. Could be everyone was being polite though!

I’ll say I was shattered and wanting my bed by 10 though, found it hard powering through till midnight when it officially ‘finished’. I was 8 weeks pregnant though so that played a part.

I got married around 12pm in a church. Ceremony and photos meant we left around 1:30pm. Got to the reception venue around 2pm, quick drink, more photos took us to 3:30pm. Sat down to eat the wedding breakfast at 4pm.

Best advice my wedding planner gave me was to work backwards, so decide when you want to have your wedding breakfast at time everything backwards from there.

We had a smallish wedding with 60 guests, and didn't want an evening disco thing, so we got married at 4.00pm, then a sit down meal. It was lovely and in our case, finished about 10pm.

That said, one of the loveliest weddings I went to took place at 11am, we had lunch about 1pm and it was all done and dusted by about 5pm when the bride and groom went to their hotel before setting off on an extended honeymoon. There were only about 30 of us and most of us went home, got showered and changed and went out for dinner and a nightclub (this was in the ‘80s when weddings didn’t feel like the huge thing they are now).

Depends on the time of year, possibly the day of the week, and what kind of do afterwards.

I think late afternoon so you can go directly to the do afterwards if there is one.

Got married at 4pm, think drinks and canapés were until we ate at around 5.30? We were in bed by 8.30pm anyway (we eloped with only 10 guests).

The nightmare scenario for most people is the ceremony over lunch time and endless hanging around/ photos and no food until late afternoon or evening. Don't forget many people are travelling to most weddings, so will have been on the go for hours by the time they get to the ceremony, not wandering in from a long brunch at the same venue, unless all your guests paid out to stay the previous night, which is a huge ask.

I would avoid having your ceremony take place over lunch time. I went to a 12 o’clock wedding once, where the food wasn’t served until 5:30 and there were no canapés. Due to travel times and having to get ready, I hadn’t eaten since 7am, so it was a veryyyy long day.

I know it may seem like the earlier your wedding starts, the longer the day goes on, but if your guests had to get up super early and they’re tired, they’ll probably leave earlier too. I say anywhere from 2:30 onwards

DD and I were talking about this recently, among other wedding topics, hypothetically as she hasn't got a boyfriend right now. (We'd been watching a tv programme.)

Our convo led us to conclude that mid afternoon is good. You give people plenty of time to get ready earlier, and also time to eat. Then the ceremony and photos, etc, will take people up to a normal meal time nicely. We are both in the camp that we'd be celebrating with friends and family so their comfort is important to us.

It's such an expensive day so I think you want to make the most of it, so earlier than 3.30/4ish BUT you'll still want to get ready without rushing, and maybe have a lie-in as well, so not too early.

I think 12 is a really good time. The actual ceremony is only about 20mins (esp in a registry office). It's only readings and hymns that pad it out, so you could be having drinks and canapés by 1.

I appreciate that being earlier does mean two lots of food (lunch/dinner and then evening food) but you'll get your monies worth from the dress and make up!

Having said all that I married at 12, so officially Mr and Mrs by 12.30, when I was struck by "WTF have I just done...." Think I'd got caught up in all the planning, which was great fun 😳 Sorry, didn't mean to de-rail 😂

2 onwards so guests can have lunch first! We got married at 3 and served dinner at 6.30 (canapés during the afternoon speeches before dinner at 6)

The best weddings I’ve been to have all had ceremonies around 4pm. That gives everyone a relaxed morning, chance to have lunch, the meal is actually served at dinner time then everyone is keen for a big party afterwards.

Late afternoon. Guests don’t need a room the night before, they can have lunch themselves and are ready for a good drink and a party.
Otherwise people start flagging at 8pm.

I think 1-3pm is ideal but it it depends what sort of wedding it is, where it is and how far people need to travel.

I went to a wedding rurally in the middle of nowhere once where the ceremony started at 11.30am, that meant everyone had to be there and seated for 11. It was a beautiful, picturesque location but none of the guests lived locally - so everyone had to either set off quite early to get there or shell out for a night of accommodation the day before. It was a gorgeous day but also felt quite long - went on until midnight! weddings are long days anyway but the early start just meant it was that little bit longer, especially when a lot of the guests had been up early to get on the road.

Ours was at 2 so people could have lunch before. Then drinks and photos. Afternoon tea (2 course) at 3.30 ish. Then a ceilidh outside as the sun set. Then fish and chips and disco in evening.
Was completely perfect.

3pm is a good time, I once went to a 12pm wedding and spent most of the day starving.

There's a superstition that it's lucky to get married when the second hand of the clock is on the upswing (so at half-past, or quarter-to, the hour).

I gave no idea if that's true, but I married my first DH at 11am and it was an awful marriage. I married DH2 at 1.30pm, and it's been lovely! (Touches wood.)

I would say 11am is too early, superstitions or not. The hairdresser arrived at 8am. I hadn't really st kept so I was knackered all day.