To have a 4pm wedding?

[B2B25]

So looking to get married in October this year (quite short notice I know) our venue is available on the date we want but they only have 12pm or 4pm, WIBU to opt for the 4pm?

I'm thinking if we do 4pm we can then feed people at a typical tea time? It won't be a fancy wedding breakfast or anything like that, think hog roast/buffet.

Does this sound OK or will people be annoyed at having to wait around all day!?

Apart one favourite photo the rest are never looked at again 😂

Sounds good to me.

I had a 4pm wedding.

It was great

100%.

4pm is a great time for all the reasons mentioned, but bear in mind in October your photos will probably be in the dark (if thats important to you).

I had a 4pm wedding on a Sunday in June, with the distinction of being the first wedding to take place with up to 30 guests after the lockdown restrictions were lifted in summer 2021.

Do it, we had canapés after the ceremony and a sit down dinner at 530 after the speeches. It was beautiful and I wouldn't change a thing

My daughter had 4 o'clock and it was wonderful. We had all day to get dressed. Her godmother hosted us - the parents and bridesmaids and we had a running buffet of snacks and fruit. It was the most relaxed wedding and laid back bride you could imagine. The younger attendants went to school in the morning. Family could travel on the day. It was perfect. No need for an evening reception/two tier level of guests. It was really lovely.

I imagine the slots are when the celebrant can do, not the venue. There won't be a 4pm wedding at the venue if OP goes for 12 (and vice versa)

I just add it's a very simple wedding at the local municipal buildings (they have a lovely mayors room there) we would be hiring a local function room so not too far to travel to.

We aren't having anything like all day photography literally just a couple of hours. So getting ready and then ceremony really.

My main priorities are food and drink. I think as long as people are fed and watered they'll be alright.

With regard to the photos I'm not too fussed on any being taken outside, I find them quite staged anyway so would prefer some candid ones! I do want a few of us getting ready and the ceremony.

I was going to get a bunch of disposables and use our digital camera (that's if it works!) to give to guests in the evening and people use them as they wish.

I would be delighted to be invited to a wedding that starts at 4pm. Early enough that there's no rush, late enough that it's easy to prepare for, get to, and not have to wait ages. Consider doing your own pictures beforehand.

We were married at 4pm, skint students so it was a buffet in Mum and Dad's front room, it lasted over 50 years!

Yes but your individual experience doesn't change the stats! I think the suggestion is that 4pm weddings were booked more last minute (as 1,2, and 3pm slots taken) and so these marriages were overall more hastily arranged and so more likely to fail.

Agree, most wedding photos are naff and too staged, candid photos are much better as they capture a moment in time rather than a photographer directing people to stand/ pose in a certain way

Do it! I had a 3 or 4pm wedding and it was the best and a conscious choice as I never enjoyed those weddings where you started at 12 then had to go somewhere else between the service and the reception and lots of just waiting around.

Also, for that reason, DH and I decided to get most of our wedding photos done before the service (I know, bit unorthodox, but it was fantastic and intimate and I loved that (a) there were not lots of people looking on and (b) that they weren't bored waiting for our photos to be taken).

We also had a much longer drinks reception at the start (canapes and string duo) and didn't bother with favours etc - often just a lot of junk and unnecessary, instead focusing on what we know we and our friends enjoy - plenty of bubbles, good food and wine in a relaxed atmosphere.

Mine was 3.30pm in December! There was no awkward hanging about, it was nice to not be in a rush to get ready etc.

4pm sounds great, I think a summer daytime wedding is great as people can hang around outside having a drink in the sun, but for october it would be perfect and much easier for people to come.

We had a 4pm wedding and it worked out brilliantly with regards to food etc.
The only downside was that we were limited to which photos we could have taken outside because of the daylight fading.

Sounds fine to me!

Do it! DH and I got married at 4pm and it made for a much more relaxed day for everyone. Us getting ready, guests getting ready & travelling and we still got the whole evening after dinner to enjoy time with everyone (small wedding, around 20 people)

We did a later wedding, main meal around tea time. We only had the 1 reception to pay for and we did bacon buns and criossants (from what I can remember) on the evening around 9ish.

We got married at 4.30pm and it was glorious!
We had a lovely, leisurely morning.
Enjoy your special day!

LOVE a later wedding! Definitely go for it, I bet your guests will be chuffed there's no early rushing around

And your stats are misleading without the additional narrative provided in your second post. The weddings haven’t ended in divorce solely because they were held at 4pm, there are other significant factors as you outlined. There’s no suggestion here that this is the case for the OP. Also, 10 months notice is hardly that hasty. I think your comment was unnecessary and mean spirited really, don’t know why you would want to include information about failure rates to someone joyfully planning a wedding.

My opinion for what’s its worth op is I would be delighted to be invited to a 4pm wedding if that’s what makes you happy! Enjoy it all!

I second this, would be my dream