Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Weddings

Chat to other Mumsnetters on our Wedding forum.

Could anyone help me with timings of wedding day?

3 replies

missesschmisses · 26/01/2019 19:32

We are getting married in May, and I'm struggling to work out timings. If I give a loaf of start and end time, and what we have going on, would anyone mind suggesting timings for the day? I've only been to one wedding before so I'm not sure how long everything takes. Also, when to do the dancing / evening food.

Church wedding at 1pm. Reception twenty minute drive away. Gelato and cocktails when arrive at reception. Wedding breakfast. Cake cutting as eating for pud. Speeches. First dance. Evening guests arrive. Ceilidh band. Evening food. Dj. Home time at 12 latest.

OP posts:
BackforGood · 26/01/2019 20:00

Personally, if you are going on in to the night, then I think 1pm is too early to start.

Church service generally takes 30 - 40 mins, (Depends on how many hymns / how long the hymns are / how many readings / how much of a sermon / etc)
If you are having photos at the Church - you need to leave time there (maybe just 20mins if only having a few, and more at the Reception, maybe 40 mins, or up to an hour if you are having them all there).

If journey to the Reception is a 2min drive, you have to double that for folk to return to their cars (often not much parking at Churches, and people might have a bit of a walk to get them), faff about a bit, get lost, stop for petrol, or someone will wander off to find a shop for something, (I'm presuming easy parking at Reception?), some might take their car home and get a taxi or a lift to the Reception. In all, some people won't be at the Reception for quite a bit longer than the 20mins you'd think it takes.

I think the bit where you have 'gelato and cocktails' is the bit which has got longer and longer over the decades. People planning weddings often see this as a 'lovely relaxed time to mingle and chat'. Guests more likely to see this as 'trapped time, starving, waiting for the food' Grin. If you have all your photos then, it at least saves the time from the Church, but it is still a long time for people to be drinking alcohol on an empty stomach.
Don't forget, if the service stats at 1, guests will have been arriving since 12.30, and traveling before that. No-one will have had lunch.

Your meal - if you then start at 4.30, will probably take about an hour and a half (Though does depend a bit on how many guests you have - obviously a kitchen can serve 20 people quicker than 200 people). Speeches / cake cutting / photos generally 15 - 20mins (will depend on your speakers).

Then you need to ask the venue what time they need between 'day' and 'evening'. If people need to clear out of room they've eaten in, then return, or are there 2 rooms or do staff leave room set up as it is or just clear the tables.
I wouldn't invite the evening people too early as it is embarrassing if you turn up and the 'evening party' isn't ready for you.

If you are having Ceilidh band and DJ, you need to talk to the band - again about setting up time, and also about what 'sets' they will be doing.

Hope that is a helpful start Smile.

meow1989 · 26/01/2019 20:17

We got married at 10.30am and last guests left at midnight! Was a hot summer day though and there was loads of outdoor space and games.

I'd probably say:
1pm ceremony
1.45-2.15 pics at cenerony vdnue/guests make their way to reception venue for gelato and cocktails
2.30ish you arrive, greet guests
Then depends if you want pics before or after wedding breakfast, I'd suggest before invade of spilages!
So 3.15 ish wedding breakfast? How many courses? How many guests to serve? You may have to cut cake first to allow time for venue to prepare to serve unless a break between main and cake is ok (I'd suggest it is actually)
Speeches I'd do after main.
Evening guests from.about 6.30? First dance soon after followed by entertainment.
Evening food at 7.30

missesschmisses · 27/01/2019 09:50

Thanks both of you for your ideas...!

We have two courses for lunch- it's a Greek street food company who will set up big bbqs outside. The first course is a sharing course with dips, halloumi, salad, vine leaves etc. Main is flatbreads and Greek stews. It's all going to be served to the table as we are going to hire waiters and waitresses to bring it in and take it away.

I really would love people to get involved with the ceilidh dance, but think if the evening food is in at the same time then they might not? What do you think?

Also we have 80 day guests 110 total for evening and day

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.