Time of ceremony?

[CatchingBabies]

We really wanted a 1pm ceremony as our venue suggested that as the best time to make sure there is no long gaps in the day and prevent people being bored etc.

Problem is for our chosen date, and in fact every Saturday in our chosen month the 1pm or 2pm registrar slot isn’t available so we have a choice of 12pm or 3pm.

The venue thinks 3pm will be too rushed as we are having sit down meal, canapés and drinks reception etc. before the evening but will 12pm be too early also?

Not much option for changing the month as prices go up considerably for our venue a month later and the month before some of our bridal party are out of the country.

Did anyone have a 12pm civil ceremony and did the timings work ok?

Like, I wouldn't be "yay! Getting ready for a wedding at midday!" about it but it would just be preferable to 3pm, because:

• knowing I had to be there at 3 I'd be twiddling my thumbs all morning and probably ready for 12 anyway
• the rushed meal and sense of ceremony now canapé now photo now food quick now speech now now now of a 3pm kick off would be exhausting
• and then dancing doesn't even kick off till 9pm!

It sounds like you've got food all sorted so no one's going to starve if you have a midday ceremony! And I think 9pm is way too late to ask evening guests to arrive. Neither is your ideal option, obviously; but if the venue is advising 3pm is too rushed and it makes the evening do too late, go for 12pm. (But definitely combine canapés and photographs :)

Does it have to be four courses? Obviously you want to be generous hosts but most people will expect three and it would reduce the time required for the breakfast

The earlier the ceremony, the earlier some of the guests are pissed.

It doesn’t HAVE to be 4 courses no but that’s the package deal at our venue so having 3 would mean we were paying for food were not getting. Plus I much prefer a sorbet to a starter.

I agree with burritofan, 12pm sounds much better.

It's not like guests are going to be hungry or bored as it sounds like there's plenty to do and eat.

It’s in the venues interest to say a 1pm ceremony,

3pm is much easy for bride, isn’t rushed for photos or guests and flows really well into the evening

An earlier start for the venue also gives them more rooms booked for the night before and more takings behind the bar over the course of the day. 🤑

Fair enough - I would think about going for bigger portions or more canapés to account for the missing course, but if you’re happy with the menu then obviously stick with that

I think if you are having two tiers of guests then it has to be 12 - nothing worse than evening guests arriving and finding afternoon reception over-running and feeling they have been excluded from the main event. At least with a 12 noon start people know where they are with food. Eat breakfast, ceremony at 12, drinks and canapés and sit down to eat at 1.30ish (still within the lunchtime framework) for a four course meal. I think 3pm would be fine if you were just having one reception and going all the way through, but too tight a turnaround to be comfortable in your situation. If you are taking over the whole hotel guests can go to their rooms to freshen up before the evening, stroll in the grounds or relax in one of the lounges depending on the weather. Create the feeling of a house party with guests coming together again at 7pm for the evening festivities (I don't think you can start the evening much later than this or it will feel very curtailed for those only invited to that part of the day).

We are having a 3pm service.
Then 3.30-4.30pm drinks, canapés and photos.
4.30-4.45pm everyone sat down.
Meal 4.45pm to 7.15pm - 4 courses with coffee, venue say is plenty of time.
Cake cutting 7.20pm as evening guests arrive and dancing starts 7.30pm. This occurs in different room, whilst venue turn main room for evening reception.
Evening food 8.30-9pm.

I think one of the key things is having a good master of ceremonies to move things on, so people are encouraged into the meal and don't dilly dally.

I am getting married this summer and was faced with the same choice of 12pm or 3pm. Initially we went for 3pm but it just felt too rushed and we opted for 12pm instead. Happy to pm you our time line if it helps.

Last 12pm wedding I went to, lots of people left during the day for a couple of hours and then came back for the evening, especially if they had a room at the venue and small children

It seems like an awful lot of food, would you consider dropping the canapes and just having drinks after the ceremony.

Any 3pm wedding I've been to hasn't had canapes, the best one was 3pm ceremony, straight out and there were tables full of cocktails that you were handed as you left the room ( think there was tea/coffee etc also but all I was distracted by the mojitos!). That way people are actually ready to eat at 5pm and likely to happily sit down quickly rather than having to round everyone up. They will already have had lunch to account for the later start time.

It depends on the time of year. In summer, with long evenings, 3pm is great. In winter, when it can be getting dark very early, you might struggle with daylight for photos.

I might have missed it but what month is the wedding, we wanted 2pm ceremony but we are getting f married end of nov, so we're advised to go slightly earlier so there would still be daylight for photos

Well your snookered really. It will have to be 12 because you can’t expect evening guests to arrive any later than about 8.30pm at the absolute latest.
It’s not such a problem if guests have a room to escape to. I couldn’t wear heels from 12 to 5 let alone all night.

I think a 1pm /2pm wedding would worse as I’d be properley starving through the whole ceremony and the want to rush lunch.