How does my wedding timeline sound?

[TastingTheRainbow]

We’re having an early ceremony, no choice as this is the only time available for our chosen date, so we’ve debated over the timeline for ages trying to avoid long gaps and people waiting around.

Also trying to ensure people are not left too long without food. Does this timeline sound ok to you and would you be happy as a guest?

11.30 - Arrive and seated
12.00 - Ceremony
13.00 - Drinks reception and substantial canapés (photos also done during this time)
15.00 - 4 course wedding breakfast
17.00 - Speeches and toast
17.30 - Bar opens, photobooth opens, sweet table opens, all stay open all night then
18.30 - Evening guests arrive
19.00 - Cake cutting
19.30 - First dance
20.00 - Evening buffet served (hot food)
20.30 - Wedding cake served
00.30 - Last orders

Also, for those saying a ceremony won't take an hour, ours did, although that was a church ceremony. It all depends on any readings or songs you have during the ceremony.

I wouldn't put the full timeline on your invites. Guests just need to know what time they need to be there.

Day time guests: 11:30am for 12pm ceremony

Evening guests: 6:30pm

Ceremonies can take an hour especially in church but civil ones are usually nearer to 30 mins. Have you a plan b for bad weather? 2 hours is a long time if you are cooped up inside, perhaps games?

Also we had a similar set up in that our ceremony was in the same room as our meal so the venue needed the 2 hour turnaround. We had around 80 people, us and the kids included and they needed that full 2 hours to change the room around.

Beginning sounds OK but to be honest, I wouldn't expect it to go on until that late unless you know everyone will be up for a party (ie there's not lots of old rels). 10.30 might be a more realistic end time - I think a lot of weddings peter out after a couple of hours of dancing.

Looks generally fine. I'd question why people have to be seated 30 mins before it starts. So would move that 15 mins. Then the 5:30-7:30 of no dancing is a bit long I think. I'd move the evening guests and first dance earlier.

However - as it stands I'd have a great time! I may not last until 00:30 but would give it a go!

More fool me? Wow that’s rude. Surely the spend is relative to your income and if we’re not in debt what we spend on the wedding is our choice.

Ceremony is 100% 1 hour, we’ve rehearsed it, timed it etc. Having 2 brides means the down the aisle part takes longer.

I’ll move the singer to the drinks reception, although that will only work if it rains as otherwise we will be outside with no equipment but it’s a back up at least. Singer is a guest, but also professional singer, so if we don’t fit her in it’s not like we lose money.

I also don’t expect it to go on until midnight either and in fact really hope it doesn’t as I’ll be exhausted but the bar is open until that time so anyone with better staying power than me could still drink / dance if they wanted. No one will be obligated to stay at all!

You say plenty of canapés. I’d check this as there is normally so many per person. We’ve been left ravenous and getting squiffy whilst hanging around waiting for the wedding breakfast.

It sounds perfect to me and very similar to a wedding I went to recently! We all had a big breakfast and lots of time to mingle and get to know all the other guests. The venue also had to almost kick us out at 1am- the dance floor was still packed :)

Seems like a long old day, you've 2 periods of 2 hours with nothing going on particularly.
Also, if the venue is really in the middle of nowhere will you be having many evening guests? It may well get a bit flat by about 9ish.

I agree with many that the timings seem stretched.
Am really wondering what you are doing in the ceremony if it is going to last an hour.... walking down an aisle (presuming this isn't at Westminster Abbey) really only takes 30 seconds so you can't blame that for extending the time. However, you say you've time it.

Why does everyone have to "be seated at 11.30" if the ceremony doesn't start until 12 ?

I then think the gap between ceremony and meal sounds quite long, I think the speeches sound long etc., although I see if you want to make it a continuous day through into evening, then you don't really have a lot of options.

Agree with PP too about finishing time. At our wedding the bus picked our guests up at 12 midday for our 1:30pm ceremony, we didn’t have evening guests so everyone who was coming either got the bus or had stayed the night previously.

The bus to take everyone back home arrived at midnight but didn’t leave until after 1am and we were kicking people out anyone staying the night of the wedding sat up in the bar and had a few more drinks as it stayed open to hotel guests.

Was a brilliant day! I got to bed about 3am and had been up from 6am.

It sounds brilliant to me, there's a lot of nit picking going on from some people. I'd never expect a wedding to kick out at 10.30, how bizarre. People can leave a bit early if they want to, they don't need to stay til the bitter end!

Also, when I go to a wedding, I know there'll be hanging around time post ceremony. I'm not expecting my meal straight away. Big breakfast in the morning and cram in as many canapes as they'll give me. I'm a greedy fucker and I've never been faint with hunger yet apart from one wedding when they just had bowls of crisps at the bar which were decimated before we got to them.

Have a lovely wedding, OP.

Guests are not seated at 11.30 they arrive from 11.30 to be seated for 12.

Middle of nowhere yes but evening guests are local and to be honest they are people I don’t mind if they don’t come but had to invite out of obligation, relatives that I haven’t seen in 10 years etc. Anyone close to us is coming all day. I’d rather get rid of the evening guests altogether but that would cause upset with both parents so we’ve invited in the hope they don’t come but at least we offered if that makes sense.

Canapés we’ve doubled up so ordering for twice as many people as will be attending and have included kids in the number although they probably won’t have any as they aren’t really catered to most kids tastes. Still waiting to find out if they will do child friendly ones also.

The timings are stretched yes and that’s my main concern. Can’t see what I can do about it as had to go with the 12pm ceremony. The only other option was moving the meal slightly earlier but that means bringing evening guests earlier and 6.30 is already quite early for evening guests really.

There will be a DJ and music playing plus photobooth from 17.30 so the period after the meal there is entertainment. We are starting the DJ before the first dance rather than us doing the first dance and then opening the dance floor as we want to be able to greet our evening guests.

The only entertainment free time is between the ceremony and meal, although I can put the singer on except that’s more to set the atmosphere rather than entertainment as she’s a classical singer not pop. Praying it’s a nice day as we at least have garden games then. Going to bring my giant jenga, connect 4, and chess board. If it rains we are restricted to the lounge and conservatory. It’s a nice space but not big enough for any of the games unless we lose the seating and with elderly relatives we don’t want to do that. Plus there probably won’t be anywhere to put it.

I would be a LOT less stressed if we could have had the 1 or 2 pm ceremony slot! I’ve even rang a few times to ask for cancellations but no luck.

2 brides takes about 2 more minutes...itw walking down the aisle, not a full on show.

I really think you're over estimating civil ceremony time.

If you have kids coming please cater for them in canapés. There's nothing worse than trying to placate a hungry child with adult canapés. A few basic sandwiches and crisps will suffice. Adults can deal with being hungry, children can't.

Have you considered nipping to the registry office in the week, getting married at your leisure, then having a celebrant conduct the "wedding"? I know a few friends that have done this, it seems to work well, and you can the ceremony at any time you want then?

Why aren't people reading the OP's posts? She said she was waiting to find out about children's canapes, so clearly she's planning on feeding them. She has trialled and timed the ceremony - it takes an hour!

Honestly OP you are stressing over nothing. People will be used to the drinks and mingling bit of a wedding post ceremony. So long as there's food, drink and places to sit you are fine.

The first gap is fine, it really is. A two gap is the norm at any weddings I’ve ever been too, it’s only on here that people are expected to be married, fed and home by 6pm.

Don’t stress about it. If it’s wet and you can’t have garden games then people will just have to talk, dreadful isn’t it .

Have a wonderful day!

What's the problem with a few hours chatting and mingling? That's completely normal at a wedding! Surely a group of adults can amuse themselves that amount of time It's completely normal to have that extra slot for the room to be readjusted. I've been to 7 weddings in the past 2 years and this was the case at every single one. Some of our guests are staying at the hotel and will use the time to check in. If it's not raining they'll have a sit outside. If it's raining they'll sit in the large bar area and chat.

We have the 12.30 slot and it's their own look out if anyone hasn't listened to my advice about timings / having a big breakfast to keep them going

They'll be children at our wedding and as everyone will know what time we're eating at I fully expect the parents to sort out extra snacks if needed. Even if that's bags of crisps from the bar

Honestly @TastingTheRainbow Everyone coming should just be happy to see you married and spend time with their family and friends. My only criticism is that you're worrying too much. Grown adults can amuse themselves for a few hours. It sounds like you're putting on an absolutely lovely day