Wedding Reception Forum

Wedding Ceremony/Reception Timeline

My fiance and I are having an outdoor movie night for a portion our wedding reception (after possible cocktail hour, definite dinner and possible dancing). Some of our fondest memories are of us holding outdoor movies together as a couple or with friends in our backyard and we think it'd be fun to share that experience with our guests. Our families have given us the green light on the idea but we're having trouble setting up a timeline for the entire day. Sunset is at 6:30pm and that is when we plan to start the movie which an hour and 45 mins. 

8 hours are included in our venue rental and we will be holding both the ceremony and reception in the same outdoor space. We have the option for additional time at $100 per hour but are trying to avoid buying extra time if we can. 

Any suggestions? Thank you! and Congrats to my fellow brides!

Re: Wedding Ceremony/Reception Timeline

  • According to the rental company that's the earliest they could start the movie. We have the flexibility to use any 8 hours of the day and we'd look to put the movie at the end of the event.
  • Assuming this setup involves a projector, I think the movie wouldn't be visible enough unless you start after the sun is fully set.
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  • I agree that I would push the movie to the last 2 hours of your reception and then work back from there. It is an interesting idea, but I know it wouldn't be up my alley so having it at the end means I could make my exit prior to the start without missing the rest of the reception.
  • ei34ei34 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Will it be warm enough to be outdoors if the sun is setting as early as 6:30?  I'm not sure of your location just curious.
    If your movie is starting at 6:30, maybe cocktails 3-4, "dinner" 4-5, and dancing 5-6:30?  I put dinner in quotes bc in my area, dinner at weddings is served between 8-9pm, not 4.  Could you push the movie back to 9 or 10, and move everything else back?  I'm used to weddings ending around 12-1am so it's difficult to suggest times not knowing what's common in your circle.  Definitely ditto PPs about the movie being the very last thing.
  • Is the entire event outside? Or are the dinner tables inside and just the movie would be outside? Because I'm thinking if the whole set-up with dinner tables and dance floor is outside, that might actually be a little too bright to show the movie next to. You'll want it bright- I just attended an outdoor backyard wedding where all they had was like 2 string of Christmas lights and it was terrible! You couldn't see who you were talking to, what you were eating, tripping over tables trying to walk around.

    If it were me- ceremony 5. cocktail hour 5:30-6:30, dinner 6:30-7, dancing 7-9, movie 9-11. You basically have to end dancing, you can't have it going on at the same time or nobody would able to hear the movie. Unless you aren't having dancing at all? And curious which movie have you chosen?!

                                                                     

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  • Thank you everyone for your input! We've decided not to do the movie thing as fun as it sounds the timing would just be too tricky. Thanks again! 
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