Wedding Timeline for a 12 Hr Wedding. HELP!

illakk

Hi everyone. My big day is Oct 3, 2015 at Rustic Grace Estate and I need help establishing a timeline. I'm renting a restored barn for our venue for 12 hrs total and plan on having the ceremony onsite outdoors with the reception held inside the barn. We will not have a cocktail hour, just appetizers before the meal and we plan on doing the rest of the stuff like first dances, etc. Here's the times I have so far:

10:00AM - Rental Period Starts

10:00AM - 1PM - Decoration set up

11:00PM - Shut off music - start clean up

12:00AM - Venue cleaned and all guest out by this time.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Maggie0829

Wait, so you have the barn for twelve hours and your rental time starts at 10am?  That means your rental time period ends at 10pm, not midnight.  So you need to be completely cleaned up and out at 10pm.

donethat

We can help.  Just a couple of questions:

Confirm time in / time you must be OUT.  (10 PM or midnight)

How many guests?

Do you (or company or caterer) need to set up (and then tear down) tables and chairs, or simply decorate?  

Food ?  (on site caterer or off site  or home made)

Bar ?  (Same questions as above)

Parking?

Entertainment?

It's doable,, of course!

MandyMost

Typically a wedding is around 5 hours. Say, 30 min for a ceremony, an hour for cocktail hour, an hour and a half for dinner/toasts/intros, and the remaining time (2 hours or so) for dancing. 

You may need more than a few hours to get everything set up--it's a good idea to check with the caterer, bar, cake, florist, etc., as to what they generally expect. All your rentals will have to be delivered and then set up. You'll likely have a delivery window for the florist and the cake as well. Stuff has to be delivered and set up in order--you need tables before the linens, and the linens before the flowers, etc. 

You also will need to ask how long everyone needs to pick stuff up at the end of the night. If you have to be 100% out at 10pm, you may need to end the event at 8pm so you can clean up and take what you're keeping, and the rental companies can arrive at 9pm and be out by 10pm. 

You have plenty of time, but just keep in mind that a 12 hour rental period does not mean a 12 hour event! You'll still likely have approx. a 5 hour event.

southernbelle0915

I'm going to pretend your rental period starts at 12pm because math. 

So here is a suggested timeline:

12pm-3pm - set up

3-5pm - buffer in case problems and pre-wedding photos

5-5:30pm - ceremony

5:30-5:45pm receiving line (how long depends on how many guests)

5:45-6:45pm - "cocktail" hour for guests (fine to just serve apps and non-alcoholic drinks if you're having a dry wedding)

5:45-6:45pm - pictures for B&G + WP

6:45-7pm - introductions and first dances

7pm - toasts and dinner

8 or 8:30pm - cake cutting

8:30-10:30pm - dancing

10:30pm - 12am - tear down and clean up

ETF words

Viczaesar

I hate when OPs can't be bothered to come back.

Maggie0829

Viczaesar said:

I hate when OPs can't be bothered to come back.

Agree.  Why even post if you aren't going to come back and possibly provide further details?  Seems like a big fat waste of time.

wrigleyville

It's barely been two days. Some people don't log in every day.

theartistformerlyknownas

wrigleyville said:

It's barely been two days. Some people don't log in every day.

Maggie0829

wrigleyville said:

It's barely been two days. Some people don't log in every day.

Yeah, but typically if you ask a question wouldn't you be wanting to see if you got an answer?

KatieinBkln

I sit around and wait like a desperate schoolgirl for the little red numbers to pop up.

wrigleyville

Maggie0829 said:

wrigleyville said:

It's barely been two days. Some people don't log in every day.

Yeah, but typically if you ask a question wouldn't you be wanting to see if you got an answer?

Possibly, but sometimes life gets in the way or people ask on multiple forums and forget to check each one (or got an answer on another one).

Personally, I shift+refresh like a madman, so I don't get it either.

illakk

I'm BACK! Sorry for those who thought I was ignoring this post. I thought I had email notifications turned on for post replies and I didnt realized I had any replies on this till now! I'm so sorry! I have yet to establish a timeline but heres the details on my contract:

Standard time slots will be within the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight with 12 hours to be available on Saturday.

All music must be turned off at 11:00 p.m. or one hour prior to the end of the rental time, whichever comes first. This gives Renter time to cleanup and clear out all guests by 12:00 midnight or the end or the rental time, whichever comes first. 

illakk

I have to be out of the venue by 12am. Clean up starting around 11. So starting I can start decorating at the venue around 12pm.

illakk

Maggie0829 said:

Wait, so you have the barn for twelve hours and your rental time starts at 10am?  That means your rental time period ends at 10pm, not midnight.  So you need to be completely cleaned up and out at 10pm.

I have to be out of the venue by 12am. Clean up starting around 11. So starting I can start decorating at the venue around 12pm.

illakk

southernbelle0915 said:

I'm going to pretend your rental period starts at 12pm because math. 

So here is a suggested timeline:

12pm-3pm - set up

3-5pm - buffer in case problems and pre-wedding photos

5-5:30pm - ceremony

5:30-5:45pm receiving line (how long depends on how many guests)

5:45-6:45pm - "cocktail" hour for guests (fine to just serve apps and non-alcoholic drinks if you're having a dry wedding)

5:45-6:45pm - pictures for B&G + WP

6:45-7pm - introductions and first dances

7pm - toasts and dinner

8 or 8:30pm - cake cutting

8:30-10:30pm - dancing

10:30pm - 12am - tear down and clean up

ETF words

This helps me alot. Thank you for responding. Sorry for the late reply on my behalf!

illakk

donethat said:

We can help.  Just a couple of questions:

Confirm time in / time you must be OUT.  (10 PM or midnight)

How many guests?

Do you (or company or caterer) need to set up (and then tear down) tables and chairs, or simply decorate?  

Food ?  (on site caterer or off site  or home made)

Bar ?  (Same questions as above)

Parking?

Entertainment?

It's doable,, of course!

I have to be out by midnight 12am.

How many guests? 125-150 

Do you (or company or caterer) need to set up (and then tear down) tables and chairs, or simply decorate?  Caterer will need to set up and tear down. They're in charge of both.

Food ? 

Bar ? Bar service is open for 4 hours. I'm not sure when to start bar service either! ?-11

Parking? Parking is easily accessable, only about a 1 min walk.

Entertainment? DJ.