Wedding Day Timeline Help - when to start ceremony?

kmistarz

Hello All!

 I would love some help figuring out when to begin my ceremony -

I have a reception space from 6-midnight
Ceremony is separate and I can have any time (say, 4pm or later)
Ceremony is about 20-30 min from reception site
Band will play for 3 hours of dancing, 1 hour dinner
Cocktail hour before dinner

What time should my ceremony start?  It's like a math problem from Jr. High, I know.. Relying on your expertise to help me!

Thank you all!

LDubHawksFan

Are you taking first look pics or all of them after?  Are you doing a cocktail hour (while you finish up pics)?

Just quickly I'm thinking that if you are doing a cocktail hour, starting at 6, then shoot for the ceremony ending around 5:30, maybe start at 5 or 4:30 depending on the length of your ceremony?? 

kmistarz

No first look pics but there will be a cocktail hour where we will take pictures. 

What you suggested is what I was thinking too, I was just wondering about the band? I guess now that I'm thinking about it we wouldn't want the band to play all the way until midnight anyways.

Wedding planning has my mind jumbled!

s-aries8990

I would go for a 4:30 ceremony, that will give people enough time to get to the reception venue after the ceremony

ZeroOrchestra

Just a thought, does having the space until midnight mean that the reception can go until midnight, or that you need everything to be cleaned up and out by midnight? If its the latter, I would plan to end the reception at 11, which gives your clean up crew an hour. If you don't have anyone designated for clean up, I would suggest doing so. This is not a job for you or any WP members or family, I would start by checking with your caterer. Ours were able to clean up for a small extra fee.

kmistarz

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_wedding-day-timeline-help-when-to-start-ceremony?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:b0bbc3cb-96cb-4896-ac05-6b62c884d39aPost:9be83a9e-01cf-427d-967e-1fcedc2d3811">Re:Wedding Day Timeline Help when to start ceremony?</a>:
[QUOTE]Just a thought, does having the space until midnight mean that the reception can go until midnight, or that you need everything to be cleaned up and out by midnight? If its the latter, I would plan to end the reception at 11, which gives your clean up crew an hour. If you don't have anyone designated for clean up, I would suggest doing so. This is not a job for you or any WP members or family, I would start by checking with your caterer. Ours were able to clean up for a small extra fee.
Posted by ZeroOrchestra[/QUOTE]

Good question!  I am having the reception at a golf club so I assumed they would be taking care of the cleanup but I guess that is something I should be sure of! 

[Deleted User]

Talk with the person performing your ceremony to determine the length of the ceremony. Then you need to allow 1-2 hours minimum for photos, possibly more depending on if you plan on going to different locations for pictures.

If you are going to have your reception start at 6:00 with a cocktail hour this might help

Take the time you want to arrive at your reception
-5-10 minutes to primp/bathroom break etc. before entering into your reception
-30 minutes for transportation
-photo time (again take into account where you want to do photos but allow at least 1-2 hours, you would be surprised how fast time goes taking photos. My fiance drives limo & says when people only allow for 30 minutes & unless it's just the bride & groom, they run out of time for photos)
-Ceremony time
Equals what time to start the ceromony.

Hope this helps

DramaGeek

Please make sure that your reception starts right after the ceremony +travel time.  Having 1-2 hours between the ceremony and reception so you can do photos is very rude to your guests.  The cocktail hour is a built in buffer so you can do photos without missing much of the reception.

Do as many photos as possible before the ceremony - you and the WP, him and the WP, each of you with your families, each of you alone.  Save only the photos that have both of you in them for after the ceremony.  Make sure you leave in enough time to get to the reception within an hour of it starting so your guests aren't waiting longer than necessary.