Wedding Ceremony Timeline Question

tamtam7 · April 2010

Hey ladies! I would like to have my wedding ceremony at 2:30pm. Should I put 2:00pm on the wedding invitation just to ensure that people get there on time? Also, I hired violinists for the wedding ceremony. I want to make sure that I get my money's worth What are your thoughts on the ceremony timeine?

TINAMM · April 2010

I put a 15 minute earlier time on the invites so that by 5:30p the actual time everyone better be there because I am not waiting for anyone. I too want the most of my violinist so she will arrive at 5 which is the time when I know my DH and his BM and parents will arrive.

tamtam7 · April 2010

Ok. That helps a lot Tinamm, thanks! I'm just really worried that people are going to come late. My family and FI's family seem to conceptualize time very differently from us. (How's that for a PC way of saying they are never on time LOL---actually I'm not always punctual myself, but I'm better than them). I just looked at my contract for the violinists and they actually intend to get there at 1:00pm, well, that's too early because I don't know what they are going to be doing for an hour and a half. I would like to get these invitations done today, but I need to make sure that I have the time correct.

adgenya · April 2010

My thoughts are put it at the time that it's actually supposed to start. Don't punish the prompt because the late can't be responsible for getting themselves on time. If I thought a wedding was going to start at 2, I would show up by 1:45. If it didn't start for another 45 minutes, I'd be pissed.

You could always give the real time and if your site coordinator notices a lot of stragglers, delay it for a few minutes. Those that are late, are late and miss out.

For the violinist, I'd prolly have them "on the clock" at 1:30pm if you start at 2.

TINAMM · April 2010

Your welcome, I know right, we are never on time LOL! I dont thinks its punishing the prompt, we are starting our ceremony PROMPTLY at 5:30p so telling the guest to be there at 5:15 in my eyes is not punishing anyone. It gives them time to get settlede into their seat look over the program, have a bottle of water(beach ceremony), takes pics of themselves at the beach, etc,etc. Not to mention my violinst will be there at 5pm so they will enjoy some music as they are waiting. SO put on the invites a time you are comfortable with 15 mins earlier I feel is good enough

tamtam7 · April 2010

Thanks ladies. Yeah I understand what you are saying adgenya. FI said the same thing. And yeah Tinamm, if I set the time on the invitations 15 minutes before hand like you suggested I wouldn't be punishing the prompt, but my 30 minutes may be a bit much. But I guess I was thinking that if I set the time on the invitations for 30 minutes earlier than the wedding time and I had the violinists playing music they'll be entertained. But I guess, this is the part that I don't understand, because I haven't been to a wedding in a long time, does the prelude, sitting of the granparents, parents and all that take 30mins.? Like could I start the wedding promptly at 2:00 and then do all of that stuff (i.e. prelude, walk parents. etc.), and then maybe I walk down the ailse at 2:30? Like, how long is the prelude? I'm eally trying to get my money's worth out of the violinists, but I guess making my guests sit for 30 minutes and listen to the violinists may be unreasonable. IDK But they are really good, though.

They play Motown and everything. And they stroll.

TINAMM · April 2010

So heres our timeline for the prelude its about 30 mins, that means when the guest start arriving to the time the Parents walk down the Aisle, our parents are walking to the same song and its about 7 mins long, the BM walk down its about 5 mins, my entrance 5 mins, then my viloinst plays for the gifts to the mothers 4 mins( a rose will be given to each mother) then she plays during the sand ceremony that includes our children 6 -8mins, Then she plays at the end 5 mins, and again at the blessing stone toss(each guest gets a stone, says a blessing for the couple and throws it in the ocean) 5mins, so we are looking at about 1 hour and 10 mins of her playing, possibly a little longer. But she was super cheap $100 bucks so I feel like I will be getting my moneys worth.

tamtam7 · April 2010

Yeah you are definately getting your money's worth. Yeah, I remember how much your violinist cost. I was quite jealous, to be honest. You typed in this whole post about how inexpensive your wedding costs were and I was like I hate this girl....just kidding, but you really did a good job, that's great. And that's awesome because I remember you saying at one point that you weren't sure if you were going to be able to have your vow renewal, so I'm really happy for you that you are able to have such a beautiful event and not break the bank. I began to pride myself on my great deals for a while until I saw your post. LOL. But that's great though, I'm not hating...well, maybe a lil' LOL. I mean I'm not doing so bad over here, but I mean your deals were pretty impressive. I wish I would have thought to check out Craig's list for my violinists. I was going to go with college students but they weren't that much cheaper than the professionals I hired. So, I just went with them. The information regarding your timeline really helps. I think that 2:00pm would be a good time to put on my invitations. Your ceremony sounds so freakin' beautiful! I love the stone toss thing. This whole thing is making me a lil' misty, actually. That is just so wonderful for your children to see you and your husband renewing your vows. That is such a wonderful thing for children to witness; that kind of love between their parents, because unfortunately, that is not the image that most children see. And especially black children. I'm literally tearing up over here, this is ridulous! LOL. But seriously, that is really beautiful You and your husband are inspirational.

adgenya · April 2010

I guess we're doing our ceremony a little bit differently. We're having a dj begin playing popular songs of today (recorded by string quartets) at 5:30 (for a 6 pm ceremony) because we anticipate our guests to arrive between 5:30 and 6. For our ceremony we included the parents and grandparents walking down the aisle. I anticipate that I'll actually walk down at 6:05 pm since we have a huge bridal party.

I do think 15 minutes is a lot more reasonable than a 30 minute difference though.

TINAMM · April 2010

YOU GOT ME TEARIN UP NOW!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! My Dh is probably the cheapest person on the planet unless its something I really really want, and I even surprised myself with my deals.I know thats right about black kids not seeing enough positive realtionships out there and we wanted to do this while they were young so they would knowwhen they become of age of what true love looks like and that true love grows stronger everyday and if you do not have that in your relationship then you do not have true love and we do not want them to sacrafice true love in their adult relationships. I feel so blessed to have my Husband and to continually love him more and more as each day passes.
But yeah I did sacrafice my vision a little but my DH just told me yesterday get what you want, and don't stress out about anything. He wants this to be a happy event for US not for the masses and thats all that matters, the stressing over who's coming or not, who's staying where, at the end its a celebration and a begining of a new life with someone that you love, and I wish nothing less for you and your FI a long lasting, loving, happy union!

tamtam7 · April 2010

Thanks Tinamm. And yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about. It's important for young children to see how in love their parents are so that they can truly understand what true love looks like. I can't wait to see pics from your ceremony. It sounds beautiful.

@Adgenya, how long will the dj play then, like maybe 15-20 minutes or so? How big is your wedding party? See, we have a small wedding party.

adgenya · April 2010

Our dj is doing our whole ceremony and reception (including cocktail hour). He'll do the modern day string quartet from 5:30-6. At 6 he'll play our processional music for the parents, groom, and bridal party to walk down to. When the ceremony is done he'll play the recessional music and then cocktail music for cocktail hour before the reception starts.

Our bridal party is huge...I have 10 attendants and fi has 9. But it won't take that long. Just a few minutes.

cuddleberry · April 2010

My ceremony is at 630 . Those who know me well know that I do not believe in late. TO BE EARLY IS TO BE ON TIME, TO BE ON TIME IS TO BE LATE...if you aren't there by 630p the show will be starting with or without ya! lol

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