Tick tock. (Your guests are waiting.)

pittiemama14 · August 2013

Ok maybe how do I tell her was not a good way of phrasing it. What I should have said was how do I get it through her thick skull. But yes, I see what you guys are saying. I guess she'll know to sit down and keep her pouting to a minimum when she hears my processional song starting promptly at 4. I do love my mom, but she can be quite difficult at times.

Bubbles2014 · August 2013

I don't think you have to get it into her skull. The wedding starts at 4, end of. If she shows up late you won't wait for her, and you won't wait for anyone else either. Anytime she brings it up just remind her that it starts at 4. I'd make a sign to hold up for when you're eating and can't reply right away

OliveOilsMom · August 2013

I would just say, "Mom, the wedding IS starting promptly at 4. If you want to wait for any stragglers who cannot arrive on time, then we will start without you." And just be prepared to follow through. Make sure your mom doesn't have any responsibility that could cause your day to slow down or get off schedule. For example, don't have your mom have anything to do with the limo (if your having one). She may try to alter the start time for the limo to get you off your schedule. You may not think your mom is like that, I hope not!, but I've seen some terrible stories of what parents have done to the B&G.

AprilH81 · August 2013

Try to have music starting about 30 minutes prior to the ceremony start time (in your case that would be 3:30). Put wording on the invitation along the lines of "music/prelude will begin at 3:30 pm and the ceremony at 4:00" That lets people know the schedule and pretty music will help entertain people while they wait.

I'm sure someone can give you prettier language than I did but you get the idea.

wittykitty14 · August 2013

We had to start my ceremony (hour long Catholic Mass, in a church that was hot and humid as balls) 15 minutes late because we were waiting for my own mother, who did not budget her getting-ready time well. There was no way we were going to start the ceremony without her, so I wasn't pleased.

But it sort of worked out. I didn't realize that DH's grandparents from OOT were running late to the ceremony as well. They got there the same time my mom did. In that sense, it worked out pretty well. I wouldn't have felt comfortable having to start the ceremony without them there.

ElcaB · August 2013

wittykitty14 said:

We had to start my ceremony (hour long Catholic Mass, in a church that was hot and humid as balls) 15 minutes late because we were waiting for my own mother, who did not budget her getting-ready time well. There was no way we were going to start the ceremony without her, so I wasn't pleased.
But it sort of worked out. I didn't realize that DH's grandparents from OOT were running late to the ceremony as well. They got there the same time my mom did. In that sense, it worked out pretty well. I wouldn't have felt comfortable having to start the ceremony without them there.

To me, 10-15 minutes is acceptable. An hour or more is not!

MrsLillyG · August 2013

my day of coordinator and officiant are both insisting we start 15 or 20 minutes after the time the invitation says.

KeptInStitches · August 2013

I would insist just as much that you're going to start on time.

jlhart76 · August 2013

I went to a wedding once where the bride showed up 45 min after it was supposed to start, carrying her dress. Apparently she lost track of time. Then another 40 min to get ready, so the wedding started over an hour late. Fortunately it was one of those church receptions that lasted less than an hour.

MyNameIsNot · August 2013

I can't believe they made everyone wait that long. My FIL was late to our ceremony, because he got lost. I gave him 10 minutes, and then we started the processional. He got there while we were walking, and was seated in the back during the first part of the ceremony.

RedJacks25 · August 2013

I went to a wedding about a month ago where we were told that the ceremony would start at 4:30. We got there at 4. The ceremony started at 5:30. We found out later that this was their plan all along, to make sure everyone was there when it started.

minskat30 · August 2013

I hate having to wait for weddings to start. Our reception started on time and I didn't want to make the people who were considerate enough to be on time/early wait for those who were not. I recently went to a wedding that started over an hour late....the bride was running around in her wedding dress barking orders at people and the bridesmaids looked confused at best. It was very odd...not only to see the bride before walking down the aisle as a guest but to see her yelling at people for an hour+ before she walked down the aisle.

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