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Morning Wedding Timelines

brunchbride14brunchbride14 member
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in Offbeat Weddings
Does anyone have experience with time lines for a morning wedding and how they pan out? Our ceremony starts at 10am (yes, I know it's early!) and everything will be over by 2:30. 
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Re: Morning Wedding Timelines

  • emmyg65emmyg65 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    http://apracticalwedding.com/2013/03/creating-wedding-timeline-iii/
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  • mrscinemamrscinema member
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    Many weddings I've recently been to have chosen a couture brunch that ends around that time over the standard 4pm-midnight. I loved it. I am NOT a morning person, but it was a pleasant start to the day and, if family is in town, it gives the rest of the evening to plan something with them to do so the couple can run off and enjoy themselves right in time for a hotel suite check in time!
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  • PineapplePopsiclesPineapplePopsicles member
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    hey, @brunchbride14 - just curious to see how your timeline worked out.  When is your wedding?  We are doing a morning/brunch wedding, too, and I am still working on the final details of our timeline.  Thanks (in advance) for sharing :)
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  • brunchbride14brunchbride14 member
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    Hi @PineapplePopsicles - I think we finally figured out the timeline!  Ours is September 6th and we have a 10am ceremony with the reception at the same venue after that.  Here is what ours looks like so far, let me know if you have any suggestions!

    5am- hair and makeup starts for the wedding party (yes, I know that this sounds absolutely terrible! Finding a stylist to help this early was so difficult.)
    8am- both wedding parties arrive at venue for first look, all wedding party pictures, couples shots.
    9:40- guests start arriving?
    10am- ceremony
    10:30- ceremony over
    10:30-11:15- cocktail hour and apps, lawn games, family pictures
    11:30- Brunch opens
    11:30-2:30: Brunch, toasts, dances, cake, etc.
    2:45- We depart
    3- guests depart

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  • PineapplePopsiclesPineapplePopsicles member
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    brunchbride14 said:
    Hi @PineapplePopsicles - I think we finally figured out the timeline!  Ours is September 6th and we have a 10am ceremony with the reception at the same venue after that.  Here is what ours looks like so far, let me know if you have any suggestions!

    5am- hair and makeup starts for the wedding party (yes, I know that this sounds absolutely terrible! Finding a stylist to help this early was so difficult.)
    8am- both wedding parties arrive at venue for first look, all wedding party pictures, couples shots.
    9:40- guests start arriving?
    10am- ceremony
    10:30- ceremony over
    10:30-11:15- cocktail hour and apps, lawn games, family pictures
    11:30- Brunch opens
    11:30-2:30: Brunch, toasts, dances, cake, etc.
    2:45- We depart
    3- guests depart

    eeek.  Yeah, @brunchbride14, 5am isn't pretty, but you have to be, right?!   Here is ours (rough)

    5:30a - makeup or hair starts at hotel with bride
    7:00a - makeup or hair (whatever one isn't done yet) starts at hotel with bride
    8:30a - get dressed, travel to venue (10 mins away)
    9:30a - first look pictures with groom
    10:00a- guests start arriving
    10:30a - ceremony starts
    10:45 - ceremony ends, B&G run out to start family pics asap, guests enter reception & start finding tables, lining up for brunch, etc.

    We don't want to do a formal cocktail hour because we want people to go ahead and start eating. We would like to squeeze in some family pics beforehand, but I don't know if there will be time.  We don't have a wedding party, and we aren't doing any formal dances, garter/bouquet tosses, etc. We have to be cleared out by 2-2:30 at the latest.  I think our preacher will make an announcement (go inside, find your seats, start eating, etc) so people are clear that they are ok to eat and they don't have to wait for us.    

    Alternately, we could have a quick cocktail hour (30 mins?) but there isn't really anywhere for our guests to go.  They would be in the same ceremony space with the chairs.  There is no option for "flipping" the space and no alternate location.  So it would be everyone standing around the ceremony chairs for 30 minutes, which seems awkward.  Even with mimosas/bloody mary's.  So letting them go straight inside & start eating seems like the best plan to us.  What do you think?

    We are having a jazz duo and the whole thing will be very elegant but also relaxed and hopefully easy.  

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  • brunchbride14brunchbride14 member
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    @PineapplePopsicles That sounds like it should be a great timeline!  When is the wedding? I tried to avoid having a cocktail hour because I didn't really think it was that necessary but there's no way we can get all pictures in before the ceremony! 

    I like your plan to let people start eating, I think just sitting around the ceremony area would be strange for some people.  This way people will get to start mingling and eating right away.  Maybe do an announcement when your back from pictures just so people will know? 

    I'm really hoping for a fun and relaxing event!  I LOVE our menu and think that people will be really surprised about attending a brunch wedding.
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  • PineapplePopsiclesPineapplePopsicles member
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    @brunchbride14  thanks!  Our wedding is 10/4 - 52 days away!!  My shower is the day of your wedding :)   

    I like your idea of an announcement when we get back from pictures.  I still haven't finalized it all in my mind, because I feel like something is missing.  I hope it comes to me soon!!

    I love our menu, too!!!  I've gotten great feedback about our wedding so far and our friends and family seem excited to do something different.  Every.single.wedding in my area is the party-all-night kind, which is fine, but not for us. 
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  • brunchbride14brunchbride14 member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment First Anniversary
    @PineapplePopsicles - Congratulations, that's coming up soon! I feel like I still have a lot to figure out when it comes to the little details, but I really just keep putting it off! oops. Exactly, I don't think anyone we've invited has ever been to a wedding like ours before, it's kind of exciting!
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  • AdelebethAdelebeth member
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    We are doing something very similar, we won't have any dances. I am being told from several sides that we need some form of entertainment for the reception, and I'm drawing a blank! I love the idea of a morning wedding, congrats and have fun!!
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Adelebeth said:
    We are doing something very similar, we won't have any dances. I am being told from several sides that we need some form of entertainment for the reception, and I'm drawing a blank! I love the idea of a morning wedding, congrats and have fun!!
    An iPod playing Frank and Bing and Ella is enough "entertainment".  It'll at least make it so it's not quiet.  What do your friends do for "entertainment" when they're all out to eat at a restaurant?  Do you hire up-close Magicians and Belly Dancers every time people get together for a meal?  I'm pretty sure the meal, and talking, and getting drinks, and eating, and drinking, and talking some more, and taking some photos, and drinking is enough entertainment.
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