Need a little advice on this one, My wedding is booked for bank holiday Sunday next august, I had to wait until the Tuesday after bank holiday this year to ring the registrar as they only book from 1 year in advance and don't open weekends.
When they rang back i could only have 11, 2 or 4.30 - i had wanted 3.30 or 4 (as the venue doesn't do check in until 3pm on the day and people are travelling quite a way) 11 was un-doable (i dont do mornings!) and 2 was too early, so had to go for 4.30. I have been freaking out ever since thinking that its far too late to have the ceremony. Even though its only half an hour later than the time i asked for i feel like the day is going to be too short - especially for the amount of blumming money its costing us!! The bar closes at 12 midnight so after ceremony, pictures, drinks reception, speeches and wedding breakfast we wont have much time for dancing the night away (which is my favourite part of a wedding!!)
Am i freaking out over the stupidest thing? Has anybody been to/ had a 4.30 wedding?? Is there a chance that the Registrar might have a cancellation nearer the time so our time can be moved - or will that then mess up all the other things that we may book
Help or calming attitude will be appreciated lol!
CommentAuthorsarah
How do you feel about doing your photos before the ceremony. You could do a first look and it would open up more time in the afternoon. I'm not sure it's possible but I'd try to move the drinks reception before the ceremony as well (not sure if that's possible).
CommentAuthorlala "mod" bunni
I would have gone for 2pm myself ...... Have you got guests staying the night before ... If so maybe they would be willing to have other guests stuff in their rooms
Will your venue allow your guest to check in early or hold their luggage for them until they can check in?
CommentAuthorMrs T. 2 Be
Can your venue not guarantee one room to be open for your travelling guests?
Our ceremony is at 1:30 but rooms won't be available for guests until 2pm onwards. However, we have been told that this is just to cover worse case scenarios in regards to preparing rooms from the night before and there should be a room or few that will be ready before them for guests to freshen up in.
Started Dating: 25th September 2005
Engaged: 26th September 2012
Getting Married: 25th May 2014
Yes sarah, I was thinking of doing as many of the pictures before hand as possible. The hotel/venue is one and the same - they have a wedding on the day/night before and don't allow ceremonies until 3pm on a Sunday - otherwise i would have gone for the 2pm. They were pretty stubborn about the 'not before 3' thing. The hotel will only allow early check in for the bridal party and the groom's party to get ready in. Also the wedding the night before has all of the rooms booked out (it only has 30) so theres no chance of anyone staying the night before. I might try again to see if they can allow the ceremony at 2 - although i bet the registrar times have changed again now - but i really doubt they will, I wouldn't mind if i could just get 3.30 or even 4!
Urghhh... I thought the registrar would be the least of my worries - especially for all the money they charge!
CommentAuthorsarah
Since it's your venues policy to not allow wedding before 3 on a Sunday perhaps they can help you with the timings and share with you what other brides have done. Can you get on a waiting list (for lack of a better word) for an earlier time with your registrar in case their availability changes?
CommentAuthorFernP61
Can't you ask the venue to rearrange a date? 4.30 is a bit Kate and as you are spending alot of money too x
CommentAuthorNataleeM
great advice sarah xx
Can not wait until I marry the man of my DREAMS
CommentAuthorSoonToBeMrs.C
Thanks again Sarah, I'm on the wait list with the Registrar for a 4 o'clock appointment, but i have found a couple of people who have had 4.30 ceremonies and their timings seem fine - i think i'm having a panic about it and it will all be fine. FernP61 - Unfortunately all the dates in Saturday for next summer were booked up, there was a few other sundays but bank holiday worked for us and we couldn't have a week day because of guests and my OH's job so not much chance of rearranging unless we changed venue -and we're far too in love with the venue to move! I think we'll have a sort of drinks reception before the wedding - except without me, just the groom and groomsmen. I'm going to stick with it, at least the flow of the day will work well!!
CommentAuthorSoonToBeMrs.C
This is the timings from a wedding i found
4.00 pm Musical Prelude to Brides arrival 4.30 pm Wedding Ceremony 5.00 pm Canapés and Photographs 6.30 pm Speeches and Toasts 7.00 pm Dinner and Drinks 9.00 pm Dancing 12.00 am Carriages to be booked
We wont be having canapés and we wont need 'carriages' as everyone is staying there! Hopefully speeches wont run that long - i'm not marrying a great public speaker and my dad's even worse! so maybe 3 hours of dancing in heels might be enough to sort me (and the guests) out! I'm going to speak to the venue again and see what has worked for other brides with similar times.
CommentAuthorValentinaK
Perdonally id have opted for the 1400 wedding! You have more time and most hotels will check you in early or at leadt hold clients bags, esoecially when clients are parting wity £1000s of cash!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorsarah
Are you dinning and having the disco in the same room, if so it may take more time to eat and then change the room over. If you're doing the majority of photos beforehand that should save you time as well.
CommentAuthorSoonToBeMrs.C
No the dinner and disco are in 2 different rooms and there is a terrace where we wanted to have an acoustic band - if sunny so it would go straight from dinner into some sort of music - no hanging around.
CommentAuthorsarah
That helps out your timings a lot. Do you have your photographer booked yet?
CommentAuthorSoonToBeMrs.C
The photographer is a family friend so he'll be there for the entire day - as he'd be coming to the wedding even if he hadn't offered to photograph it, so that helps with the amount of shots we'll get.
CommentAuthoralmost a year wife!!
I'd've gone for 2 too...
Ill marry my hero
CommentAuthorJanetM46
edited
I chose a 4.30 wedding i'm not keen on the in between bit where people are hanging around for the evening to start, i'm hoping it will all flow well. Given that you wanted 4.00pm i'm sure 30 minutes won't make much difference x
CommentAuthorJoanna
I went to a wedding a couple of weekends ago where the ceremony was at 4.30! Before the day, I did think it was a bit late but on the day it didn't feel rushed at all. It was a lovely day. They got married at 4.30, then had a drinks reception and a 3 course meal. Then it was straight onto the evening reception and there was a band and everyone dancing and having a good time. It didn't feel too late at all on the day x
The greatest thing you'll ever learn
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CommentAuthorMrsLJDeaton
I've been to a 4:30pm Wedding and it was Perfect We had plenty of time for everything dinner photos dancing the night away drinks and the bar closed at 12 as well So You have plenty of time just make the most of it My Ceremony Wont be till 5pm or 5:30pm as they have to close the venue to the public etc so don't worry your day will still be perfect plus plenty of time to get ready and be stress free as you have all the time in the world =D <3 X
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CommentAuthorBev
I wouldn't worry Hun, half an hour won't make much difference. We're having a 5pm ceremony x
CommentAuthorCharlieBe-Cool
I would have gone for 2pm too, but, if you want a little more 'dancing' time can you not ask your venue if they allow the DJ/band to play until 1am? Our venue allows us to book the DJ until 1am at the absolute latest (midnight as standard). The bar would actually close at midnight but I find that most people get one last drink at midnight anyway then mill about or dance until the DJ finishes so might work out ok.
As to check in, I would suggest that people either leave their luggage in a bridesmaids room (not yours - you dont want to be tripping over bags getting ready!) or that they simply leave them in their car and sort them out while photos/drinks reception is done.
Met my prince charming - May 2002
Finally tying the knot - July 2015
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CommentAuthor*The NewMrsMalin*
Lots of good suggestions on here; I don't think 4:30pm is to late; personally I would have gone for 2pm but that is my personal preference. :)
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CommentAuthorMrsK2b
edited
I wouldn't worry too much to be honest. My friend is getting married at 3:30 and she isn't having an evening buffet as everyone will be finishing dinner by 8:30.
Also you have to be there about 10 - 15 mins before so the registrar can speak to you.
Also you have to remember the venue isn't allowed to serve alcohol to guest while the registrar is on site. So check with your venue with regards to the drink reception.
Cant wait until I become Mrs K
CommentAuthorSoonToBeMrs.C
Thanks for all the replies! I've been over to the venue today and we had a chat - i think its all going to work swimmingly after speaking with them!! We are just feeding people once and there's a possibility of extending the bar - think i'll stop worrying about that now and start thinking about everything else!!
D xx
CommentAuthorTori
I was originally going to have a 4pm wedding and just cut the time between wedding and the wedding breakfast. If you are considering changing timings etc whatever you do do not give notice just yet. If you change you will have to give notice and pay the fee again x
CommentAuthorBeverleyW66
My wedding is at 4:15 but we aren't having a sit down meal, just drinks and canapés for the wedding party then a hog roast in the evening.
Do people usually display the timings for the guests to see so that everyone knows what's going on?
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CommentAuthorFernP61
We went to h2bs brothers wedding which was 4 at the church by the time we had photos went back to the venue had food speeches it was really late I have opted for 12 at church so I have all day really I have slot to do from 8am x
CommentAuthorFernP61
We did go to the registrars and the only app they had on our day was 10 it's too early x
