Can someone give me a timeline for a typical wedding day. Im trying to work out how long each part roughly takes and when the next part starts. Our ceremony is going to start about 2pm.
Also what time do you invite the evening guests? Get the DJ to start? And cut the cake?!
You can tell im new to this lol! Thankyou xx
Met In Lanzarote April 2013
Engaged In Rome February 2016
Getting Married In Scotland May 2017
CommentAuthorSusanM34
Hiya, I wasn't sure on this either so I g00g3d it. There were some really useful websites that came up on there and I got some ideas from a few of them Sorry I can't remember the names of them though. Good luck :)
Became Mrs Maunders on 22nd October 2016!
CommentAuthorLauraR322
Hi Kaylie. Our ceremony is at 2.30....wedding breakfast 4-6 and reception at 7.30. I wanted an half hour-hour before the evening started, to chill out and take the first part of the day in. I don't want it to be a rushed day! (That's the plan anyway:-/)
CommentAuthorTheNewMrsBarrett
Hi Kaylie, our timeline was ceremony was 1.30, wedding breakfast started at just after 4 and evening reception 7.30 xx
CommentAuthorTheNewMrsBarrett
Also, dj/singer started with a bit of music about 7.30, we cut our cake at about 8.45 and then had first dance straight after that (singer wanted to make sure all our guests had arrived before we cut cake and had first dance) xx
Our ceremony is at 1.30 (its a church wedding so may be shorter if you're having a civil service). We'll arrive at recption venue from 3pm, wedding breakfast is at 5pm and caterers have said it will take 2 hours for 3 courses, speeches and cake cutting 7-7.30pm. Evening guests arrive from 7.30pm, first dance 8pm and then dance the night away. X
CommentAuthorMrsC2Be
edited
Thanks all for your replies!!
Its hard because the cutting of the cake and first dance sometimes happens before the evening guests and sometimes after they have arrived so im getting all confused!
Ill definitely have a ****g00g13 and see for examples there too :)
****EDIT : SITE NAME DISGUISED IN LINE WITH FORUM RULES. MODS
Met In Lanzarote April 2013
Engaged In Rome February 2016
Getting Married In Scotland May 2017
CommentAuthorSusanM34
I pulled off a couple of timeline examples from different sites. Then me and the OH went through them and jigged about a couple of bits that we think would fit in better with our day. There are no rules, it's your day so do it however it suits you :)
Became Mrs Maunders on 22nd October 2016!
CommentAuthorFlossie
edited
This is a timeline of our day:
Ceremony - 2.00pm Drinks reception and photos - 2.30pm Wedding breakfast - 4.00pm Toast and speeches 6.00pm Tea and coffee - 6.30pm DJ set up - 6.30pm Evening reception - 7.30pm (we've asked evening guests to arrive from 7pm) Cut the cake - 8.15pm First dance - 8.30pm Evening buffet - 9.00pm
We had no idea either so we asked our venue what timings in their experience work best, and this is what they said :)
Happily married
18th June 2016
xx
CommentAuthorFutureMrsW
Our ceremony is about 1pm so we are thinking along the line of:
1pm - Ceremony (church so quite long) 2:30pm - Drinks @ Reception and few formal photos 4pm - Sitting down and Speeches/Toasts (OH wants them before meal) 4:30pm - Afternoon Tea 5:30(ish) - Time for mingling and more photos etc. 7:00pm - Evening guests arrive 7:30pm - Cut the cake/first dance 8:00pm - Hog Roast
CommentAuthorFayeJ67
our time line is this:
12.30 Reception 1pm photos, drinks reception and canapes 2.30 to 3pm Sitting down - 3 course meal 4.30 ish (probably closer to 5 pm) - Speeches Then time for mingling, more photos etc. 7pm evening guests arrive 7.30 cut the cake and first Dance 8.30pm Hog roast! 12pm everybody goes home!
CommentAuthorCatherineR
Service - 2pm Photos - 2.45pm 3.15 Leave for reception 4-4.45pm Drinks and mingling 5-7pm wedding breakfast and speeches 7-7.30pm mingle/private photo shoot/band set up/cake cutting 7.30-9.30pm band first set 9.30pm - break/buffet nibbles 10-11.30pm band second set 11.30pm-12am guests depart/band leave
This was our rough guide for the day but just go with the flow as it's just a lovely day :) xx
Married my wife on 15.08.15
Honeymooned on the Isles of Scilly :)
CommentAuthorCatherineR
If you have evening guests, get them to arrive around the time the band arrives to set up. Cake we did earlier as some people (elderly/people with children/disabled) left after the first band set and for your band/DJ, a good time to start is around 7.30/8pm but no later!
Married my wife on 15.08.15
Honeymooned on the Isles of Scilly :)
CommentAuthorKayleighS46
Ours is
Ceremony 2.00pm Drinks and Photos - 2.30pm to 4.00pm Toasts/Speeches - 4.00 - 4.30pm Meal - 4.30pm - 6.00pm drinks/freshen up - 6.00pm - 7.30pm - allows evening guests to arrive and sweet table/photobooth and band to set up Evening reception - 7.30pm Cutting cake - 7.45pm First dance/Band starts - 8.00pm Buffet - 9.00pm DJ carries on till end of the night - 10.00pm - 1.00am
xx
Met 2013
Propsed 2014
Will Be Mrs Brookes 2016
always & forever xxx
CommentAuthorVikkiH53
Our ceremony is at 1pm and everything is in the same venue so we have:
1pm ceremony 1:30 welcome drinks, canapés and photos 3:00 wedding breakfast 5:00 speeches 7:00 evening guests arrive 7:25 cutting of cake 7:30 first dance 8:30 hog roast 9:00 ice cream cart 11:30 disco ends, fire pit and smores 12:00 carriages
As you can see our day is rather surrounded by food!!!
CommentAuthorKatieR332
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CommentAuthorBecci93
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Your link will be removed as per forum rules unfortunately
Our timeline was going to be
image.jpeg
Speak to your Reception venue though ours were a bit help
Just realised you can't really see the writing 11.45 vintage bus collects guests and takes the to church 12.30 church ceremony begins 1.15 photos and bus ride to the reception 2 canapés and arrival drinks at reception and more photos 3.30 receiving line 4 speeches 4.30 wedding breakfast -7.30 even guests arrive 7.45 cut the cake 8 memory balloon release 8.15 first dance 8.30 party / bbq
CommentAuthorAnikaM60
I wasn't sure about this either. I just thought up rough times. I know my ceremony starts at 2 and will be roughly 45mins so I just went from there. Leaving 30min for photos and 25min to get to venue and get settled in. But I will g00gl3 it properly before I send invites out
CommentAuthorNicoleW665
I didn't know either so I asked my venue for a rough idea as they know how long it takes them to serve the wedding breakfast and rearrange rooms and what not, as soon as you have your venue booked (if you havent already) maybe ask them :) x
When we met: August 2009
When we announced engagement: December 2015
When we will get married: September 2017
CommentAuthorMrsC2Be
thanks guys, good to get real timescales!!! Helps me a lot :D x
Met In Lanzarote April 2013
Engaged In Rome February 2016
Getting Married In Scotland May 2017
CommentAuthorDanielleG93
thank you everyone, these have given me a better view on timings
This will most probably be the quickest day of my life :D
Met 2004
Engaged 2014
Getting Married 2016
CommentAuthorMrsC2Be
haha StephanieM158 why so quick?!
hmmm is it more traditional to have the speeches before the wedding breakfast or after? and why have people chose a different order?! (im creating an order of service and wondering what order to do it in!)
Met In Lanzarote April 2013
Engaged In Rome February 2016
Getting Married In Scotland May 2017
CommentAuthorStephanieM158
Didnt want to be spending a fortune on wedding breakfast and we could only get a registrar for 4pm. He wanted the big white wedding i wanted a quick marriage ceremony on the sun. So it was a compromise. I dont like the fuss and i hate being the center of attention so a late wedding with no breakfast was a compromise.
Im sure speeches come after meal but before desert.... Its been a while since i went to a wedding. Lol
Met 2004
Engaged 2014
Getting Married 2016
CommentAuthorMrsC2Be
could people give me their opinions on the below timeline:
2 Ceremony Begins 2.30 Vows + Kissing 2.45 Drinks + Canapes 3 Photos 4 Receiving Line 4.30 Wedding Breakfast 6.30 Speeches (what happens at this point between last speech and cake cutting/first dance?!) 7 Evening Guests Arrive 7.30 Cake + First Dance DJ until 12am
thanks so much :)
Met In Lanzarote April 2013
Engaged In Rome February 2016
Getting Married In Scotland May 2017
CommentAuthorMrsC2Be
I like that your having a BBQ though, everyone loves BBQ's so you wont get any complaints about food! Only a couple of months to go I see, do you have everything prepared?!
Haha me too! x
Met In Lanzarote April 2013
Engaged In Rome February 2016
Getting Married In Scotland May 2017
CommentAuthorStephanieM158
Nope. Lol. I have loads to do but i cant bring myself to do them. (stags really getting to me) when thats passed i will probably get the oomf to do it again)
Met 2004
Engaged 2014
Getting Married 2016
CommentAuthorTheNewMrsBarrett
MrsC, I think your timeline sounds about right. The only thing I will say is our photos took longer than an hour but that might have been because we were inside and BM and 2nd photographer had to keep getting guests back from the the bar area lol! We didn't bother with a receiving line either so think our photographer used that extra time too. I'm not sure what he tradition is any more re speeches, we had ours at the start of the wedding breakfast mainly due hubby wanting to get his over with so he could relax and enjoy the meal!
CommentAuthorNicolaB7220
There is no rule now about when you do speeches. We chose to do them once everyone was sat at the table and before the wedding breakfast was served and we did this as my dad was really nervous, right from us getting engaged lol, so I did it first to get it out of the way so he could relax and enjoy his meal. I don't think he would have eaten anything had he had speeches coming up afterwards.
Our day went as follows:
2pm Ceremony 2.30pm Confetti, photos/filming, bucks fizz and mingling 4pm Announced the wedding breakfast - everyone to take seats 4.15pm Speeches 4.30pm Wedding breakfast 6pm Giving out gifts (then mingling and some people checked into rooms etc, me and OH had further photos/filming) 7.30pm Evening reception starts 8.10pm Cutting the cake followed immediately by the first dance 8.30pm BBQ 12.30am Finish
CommentAuthorCamilaL
Great to see so many timelines ideas :) Has anyone had the cake cutting before the evening? I am planning on serving the cake as dessert and have no idea what time to cut it. :/
CommentAuthorMichelleC961
for those who are already married, between end of wedding breakfast and evening guests arriving how long gap did you had and what did you do, did you have music or did people just mingle?
Then from evening guests how long did you have before dj or band started?
I'm worried that there is a lull and guests get bored- we are going to have a close up magician for a couple of hours in the evening to entertain guests but not sure what time to have him from
CommentAuthorDanielleS0709
Mines seems a lot different lol I think it's different here in NI. All the weddings here go like this and this is how ours went:
1pm - ceremony. 2pm - ceremony over, meet and greet with guests outside 3pm - head off for photos 3.30pm - guests arrive at hotel, singer in foyer until 5.30 5pm - bridal part arrive at hotel and mingle with guests 6pm - speeches 6.30pm - wedding breakfast 8pm - mingle with guests, Photobooth up & running 9pm - band starts, 1st dance 11pm - evening buffet 11.30pm - dj starts 2am - over.
21st May 2016 xxx
CommentAuthorDanielleS0709
Sorry Michelle can't help you there, all our guests were there all day
21st May 2016 xxx
CommentAuthorNicolaB7220
We had just over an hour gap and guests just mingled. It was a lovely day so people were sitting out making the most of the sunshine. Some got drinks from the bar. Some went for a walk around the beautiful grounds. The day guests who were staying over went and checked into their rooms and freshened up etc. Nobody got bored. Evening guests started arriving at 7.30pm and the DJ was playing some music but not 'disco' type music, just background until we cut the cake and did our first dance and then the party started after that.
CommentAuthorMichelleC961
edited
i think my order will be a combination of a few
1pm church ceremony 2pm church ceremony over- officially Mrs clayton-Hughes 2.30pm arrive venue guests enjoy reception drinks and canapés and acoustic guitarist whilst we have photos 4pm receiving line 4.30 wedding breakfast and speeches- we are breaking it up and having speeches between courses 6.30-7.30pm mingle with day guest 6.30-8.30pm we are thinking of having magician to entertain guests 7.30pm evening guests start to arrive 8.15 cut cake 8.30 band start- these are people OH knows so have 2 bands and a couple of djs mixing it up until 2am ( if we last that long lol)