When it comes to the time of the day to have your wedding ceremony, most couples choose a time between 11 am and 1 pm. Historically, these have been the most popular times for wedding ceremonies. But you don’t have to feel pressurised to stick with tradition. How about a romantic candlelit wedding, or a wedding at sunset? You can have your ceremony at any time of the day, but there may be a few things you will want to take into consideration before booking everything.
Timing is everything
The time of day you decide to get married can have a big effect on the rest of your wedding day, even down to how much your wedding will cost. Every couple wants their special day to last as long as possible, so tend to have the ceremony in the late morning or early afternoon. If you like the idea of a beautiful early morning wedding, you know that the flowers will be fresh, you will have plenty of daylight hours left for photographs, and if you are leaving for your honeymoon in the early evening it will give you enough time to enjoy the celebrations with your guests. However, it could mean a more expensive day than if you had a late afternoon or evening ceremony
Wedding Chaos explains:
“Planning your wedding day around an early morning service with a reception to follow could prove quite expensive in the long run as you will need to provide not only entertainment for your guests throughout the day but also food and drink. You will need to contact the venue to see if they will be available for your guests at such an early time as it can take some time to set up the decorations and prepare the menu.”
There have been changes in the law surrounding the time you can get married. This now allows couples to have their wedding ceremonies in the evening. This is a great time if you want to get married and throw a party immediately afterwards. This time of the day has become more and more popular, with couples taking advantage of the darkness, having candlelit ceremonies and firework displays afterwards.
Things to consider when choosing the time of your ceremony
One of the main things to take into consideration when choosing the time of your wedding ceremony is the time of the year it is taking place. For example, if you are getting married during the winter months, you may want to have your ceremony around midday. The reason being is that there are limited daylight hours and the mornings and evenings are colder. If you have your ceremony early or late in the day, guests may have a problem getting to your venue because of adverse weather conditions, and the dark evenings would make outdoor photography difficult.
Early morning weddings can be expensive, as you must cater for your guests all day.
Late afternoon and evening weddings are great if you are on a budget, or if you want something a little different. Late wedding ceremonies have a more relaxed feel, ideal if you don’t want to feel rushed and would rather enjoy a relaxed day getting ready for your wedding.
