Diy brides: how long did it take you to set up

For our microwedding I think it took my mom & stepmom about 4 hours to set up, but that was only for 35 guests. The tables, chairs, and linens were already in place. For our upcoming big reception, I believe that our wedding decorator will be going in early in the morning and using the full day to get everything ready. She said that she likes a full 8 hours for weddings!

View Quoted Comment Thanks. Im expecting it to be a very busy day

Good luck with your wedding! I am sure it will be wonderful! We are also doing our own set up and hring a bartender. Where do you get a portable bar for the bartender to use to serve behind? Thanks for any info!

View Quoted Comment Hm im not sure. Maybe you can try amazon or wayfair or overstock.com for the bar table.


How long do you anticipate your setup to be? Do you want have ppl to help clean up?

It took us about 30 minutes. I had boxes labeled with what was in there and a picture of what the centerpiece should look like. We had three groomsmen and two bridesmaids with us as well. I can't remember how long cleanup took cause my mom and stepdad did a chunk of it around an hour and a half after dancing started.

View Quoted Comment Really 30min!? What all did you setup other than centerpieces? I am expecting 4hours minimum. We have to physically set up tables. As in bring the tables out from the venues closet & set em up then decorate And bring our own alcohol to set up the bar.

I work at a wedding venue, it’s not my main job to set up the weddings (i am a horticulturist in a nationally acclaimed garden, but we host a ton of weddings) but I do set them up and tear them down a ton. My advice is have a floor plan that everyone one helping has a copy of That is going to save time. Dancefloor and light set up included, it takes 3 of us well oiled wedding set up machines 2-3 hours to set up a 250 guest wedding reception. If you have to set uo the ceremony chairs as well plan for another 45mins- hour for 250 chairs. I highly recommend pulling a string line for your aisle. Clean up with 2 of us is completed in 2 hours.

View Quoted Comment Thanks so much! I plan to have a floor plan but im thinking it might be difficult to really figure out spacing. But i still plan to make one anyways. Luckily no setup at the ceremony except for decorations. That one should be fairly easy because im pretty much throwing garlands on the floor on the aisles.


But u just reminded me that we should probably rent a dolly because we DO have to setup chairs for reception so a dolly would help.

We did not set up our venue - we only arranged florals and some of our decor items. Tableware, napkins, bar, etc were set up for us.

It took us 2+ hours just to do flowers (four people helping). Probably another hour or two to do the extra decor - table for guest book, escort cards, menu at bar, and hang pictures on our picture wall (the most time consuming part), with just me and my husband. Our venue was already very clean and beautiful, and we had only 47 guests.

I helped friends move tables and do full decor and place settings for their wedding and it was probably 2-3 hours of work with 20+ guests involved. The wedding was in a barn. We moved and cleaned tables and chairs, strung lights and paper lanterns, did all the little extra tables (photo wall, guest book, seating chart/escort cards, etc).

It can be super variable depending on how much set up is involved, whether its just decorating or cleaning as well, how particular you are, how many people are helping (and how good they are at following directions), and how large the space is and number of guests. Four hours is probably a good ballpark for an average wedding at an average venue, but again, consider the work that needs to be done and who and how many are helping.

View Quoted Comment Yea not that many people helping Maybe about 5ppl. I am really expecting it to take all day so if it takes less than that, I will be happy.

We did the setup/breakdown for our 35-person wedding in a state park pavilion, and we brought our own drinks for the caterers to serve. We rented our venue for 3 days so that we could set up the day before and break down the day after.

Husband and brother-in-law took about 4-5 hours the day before to sweep/clean, hang string lights, set tables with silverware/goblets/linens, and set up the bar area (drink dispensers, glasses, signs), buffet table, guest book/gifts table, escort cards, and cake table. Tables were at the venue, but we swapped the wooden benches with wooden chairs. The rental company set up the caterer's tent. In retrospect my husband thinks it could have been faster, but he was jumping from task to task in an unorganized way.

The day of the wedding it took another 1-2 hours to move benches outside for the ceremony, fill coolers with ice and bottles of beer/cider/wine, fill dispensers with ice and drinks, etc.

Breakdown was much faster (about 2 hours) but the caterers did a lot during the wedding to help with cleanup. They rinsed and packed away the dishes, and put all of the drinks and leftovers in coolers. Switching to plastic cups in the last hour helped with this.

View Quoted Comment Thanks!! We have the whole day on Friday to setup. But we have until Sunday at 12pm to turn in the keys for cleanup.

I hired a day of coordinator to help a few hrs for setup the day of wedding (sat) and sun brunch then tear down on Sunday by 4pm with bridal party/immediate family help. We have all day Friday to set up so hoping we can get most of it done by then. Having 2 ppl set up my rehearsal dinner in Friday PM as well so I can get ready and not have to worry. The other things I've considered is making a list for each vendor to be responsible for and making sure I discuss with them beforehand such as cocktail hour and desserts.

We aren’t DIY setup but I have assisted many for other couples and they average anywhere from 2-4 hours

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Our venue did all of that. By the time we arrived at 10 (which is when we were allowed in) the tables were already set up. As we set up centerpieces they built the place settings. We put up our signs, centerpieces, place cards, card box, dessert stands, guest book, and memorial table. Everything else was set up by our venue. I would say it will take you a couple hours if you have to set up all the tables.

View Quoted Comment Yes we have to setup everything. The venue only provides the keys to the hall. Good thing is a few more people have offered to help.

I'd suggest hiring a helper or two from Taskrabbit or Thumbtack to assist with the setup and teardown if your group of helpers is small. Our caterer handled setup of tables, chairs, tablecloths, and place settings (they had about 4 people), and it took them about 2 hours. My 6 groomsmen helped with the loading and transport of supplies, 4 ushers helped with unloading, and 4 hostesses, day-of coordinator, and 2 hired helpers placed the pre-assembled decorations on the table. We had the venue for a full 5 hours before the wedding, and I think by hour 3 or 4 the setup was mostly complete (cocktail hour space + ballroom for reception if that's helpful for visualization).

Assembling as much as we could in the 2 days before the wedding helped immensely when it came to the day of. You as the bride won't want to lift a finger on wedding day since the focus is all on you!

View Quoted Comment Yes we will have everything 100% done the day before. But its going to be a busy day. Setting up the reception hall and bar then in the evening setting up the church and rehearsal. Im hoping i have at least a small amount of downtime between the two.