Early or Late Wedding?

I would base your start time on some things, Is you wedding inside or outside?

If you have your wedding at noon does that give you enough time to get ready and such.

My wedding is starting at 3, its an outdoor wedding and reception. We are going to do all our bridal photos, bride and groom, and bridal party before the actual wedding around 1ish. Then after the ceremony do the family photos which won't take too long.

My MOH's wedding was at noon, and they started the reception at 4. Which everyone left after the church and met up four hours later for the reception. In those four hours we did photos, hung out, unwind and etc.

I think earlier weddings are very nice. We are having a late wedding because we are doing a pretty informal kind of thing (ceremony at a carousel and then a casual party with buffet) and the people we know like to drink.

But earlier weddings are beautiful and it's nice that guests aren't expected to stay until 10 or 11 pm.

The only thing I would worry about with having an 11 am wedding is... are you going to have enough time to get ready? Are you doing hair/makeup yourself?

I am not a morning person so this idea would NOT work for me, LOL.

Also do you have guests that are driving a good distance? They might not appreciate having to get up so early.

"Early" wedding in my mind is like 1-3 pm.

I say late only because in case there are people like me who work on weekends, I only have to take a half day off work. That's my selfish reason haha.

My real reason is even though you & your FH aren't dancers, are your guests? If so, I'd say 4pm or so, especially if having them all stay & thoroughly enjoy themselves is important to you or not.

If you're providing alcohol, I'd say less people would drink at the noon wedding vs 4pm. Just something to think about $$-wise.

ETA: Our ceremony was 5:30pm. We did a First Look & took pictures with the wedding party & my immediate family before the ceremony. After the ceremony, we took pictures with all of his family & the rest of mine. Then headed to the reception. Unfortunately, I can't recall the times &/or how long it took, but just another idea of how it all went down for you.

The only time that I could get the church on my wedding date (the day and location I would not budge on) was 11:00 am. Our reception won't start until 5:30pm. I have given my guests a heads up so they can find a park, restaurant, someone's house, etc to hang out during the long break. More people are excited about the early wedding then I thought. My FH and I get to be married all day and that extremely expensive dress I bought, I get to wear ALL day long!!

I'm having an early wedding. The ceremony is at 12 and reception from 1-4pm but will probably go a bit longer. Our reasoning was we wanted our children to be at least somewhat involved so the ceremony is before their nap time. Plus we are leaving for our honeymoon the next day and I could not imagine having a late evening party then getting up at the crack of dawn the next day to catch a plane.

I think it depends on your guests. I had a late wedding & loved it, and I think my guests did too. But recently I attended another wedding that was a late wedding, and we left it at 10 pm, and they had just started the speeches & hadn't even cut the cake yet. I have no idea how late it went. All I know is it was an hour drive home, and we were wearing out (it had started at 6). So, think about WHO will be there and your crowd and plan accordingly...

It depends. I have been to early weddings and not everyone makes the ceremony if its that early. But the reception is always great. But then it ends early and everyone is like awww its over? especially if it was a fun wedding. My Fh and I love to have fun, not party animals but we do drink and party occasionally. We are having a late wedding. mass at 6:30pm our wedding lasts until 12:30am. We are those people who are having a late evening and then getting up at the crack of dawn to catch our flight. we will sleep on the plane. chances are we won't even sleep being so excited. thats what the honeymoon is for....R&R and intimacy.

Early will cost less, reception wise. It almost always does. Seriuosly, 11:00 AM isn't really that early.....