Friday weddings & start time!!?

5 PM is when I get off work.

I would put the actual start time of your ceremony. I have a friday wedding too I was kind of worried about a lot of people rsvping no but so far 95% are yes (that we have gotten so far).

@Jenny thanks for answering my questions.

@Choua wow 95%? That's awesome!

Put the actual start time. Everyone knows that means show a little early if possible. We are having a friday wedding too and i have had only 1 person tell me they will be late. (No i ha e not sent invites, we have only 50 guests so we talk to all of them often). Ours is starting at 6pm. Most have said they are just taking the day off

I'm having a Friday wedding too. My ceremony start time is 5 p.m. I've seen on other threads for time purposes to put 15-30 early for people who arrive late, but then you will still start on time and not hold anything else up.

@Amandaw thanks for answering my questions! that's awesome!

To be honest, it would be really difficult for me to attend a 5pm ceremony on a Friday.

I am having a 5pm Friday wedding. We struggled with the start time as well, concerned if those who work will be late to the ceremony or have to take a personal day.

In the end, we decided to go ahead with the earlyish start time because unless we moved it to 6:30pm, guests will have to get out of work early regardless (there's not a huge difference between 5pm vs 6pm on a Friday). 80% of our guests are from out of town, so the timing won't affect them.

If your ceremony starts at 5pm, I would put 5pm on the invites. Most adults know to get to a wedding 10-15 minutes beforehand. Also know some guests may only be able to make it to the reception due to early start time!

@BookscaseHat yeah, I'm assuming people will have to leave work early or take a half day. If they cannot make it, I understand.

We are, but it's a DW. Our guests will arrive the day before or early the day of. Fun trip!

Put the actual start time.

Where is your wedding that you are having an outdoor ceremony in December? Even in Florida or Texas, can still be really bitterly cold then. So you'd have to move indoors anyway.

Move your ceremony to 6 or 6:30 if you really want everyone there.

We're having a Friday wedding and our start time is 5 pm. I live in New England and half day Fridays are totally normal in the summer here, so I'm not worried about it at all. So far almost everyone is coming.

@A.L. Have you lived in Texas? It's been really hot these past few years. I think we'll be fine.

Thanks!

Just a thought, I think a nighttime ceremony with a bunch of candles or string lighting would be beautiful. 5PM might be difficult for people who don't have a flexible job. You might get some who only show up for the reception. I attended a Friday wedding that didn't start till 6:30 and I still had to take time off work to be ready on time.

My husband and I had a Friday wedding last year. It was very small ( family and close friends) we started it at 3 in the afternoon. For our invitations we put 3pm as the start time. It was a few minutes late, but only by about five minutes or so.

Our wedding is on a Friday and the ceremony is starting at 4:30. Most of my guests are taking half days that day from what I have heard so far.

@FutureMrs.G that is awesome!

Friday night wedding here. I'm putting 5pm on my invitations that's the ceremony time but I am guessing some people won't show until the reception which would start around 6:30 because of cocktail hour but I would put the ceremony time

ETA: most of my family doesn't work "9-5" jobs so it is not a problem and a few out of town guests.

So far! We've gotten about 20 rsvps so far we still have a long way to go but I honestly don't mind if people start declining since I always wanted a smaller wedding- but having a bigger one due to parents/fmil's wishes