Night Ceremony

I'm used to getting up at 6am for work so I'd have a really hard time making it to the end of your reception. If you promised lots of really good coffee I might do better. Do you have older relatives that won't drive at night or go to bed with the sun? That would be the only other concern....

That's late..I love the idea of under the stars but I don't think many people will stay till 2, unless you have your wedding at a hotel & people are staying there.

2 seems pretty late for a reception to end, I would just worry about older people and people that have to pick up their kids not staying that late.

Just a suggestion... I was at a dusk wedding where we ate dinner first, then had the ceremony so all that was left later was dancing and cake!

We do have some older relatives but my FH brother got married last summer and they didn't attend because it was at 7! so we aren't too worried about them.

I had a bride who wanted to get married at midnight. I explained it would be hard to read the ceremony in the dark. She still wanted midnight (get a flashlight). Then I mentioned no one would be able to see her wedding gown. THEN she was willing to do it before dark, LOL!

It depends on your guests. I have trouble staying up until 2AM, but if your guests are partiers that could start and go that late, by all means, go for it! Kris's wedding went until 4AM, I think, so it's not completely ridiculous.

But this is definitely a poll your guests type of situation. I think Jenn's suggestion of dinner first is a good possibility for you, too, to somewhat compromise if you do have many guests for whom your timeline wouldn't work for.

And you can always go out later for an after party.

Its not if your guests have already had dinner and you are doing a heavy hors d'oeuvres reception.

You can consider moving the date to after the time changes. It gets darker sooner in the fall.

I think that sounds like fun!!! I love looking up at the stars. With ample back light or strung white lights it could really come out beautifully. I think the best thing would be dinner first, then cake and dancing! (ps: I'd only stay late if there was alcohol and coffee!)

I would be excited to go to your wedding!

I have done one night wedding. The bride actually had the reception first. Then we ended the evening with the ceremony.

My ceremony is not outside but because we are getting married on a Saturday and we are Jewish we have to wait until the sun goes down so our ceremony wont start until 7:30. Our party goes to 1 am. So you are fine!

If it is a Saturday night, it would be fine with me, that way I have Sunday to recover from the late night. If it was Friday evening, I may come, but wouldn't stay for long as I already worked the whole day before and would be tired.

If it was on sunday, I would come for the ceremony, eat, and then leave. Work in the morning.

I wouldn't love eating dinner so late. But I do like Jenn's suggestion where you have the dinner first than dessert and dancing.

Our reception went until 2 a.m., or at least that is when last call was. We had a lot of our younger friends still there partying. But the reception started at 5:30 p.m. with cocktail hour and our ceremony was earlier in the day. All of the main events (dinner, first dance, cake cutting) were done for us by 9:30-10 p.m., so most of the older relatives left around that time.

I wouldn't have a problem with the later time, would give me time to get a nap in earlier in the day, which would need to stay up until 2 a.m.

I wouldn't mind it but Tiffany's comment got me thinking. If you have a younger age group guest list then this is fine. If it's really 50/50 then you need to think about accommodating everyone and meet in the middle somewhere with the time. This is your wedding though, so ultimately you can do what you want, just be prepared for a smaller response of yes RSVP.

Maybe do cocktail hour first, then the ceremony at sunset (make sure your officiant can see in the dark.....) then the rest of the party. I think 2 AM is going to be too late for most people.

I say go for it we are having a sunset cermoney and its not starting till 6pm and mine is mid week

It sounds beautiful. I am someone who has to be out the door for work by 6am, so I have a hard time staying up that late. What if you did the cocktail hour before the ceremony?

I'm doing my wedding at night, 6:30 ceremony, 8:00 reception.

Older guests will always leave early, it's more how long the event is for most people. Some people won't be able to make it, or have to work, you can't please everyone.

And, if your family and friends like to dance all night then go for it

We have our place booked until 1am and if everyone leaves at 11, so be it! I'll be the last one to leave the dance floor!

I was sure to hire a photographer that had experience shooting in dark settings, it was the first thing I brought up with him. Also ask the venue about lighting and candles.

Evening weddings can be sooo beautiful. Don't avoid it just because it's less common. Anyone can do a daytime summer wedding under a tent....