Needing a little guidance. I feel like I've been pretty certain about every wedding aspect aside from this. I've only been to 4 weddings in my lifetime so it's hard for me to nail down how things are supposed to flow. Here's what I do know and some questions I have:
1. We gain access to the venue at 8:00am and will have to decorate that morning. They will have the tables arranged already. I will just need to put tablecloths on them, centerpieces (three cylinder candles, table number, greenery), napkins/silverware (plates will be on buffet line and cups will be at drink station). I'm doing my own flowers but will have everything arranged when I arrive. I'll just need to place the arrangements where they go. We're have a "less is more" attitude with decorating. Our families are super helpful and we have a large wedding party so I don't foresee this taking long at all.
2. HMUA will be arriving at the venue at 9:00am. I have me, 6 out of 7 bridesmaids, mom, fmil, and two flower girls having hair and makeup done. How long would you guess it will actually take to do 8 peoples hair/makeup and two flower girls? Would you recommend I go toward the beginning (so they don't rush) or end (so it looks more fresh)?
3. Photographer will arrive at 2:45pm. How long does it actually take to do all photos? I'd like some getting ready pictures, typical family/bridesmaids/groomsmen/etc, and first look. When would be the best time to do the first look?
4. Wedding ceremony begins at 6:00. We plan on a first look because we want to go straight into the reception and spend more time with guests. We project the ceremony will be 15-25 minutes long. Is this a standard ceremony length? We're baptist and plan on doing traditional vows.
5. Reception is set to start at 6:30. Ceremony and reception buildings are within 100 feet of one another. As I said, we want to come in and immediately do dinner because we're skipping cocktail hour and it's a later wedding. We figure while we're signing the marriage paperwork, snapping a couple sunset photos, and bustling my dress, our guests can move from the ceremony chapel to the reception venue and grab a drink at the bar. We'll make the entrance and start dinner. How the heck do we go about an entrance and transition into dinner instead of a first dance? One of us COULD make a speech... I'm not super hyped up about that though...
6. Have to be cleaned up and out by 11:30. When would you suggest we set the wedding to end? I was thinking 10:45? They do the actual cleaning... we just have to get our physical stuff out of the building.
***Bonus for anyone that can give me a logical order to everything within the reception: toasts, cake, first dance, etc.
Thanks y'all!
