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Wedding timing

Hi all,

We're in the process of trying to work out the timing required for various bits of our wedding.

Our DJ will be setup and ready for our evening reception at 7pm, so that's a fixed time. From there we need to work backwards to work out what time we want our ceremony to start.

We've guessed at the following:
- 45mins for wedding ceremony (it's catholic, so we've got a couple of hymns, a few readings and the standard paperwork gubbins!)
- 1hr to get from the ceremony to the wedding breakfast location. This includes photo time (it's only a 5 min walk between the two)
- 2.5 hours for the wedding breakfast (includes cake cutting, speeches and eating).

That's 4hr 15min in total. So a start time of 2:45. Add on 15 mins for any random over-runs gives a start time of 2:30.

Does that sound reasonable? Have we over estimated or under estimated any where?

Thanks for any advice.

Comments

  • Hi.

    I would probably allow more time for the wedding breakfast. If you are having a traditional 3 course, then that only allowws for 35min per course, assuming half hour for speeches and around 20 mins for cake cutting. I would maybe increase that time to 3hours.

    It is better to have more time to chat/relax/eat than to be rushing.

    Congratulations!
    M3 Dec2015 #160 Target £150,000 (BU £155000)
  • lazer
    lazer Posts: 3,402 Forumite
    I would want a bit of mingle time before the meal.

    For reference our timings were as follows
    Ceremony 1pm
    Ceremony & Signing of Register & photos over by about 2.15pm

    Visit Eldery relative in care home - 30mins - 2.45pm

    Travel to Reception venue - 1 hr - 3.15pm
    Photos - About 45mins - 4.30pm

    Mingle time - 30mins

    Dinner - 5pm

    (Although for some reason this didn't quite go according to plan as dinner was aroun half 5 or 6pm).

    dinnner and speaches lasted to about 8pm - as the evening do guests were arriving before the room was cleared and they were invited for around 8pm.
    Weight loss challenge, lose 15lb in 6 weeks before Christmas.
  • Ask your photographer how long they usually take. (And if they've shot at the photo venue before.) We were lined up and shot For Ages and it was only when one of the caterers had a quiet word that the photographer was told "only three more minutes".
    One colleague had group shots on the day, but arranged for a seperate shoot the day after. The downsides seem to have been cost (of course) and having to eat & drink carefully but the top table apparently managed & the photos were really wonderful.
  • aliama
    aliama Posts: 242 Forumite
    55 minutes for photos?!

    Speaking as a guest, there's very little I hate more about weddings than standing around waiting for the photos to finish, but I guess some people may not mind so much, seeing it as what lazer calls 'mingle time' as not everyone will be involved in every photo.

    However, please do make sure there's plenty of seating provided for your guests, particularly if it's a hot day. At one of the last weddings I went to, there was basically nowhere to sit, and an elderly gentleman fainted.
    NSD May 1/15
  • lazer
    lazer Posts: 3,402 Forumite
    aliama wrote: »
    55 minutes for photos?!

    Speaking as a guest, there's very little I hate more about weddings than standing around waiting for the photos to finish, but I guess some people may not mind so much, seeing it as what lazer calls 'mingle time' as not everyone will be involved in every photo.

    However, please do make sure there's plenty of seating provided for your guests, particularly if it's a hot day. At one of the last weddings I went to, there was basically nowhere to sit, and an elderly gentleman fainted.

    We provided cocktails, wine, tea, coffee and canapes and some entertainment for the guests while we were getting photos taken, as i agreee it can be a very boring time for the guests.
    Weight loss challenge, lose 15lb in 6 weeks before Christmas.
  • floss2
    floss2 Posts: 8,030 Forumite
    I think you should allow an hour for your wedding service, even without a mass.
  • Bean83
    Bean83 Posts: 248 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    All of the weddings I have been to recently have had the ceremony at 2pm, which seems to work really well. Ceremony lasts about 45 mins, then there is an hour or so of mingling/drinking champagne/photos, with the meal at around 4/4.30pm.
    If I were you I wouldn't have the ceremony any later than 2pm, as things never run on time! This would leave you a little extra breathing space if things run over.
  • No real help on the timing schedule, but at wedding we once went to they did the big group shot first, which was a great idea. Been to so many where you're slightly tipsy when you're finally called for the photo, being starving hungry so substituted drink for food!
    "No matter how little money and how few possesions you own, having a dog makes you rich." - Louis Sabin
  • You should have a talk with your photographer about how much time he thinks it will take for the photos.

    Part of that will depend upon how many group shots you would like. I usually tell people to allow 3-5 minutes per group. It often does take that long since people always wander off and you have to wait for Uncle Fred or Aunt Betty to be found.

    After that you need to think about what sort of photos you want as part of your bride and groom portraits. The time will also depend on your photographer's skill and what style they have.

    So let's say you have about 10 groups. That's 30-50 minutes right there. Then personally I like to have 40-50 mins with the couple so you can do a variety of shots.

    I've covered weddings where I've been asked for 30+ groups. What happens is exactly as described above. People get bored, the venue get annoyed. Usually at the photographer but in reality we have little control over the number of groups.

    Trust me. If you turned around to the photographer and said "Oh...we just want to keep the group shots to a minimum" then he/she will do a little victory lap in their heads.

    Lastly if you don't allow enough time for couples portraits then ultimately you will end up with a few rushed shots. And I always say that you will definitely want a few 'wow' shots that you can print out to take pride of place at home.
  • Pinzy
    Pinzy Posts: 630 Forumite
    Our hair/make-up started at 9am. Got to venue by 1.40pm, ceremony at 2, wedding breakfast at 4.30, evening guests started arriving at about 7.30, first dance at 8(ish). Forgot about cutting the cake and got around to it at about 9!

    We did group photos first, quite soon after the ceremony, so then they could all escape to the bar while we got the couple pics done.
    :)
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