Many engaged couples put a lot of thought into selecting their wedding dates, but perhaps not as much into the timing of their ceremony. Scheduling it near the dinner hour is a popular choice, especially since nearlyweds can treat their guests to a fabulous evening with an unforgettable meal, music, toasting, and dancing. Yet with budget concerns, aesthetic goals, venue availability, and guests’ enjoyment as important key factors, you may want to consider some alternatives to the traditional evening celebration.
Saying “I Do” in the Morning
Bridal Guide’s experts explain that morning weddings are often more affordable, since they’re less formal than evening nuptials. Vendors are eager to negotiate discounts to attract more daytime bookings, since they’ll also be able to accommodate evening events. Moreover, you’ll likely pay less for labor, food, and drink because breakfast and lunch menu items tend to be cheaper and your venue will not need to fork over extra for overtime wages. Meanwhile, you’ll get the benefit of prime daylight hours for your photo session while also saving money on lighting costs.
While you can expect a few perks when tying the knot in the morning, you should also keep some things in mind. Your day will start much earlier, especially since you’ll be on a tight schedule and your makeup artists and hairstylists must arrive in plenty of time to help you and your wedding party get ready. Inside Weddings contributor Emily Lasnier recommends scheduling your ceremony no earlier than 9 a.m. and providing coffee and pastries for your invitees before the main event. Lasnier adds several more suggestions for organizing a morning nuptial celebration:
- Choose lighter desserts such as coffee or lemon cake, or breakfast-themed offerings such as pancakes or waffles.
- Serve lighter, daytime-appropriate cocktails.
- If your guests aren’t up for dancing, include other fun daytime-friendly activities at your reception.
Afternoon Wedding Bliss
An afternoon wedding offers its own set of benefits. The Spruce’s Nina Callaway points out that you can still keep costs down by serving lighter fare and drinks. As with morning weddings, you can also take advantage of natural daylight for your photos and you’ll require less electric lighting at your venue. Not only that, your later start time will allow you to sleep in a little before you must prepare for the festivities.
On the downside, hosting an afternoon ceremony and reception will cost a little more than a morning celebration. That’s because your midday time slot will prevent the venue and vendors from booking other events in the morning or evening, so they’ll be less willing to negotiate cheaper rates. You could also wind up with a smaller guest count due to work and other daytime commitments, so it’s hard to predict how many will decline your invitations.
Splitting the Difference
Of course, you don’t have to schedule both your ceremony and reception during the same part of the day. In her article for The Spruce, Callaway clarifies that you can combine these approaches. That could translate into a late morning ceremony with an early afternoon reception, or even walking down the aisle in the late afternoon while celebrating with your attendees during the early evening.
If partying into the night isn’t your thing, you’re on a stricter budget, or you want your wedding photos timed during daylight hours, choosing an earlier start time for your wedding may be your best solution. You could potentially benefit from cheaper rates offered by your venues and vendors. Not only that, you and your guests can enjoy a memorable celebration with delicious fare and fun activities while still having a few hours left in the day to relax and unwind.
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