An Evening Wedding (3/3)
An evening wedding timeline
Evening weddings are for the ‘night people’ or those who would rather not wake so early in the morning.
12:00 nn – Hair and makeup starts
2:00 pm – Snacks
2:30 pm – Groom pictorial (including family and ento)
3:00 pm – Bride pictorial (including family and ento)
4:30 pm – Groom leaves
5:00 pm – Bride leaves
5:30 pm – Arrival, assembly and march
6:00 pm – Actual ceremony (including pictorial)
7:30 pm – Recessional (from ceremony to reception)
8:00 pm – Cocktail
8:30/9:00 pm – Program starts
9:30 pm – Dinner starts
10:00 pm – Party stats
11:00/12:00 pm – Party ends
Response rates tend to be highest for evening weddings. While some of the guests cannot be on the ceremony, more people can attend the reception since it is after school or work. They won’t have any excuse not to join your wedding even when they need to go to school or work the next day.
Some of the guests might be surprised with the 9pm serving of dinner. Expect some guests to go home earlier after eating especially those who arrived early. This can be adjusted though so that the program and party will end at around 10 or 11 pm. It would be best to invite those who are willing to stay until the party is over. That means, people who will go home after your final speech.
Some of your guests may have eaten lunch haphazardly. Some may even forego snacks just to be there on your wedding on time. Like afternoon weddings, serve heavy cocktail. Open up the stations and bars at the earliest possible time. Perhaps, soon as your guests arrived at the venue. Coffee-flavored snacks and desserts are also good during evening weddings.
Pictorials should not take long. Even so, make sure that the photogs have complete equipment and accessories since they cannot take advantage of natural light.
Evening weddings are usually formal, black-tie events. Ento and guests can wear jewel-toned hues and blings. Long gowns are also called evening gowns, remember? With this, go for a sit-down catering service. Please your guests are formally dressed to have them lined up on the buffet table.
Everyone should be on-the-dot, so hire only the most efficient providers available. A sound system provider is a must, but you can skip a band. If you want, you may hire a DJ for the night. A fireworks display is also perfect to cap the night while incorporating same-day edits on the projector.
You can also have your catering provider to set up a cocktail or bubble bar. Alternatively, wines can be served along with the main course. Anyhow, if it is on a Sunday or weekdays (between Monday and Thursday), your guests may not be enthusiastic to drink the night away since they have to wake up early the next day.
Evening weddings might have the fewest considerations other than sticking to the schedule. Errors and delays are not welcome. Just the same though, the to-be-weds must not skimp on food and entertainment.
In sum, the time allotment can be adjusted based on the actual time of the ceremony. Morning weddings can be 7, 8 or 9 am. Afternoon weddings should be either 2, 3 or 4 pm. Evening weddings can be 6 or 7 pm. Plan ahead. Plan accordingly.
Source: Weddings at Work
