Why should you consider a Friday or Sunday wedding in the summer? Well, let us tell you.
One of the difficult things about Saturday weddings in the Summer (aka “wedding season”) is that often, when you start to book vendors, all the ones you really want are already booked.
That sucks, right? We get it. And Saturdays are the days that everyone seems stuck on wanting.
We understand that you want a Saturday because you want to party and no one to have to work the next day or have to get off work to come to your wedding.
BUT.
Let me throw some ideas and thoughts and timelines out here for you for Friday and Sunday wedding days … and show you why it could actually really work out to your advantage – and it really doesn’t inconvenience anyone in the long run.
- Not everyone has to take the day off.
- You, your fiance, your close family and your wedding party will probably already be taking a few weekdays off before (and after) your wedding.
- There is a huge misconception that receptions last for HOOOOURS. They don’t need to, and often when they do, they don’t flow well.
- You are going to get tired much earlier than you expect.
- Ideal ceremony start time is NOT 2 or 3 (or really, even 4), especially if you’re going to be outdoors. That’s the peak heat and sun of the day – not good for photos (seriously, light is AWFUL unless there are a lot of trees in just the right direction), or your guests comfort.
- Sunset is between 8:20 and 9:10 for most of the summer. That’s a LOT of daylight hours, even after work.
- Not everyone stays for the entire reception.
- You’re more likely to find an awesome venue that has your day open
- You’re more likely to find incredible wedding vendors that have your day open
- You may even save money on your venue or some of your vendors.
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Now, let’s look at a couple of sample timelines for Friday and Sunday weddings in the summer months. These obviously depend on the times you have access to your venue and are flexible based on the flow of the reception and feel of the crowd.
We will start with a Friday wedding with an “after work” ceremony time. These ceremony times would be great for most venues for lighting, too, meaning your ceremony photos will turn out much nicer than those done at a 2, 3 or 4pm ceremony (note: these timelines can of course, apply to Saturday weddings as well).
Friday 6pm Wedding with First Look
11/12ish Hair and Makeup started (may need to start earlier if there are several)
3 Everyone dressed and ready by now
315 First Look
330 Wedding Party Photos
4 Family Photos
430 Couple Photos
515 Guests Arriving
6 Ceremony
630 Sign Documents/Cocktail Hour
7 Enter Reception, Dinner served
730 Toasts
750 Special Dances
810 Dance Floor Open/mingling
Sunset photos can happen during this time frame, usually they’re about 30 minutes before the actual sunset
840 Garter, bouquet, cake cutting
9 Dance Floor Open/mingling
Friday 5pm Wedding Without First Look
12/1ish Hair and makeup started (may need to start earlier if there are several)
345 Everyone dressed and ready by now
415 Guests Arriving
5 Ceremony
530 Sign Documents/Cocktail Hour/Family Photos
6 Wedding Party Photos
630 Couple Photos
7 Enter Reception, Dinner Served
730 Toasts
750 Special Dances
810 Dance Floor Open/mingling
Sunset photos can happen during this time frame, usually they’re about 30 minutes before the actual sunset
840 Garter, bouquet, cake cutting
9 Dance Floor Open/mingling
As you can see, this Friday wedding timeline makes it easy for guests to get off work (maybe even have a reason to be off a touch early on a Friday, who doesn’t love that) and make it in time for your wedding ceremony, and not miss any of the fun. This schedule also allows the party to get kicked off early enough that some of your older and younger guests can still dance, and those who want to party til the doors close with you have PLENTY of time to do that too. It’s also a totally acceptable hour to leave if you’re ready to (9:30 is a great time for sparkler exits in the summer, as it’s twilight dark, not pitch black).
***
Next up, let’s look at Sunday wedding ideas. Many venues have an earlier end time on Sundays and many guests will tend to leave earlier as well. Again, I’ll show two timeline samples, one with a first look and one without.
Sunday 5pm Ceremony with First Look
12ish Hair and Makeup started (may need to start earlier if there are several)
2 Everyone dressed and ready by now
215 First Look
230 Wedding Party Photos
3 Family Photos
330 Couple Photos
415 Guests Arriving
5 Ceremony
530 Sign Documents/Cocktail Hour
6 Enter Reception, Dinner served
630 Toasts
650 Special Dances
715 Dance Floor Open/mingling
745 Garter, bouquet, cake cutting
815 Dance Floor Open/mingling
Sunset photos can happen during this time frame, usually they’re about 30 minutes before the actual sunset
Sunday 4pm Ceremony without First Look
11/12ish Hair and makeup started (may need to start earlier if there are several)
245 Everyone dressed and ready by now
315 Guests Arriving
4 Ceremony
430 Sign Documents/Cocktail Hour/Family Photos
5 Wedding Party Photos
530 Couple Photos
6 Enter Reception, Dinner Served
630 Toasts
650 Special Dances
710 Dance Floor Open/mingling
740 Garter, bouquet, cake cutting
8 Dance Floor Open/mingling
Sunset photos can happen during this time frame, usually they’re about 30 minutes before the actual sunset
These timelines are sticking with the ideal ceremony lighting mindset, for the best lighting and guest comfort. These timelines also allow for your younger and older guests to leave when they feel ready – most stay for the dances, and some for the traditions (garter, bouquet, cake), so things can be bumped up if needed based on what you feel might best suit your guests. This end of events time allows people to head home and still be well rested for work in the morning, and still not have to miss any of the amazing and important parts of your wedding day.
