Filed in: tips

August 16, 2019

When Should I Start My Wedding Ceremony?

  1. […] Are you in the beginning stages of planning your wedding, check out my blog post all about Choosing Your Wedding Ceremony Time! […]

  2. brittany lam nguyen says:

    Hello! I appreciate your post as far as wedding timelines as I am deciding if a 1pm or 4pm catholic ceremony is best. My concern is that for a winter wedding (december 2024 or february 2025) we lose light after the ceremony for pictures. I have thought of doing pictures prior, but do you suggest to still take pictures after? I also think it takes about 30 minutes after to drive immediately to our reception venue (rough estimate) and by then, that would be between 5:30-6pm which i think eats into the reception time. i have envisioned that we would be the first ones at the reception to take pictures with every guest as they come in but i dont think this would be possible. Thoughts?

  3. Christy says:

    Hi, Brittany! So when building out your timeline, you have to take all of those things into account (like sunset, travel time, photos with every guest, etc.) I would definitely try to get the earlier ceremony time of 1pm. The goal with your photographer will be for the majority of your photos (like individuals of you and your fiancée and your wedding party and immediate family) to happen before the ceremony. But that can really only happen easily if you two are willing to see each other before the ceremony. Then after the ceremony, you’ll only need daylight for photos with extended family (which should be kept to a minimum) and SUNSET photos!!! You can get gorgeous couples’ photos together during the day, sure, but those romantic, warm-glowy sunset photos will probably be your favorites of the whole day. You can still do something fun to get photos with each of your guests at the reception (even if it happens after dinner is over with). What I love to suggest is for my couples to get a simple, clean backdrop set up in the corner somewhere, the DJ will make an announcement, and your guests will file into a line, rotating in/out for a photo with you! That way you don’t have to move, the photographer and his/her lights don’t move, etc. That’ll make the dozens of guest photos go as quickly and seamlessly as possible!

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