We are planning our wedding day and having it at our home. My fiance and i cant decide what time of day to have it. He is keen to make it in the morning, like 10 or so. I am thinking more 1 oclock in the afternoon. This is what we are doing, getting married in our garden by our pool. We are following this with finger foods and champagne, pasta and bread rolls and a cake…what time frame do you think is more appropriate? Also it will be winter, so it gets dark earlier. I had ideas of floating candles in the pool and fairy lights but hard to do with a morning wedding.
Approx 60 people, plus kids. And what we are doing is opening the sliding doors to our patio so people will have the option of going in the house or outside…..the food tables etc will be out on the patio.
Thanks for your answers so far 
make it at 12 noon
IMHO I would suggest getting married around 2:30 (old wives tale about getting married on an upswing.)
The floating candles will look awesome even if it isnt dark….
Thing is finger foods may not be enough if the reception is around dinner time… just have LOTS of them.
A late day wedding also insures that people will be able to make it from farther out of town.
I got married in the afternoon and had a buffet poolside and just enjoyed myself so much because … once it started getting dark the guests just took that as a cue to head home… (even though I enjoyed the company I really was looking forward to the honeymoon!) no one had to say a word… plus it just makes everyone feel good ( I LOVE afternoon weddings… the fuss of getting ready for one and just the romance in my own relationship)
I like the idea of an afternoon wedding. Gives you and your guests more time to get ready and arrive on time.
What ever time you decide, make sure the hands of the clock are going up toward the 12:00. Supposedly it’s good luck. It worked for us!!
I would say 1 in the afternoon, mornings can be difficlult and might scare off your guests.
WELL WITH THE TYPE OF FOOD YOUR SERVING..I’D SAY AFTERNOON..
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Pasta is too heavy to eat in the morning, and I think some guests won’t come if you have it earlier. I’d opt for the afternoon wedding. If it starts to get dark, you could always move the party into the house (I’m guessing it won’t be a huge affair since it’s at your house, so it shouldn’t be a big problem).
I say 1 o clock, its not too early and not too late. And no one has to get up at like 5am to start things off and get ready.
Defiantly towards the evening. You need time to get ready and a wedding usually lasts through the day so you don’t want to make it wayyyy too long. i think 1pm is perfect. and the floating candle idea is wonderful. Congratulations I wish you all the best!!
Alright it is definitly to early at 10. Wedding guests do not want to be there that early. 2 o clock would probably be better. And mornings are colder so try and go for the warmer part of the day. Then when your eatting and as its getting darker the fairy lights will look nice.
1:00 or 2:00 is perfect. 10:00 will be too early for guests. Your ideas are just great for a home wedding. Also, on the day of the wedding you will be busy with last minute details. So you need the morning free for that. 10:00 would put a time restraint on you and your fiance.. Congrats to both of you !!!
It’s actually better to do in and sundown because it will be more romantic, you can do your great candle idea in the pool, it will also mean than you have closed the day with you being married, and you will wake up the next morning already married. If you do it in the morning, though, your festivites will be over around 3 or 4 and then youll just be exhausted and you’ll be just walking around cleaning up….otherwise, if you depart on your honemoon or hotel at night it will feel like your wedding lasted a day, because you will spend the entire moning preparing and getting everything ready, and calming yourself down, and getting phone calls and presents and congratulations letters….etc. etc. etc. Lol.
Good Luck!
champagne at 10am? go for 2pm
just an idea, but have the wedding at maybe 11.30 its half way between both ur times, comprimise, Then when it starts 2 get dark have a family gathering around your pond with tealigths floating in rose petals in ur pond followed by toasts from those important 2 u, also both u n ur partner could make a speech bout the meaning of the day 2 u both.
If you’re serving champagne or any other alcohol, it would be better to have the ceremony at 2 pm….people will have had lunch at noon so they won’t come starving, expecting a big lunch but they will appreciate snacks…no one will protest having alcohol before noon …it is early enough that the snacks are enough and no one will expect a big meal….you can even skip the pasta!! If the wedding is 1 pm or later but before 5 pm, people will eat lunch or plan supper so wouldn’t expect pasta or any other large entree. If you really want to serve pasta or a heavier item, you should have the ceremony at noon, 12:30 or 1 pm and clearly advise people in the invitation “Followed by a luncheon reception” so they don’t eat. You won’t have to think about a winter morning’s darkness lingering on due to clouds, it is early enough to be bright for the whole event, you’ll have time for last minute touches as this is in your own home,
Do you intend to serve a full meal at the reception? Then go for the 1:00. If not, I’d go for later. 2 or 3. Guests will be expecting a meal if the reception ends up falling around a meal time.
10 am is way too early. I would do it in the afternoon. This way people will have plenty of time to sleep in, get ready and show up rested. If it was my own wedding, I wouldn’t do it until at least 2-3 pm. This way it will still be light for the ceremony, but then it’ll get darker and the floating lights will look fantastic.
P.S. My own wedding was around 4 pm.
omg 10 is way to early 1 is perfect though but congrats i wish you the best in your married life enjoy every minute of whats left as your single life and enjoy every minute even more of whats to be your new life
Well, with the menu you described,it sounds like the reception should be around lunchtime. So, the wedding should be around 12 and then the lunch reception to follow.
Now personally, I would take advantage of the darkness and romance. You could have it around 4pm or 5pm, have candles everywhere, including floating in the pool, tiki torches, etc…..would be very romantic. Then have a dinner reception.
Hi and congratulations!
How fun!! Really different and nice.
I would definitely go with the 1 p.m. No one will want to be eating pasta and rolls at 10:30 in the morning, assuming your ceremony will be about 1/2 hour or so.
Also, it will give you more time to get ready, etc. I LOVE the idea of the floating candles in the pool — really nice.
My vote is a 1 p.m. wedding. Good luck and I hope you have a beautiful day!
Having a wedding in the afternoon gives you the advantage of being able to prepare everything before guests start showing up. Morning weddings aren’t bad, they’re just rather untraditional, and if you have a party in the afternoon people stay a little longer and cut loose a little more. I think your plans sound lovely. Congrats and good luck!
It also really depends on where you live and the weather. Something else you might like to take into thought is you get the best out door pictures the closer to sunrise and sunset.
Congrats! 1 pm sounds good. Better than 10 am-to early then. I love the floating candle deal. That will look wonderfull towards evening.