What Time Should Your Ceremony Start?

Hi Everyone!

Today I am talking about what time your wedding ceremony should start!

I’ve been asked by a few of my brides recently if they should put down a half hour earlier on their invitations just to make sure everyone gets there on time. My short and [not so] sweet answer is this: if adults can’t respectfully arrive at least 10 minutes early to your wedding, that is not your problem, nor your responsibility to accommodate them on their tardiness.

Here’s a scenario for you: you receive an invitation in the mail with a ceremony start time of 4:00. You arrive to the church at 3:30 just to be safe. 4:00 comes and goes, and still no bridal party walking down the aisle. 4:30 comes and the ceremony finally starts. You’re annoyed and wondering what could possibly have delayed everyone a half hour. 

When I coordinate a wedding, we start at the time on the invitation. When I make the master timeline for the day that is what I follow, and give to all the vendors. If the ceremony is late, it delays everything else for the rest of the day. 

If your an engaged couple, plan to start at the time you put on your wedding invitations, and if you’re a wedding guest, plan ahead and get to the ceremony at least 10 minutes before the start time. 

What’s your opinion?

xo, Val