Best Time of the Day to Get Married

What is the best time to conduct a wedding ceremony? Most wedding ceremonies take place in the afternoon so that the reception time will take place at night and the after party breaks until dawn. But not every couple follows this tradition. 

If you are wondering what time you would want your wedding to happen, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner is the best time for a wedding for you, check out these advantages of each time of the wedding:


Sunrise Wedding (5am, 6am)

 Pros
If your wedding venue is strategically located facing the East, then this is the perfect time for you to say "I DO" with a feeling of a bright tomorrow awaits you as the sun rises and greets your wedding with a soft light to begin the day.


Cons
This is probably a dreaded time for most Filipinos. It can be too early for most people especially that in the Philippines, Filipino Time is usually 30 minutes late and conducting a wedding ceremony at this time will pose a major setback in preparations and arriving on time.

Your wedding suppliers may have additional charge for setting up very early or the day before for your wedding.

The Solution: This is best for an intimate wedding of about 50 guests housed in one venue the night before. Everyone should be in the same place for easy call time and gathering of the guests and entourage at early dawn. 



Morning Wedding (8am, 9am, 10am, 11am)

Pros
These time slots are best for people who want to enjoy the rest of the afternoon and night with their family, friends and guests who may have come a long way to attend their wedding. The wedding ceremony and reception will usually end at the most 2pm so there is plenty of time for an afternoon or dinner bonding with out of town guests without going beyond the time indicated for supposed "first night" of the newlyweds.

Cons
If your wedding will be held in the city, expect morning traffic. And if your wedding falls on a weekday or holiday rush, expect more traffic. Aside from working people and students rushing to get to their designated places, the holiday rush may also bring out more people out in the streets to get what they need in time for the holidays - think Christmas. Whew!

The Solution: Choose a hotel near the church or choose a location where the distance between the ceremony and reception will be bearable to transport. Avoid choosing dates that people are still at work and special holidays when people will be roaming the streets - like parades and Christmas holidays.


Afternoon / Sunset Wedding (2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm)

Pros

Most weddings are held in the afternoon because primarily it gives the couple and their families and friends to have enough time to prepare and run errands that may be needed during the wedding - like buying socks or belt because they forgot to bring theirs on the preparation site. Wedding suppliers will also have enough time to do their tasks at their most working mood because these are the time slots when normal working hours is conducted.

Cons
If you are having an outdoor wedding specially in the Philippines where the climate is tropical, these time slots may still be a little humid with the rays of the sun too strong to stand in. Sometimes, rain might interrupt the ceremony.

The Solution. Provide umbrella for the guests and entourage witnessing the ceremony. Choose a location where there is a canopy of trees or a garden tent to shield the people from heat and moisture.


Sunset Wedding  (6pm, 7pm, 8pm)

Pros
These time slots are best for people who want to get the party going all night. Sunset weddings are romantic and dreamy specially if held in the open with the night sky full of twinkly stars. If you start the ceremony about thirty minutes before the sunset forecast, you may have a cozy sunset rays just in time for your first official husband-wife kiss.

Cons
This is not so appealing to the some people specially the older ones and those with infants and children since it can start too late and end too late which can alter their sleeping routines. Some older people and children may not have the energy to finish through the night.

The Solution: Prioritize the elders and children during the program so that if they wanted to go home ahead, they would already have participated on their part of the program.



Depending on the location, venue, weather and type of people attending the wedding, every wedding is a perfect time to celebrate at any given time of day. But of course, you must put in mind that your wedding is a mix of two families and friends and so it is also crucial to consider your attendees to have a comfortable and fun experience during your wedding.

In all time slots, it is best to check the weather forecast for the day before, during and after your wedding so you would know what to expect.

Happy Wedding Planning!

Tete-a-tete!