Wedding Blog
One of the first major decisions we made that really changed the course of planning our wedding was our decision to have a daytime wedding. Back in the day, I guess it was pretty common to have a morning wedding and proceed to a simple lunch or other type of reception. Of course, everything about weddings seemed simpler then, didn’t they?
The daytime option became pretty clear after Mr. Swan and I ran some numbers on one of his very nifty spreadsheets. At the same time, I thought, ‘A DAYTIME WEDDING!’ It’s not the lovely (and common) Saturday night chic event that I originally envisioned. Yet it seemed to be a really economical way to keep our wedding reception costs in check. Mr. Swan and I made the decision, but I am still sweating it a bit.
My fears for having a daytime wedding were/are:
While having a daytime wedding definitely has its cons, I think our foresight to be budget conscious for the wedding from the beginning is allowing us to go to sleep peacefully each night.
Any other daytime brides worried about having a daytime wedding? Has anyone planned or been to a wedding that was not the usual night affair? How was it?
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You can dance in the afternoon! Some people just need a reason to dance, what better reason than at your wedding.
we’re having a daytime wedding because we’re worried about the sun setting too early if we decided to have a ceremony in november outdoors or not enough light for picture taking since we’re not seeing each other before the ceremony, so the day wedding made the most sense to us…it will still be fabulous i know it, just like yours!
My husband and I had a morning wedding, followed by lunch and dancing, followed by nap break, followed by cocktails at a swanky lounge later in the evening. It was awesome. People danced their pants off; it being light out had no effect on that. We were worried about that too, but it was really, really fun. It was great to have the break in the afternoon to relax and take it all in, and then to reconvene later that night with everyone, well-rested and ready for more. I wouldn’t do it any other way, in retrospect! We had more time overall with the guests, and everyone had a really good time. Plus the photos came out really well — the morning and early afternoon light cast a gorgeous glow on all the photos. You’ll have a fantastic wedding!
Maybe you can meet up at a restaurant or bar later that evening and continue the party?
You could go out to supper afterward with your parents - I did this after my first wedding and it was really nice. Other guests explored the area and/or did their own thing.
We had a daytime wedding to avoid alcohol and dancing, but it also did end up being considerably cheaper for food. I have been to a daytime wedding with dancing, though, and it was plenty of fun! No one seemed to care that it was not nightime.
We also had an afterparty for the less conservative people in the group. So did the other daytime wedding we attended..they just met everyone at a bar.
And I was also afraid of the time constraints in the morning regarding getting ready…It worked out just fine, but just remember to delegate EVERYTHING that does not have to do with you specifically getting ready to someone else!
Our ceremony was at noon, and the lunch started around 2 or 2:30 (cocktail/appetizer hour was around 1). It was a gloriously beautiful day and we got some beautiful, sunny pictures. That evening, our friends went to a movie and our families rested while we also relaxed. We had a brunch the next day to spend a little more time with our people. We did the lunch in order to be more economical, and it went really well. People definitely danced. Don’t worry too much.
With you on the hair thing.. we’re having a 11:30am Sunday morning wedding, with pictures before hand, starting at 9:30am. Eek. And, since it’s so early and a Sunday, we have to have a hair person come in to do it (peace of mind, of course, but also more money).
Definitely consider an after party!
Ditto! I’m soo worried it’s going to be boring. I keep going back and forth on a DJ. I worry that it will be me and my MOH on the dance floor and thats it. My FH thinks we should not have a dj and use that money for a private area for our after party downtown…I just always thought I would dance at my wedding. I grew up dancing! With that said, i say screw it.. I’m getting a dj! LOL
I’ve been to several daytime weddings that were a blast - if your friends/family are fun, the wedding will be fun - regardless of time of day!
I had the same concerns but I must say that I actually really enjoyed the daytime wedding and so did the guests. Guests that like to dance danced and the guests who don’t enjoyed chatting with company and the view/food. Also, our lunch was spread out through the event so there was only about an hour after the cake cutting before the reception was over.
Plus, my favorite thing about having a daytime wedding was we could spend almost the entire day with hubby and familiy instead of being hidden away while getting ready.
Almost all of our guests were also out of town and so we met up at a bar around 8pm.
I just had my daytime wedding (1 PM on a Sunday). The lighting was beautiful for our outdoor ceremony, and there was just enough time to get ready (we showed up at 9 with the hairstylist). There were 4 bridesmaids and myself, and we did our own makeup but had one stylist do our hair. Everyone else did their own hair. We had a DJ, dancing, alcohol (and yes, people drank!)…the whole works. It was really no different from an evening ceremony other than that people dressed differently and we had to keep the sunlight in mind when we did our makeup.
We’re doing a daytime wedding and doing an after party hours later. it gives people a chance to see the city and then shake their groove thang later. 
I had a daytime wedding to cut costs and it went down so well and we saved a fortune.
We left at about 5ish to go on our mini-moon.
I made a mini restaurant review for the older guests, some guestlist bookings at some clubs for our friends/cousins
You have the huge bonus of being in NYC where there is so much to do. You could make ‘The Swan’s guide to the Big Apple’ and point out cool things to do and then arrange a meeting point if people want to meet up for dinner/drinks?
re: hair
i have long locs too, and even though we had an evening wedding, i had the same worries about the time it takes to wash, twist, and style all this hair with such a jam packed day! what i did was get my hair done the day before - i had some twisty stuff going on in the front and a rodset in the back. the stylist pinned up the rodset curls and i wore a very thin/delicate hair net to my rehearsal dinner (it looked super cute). that night i just tied on a silk scarf and the next morning took the pins out and was ready to go! it worked out great!
whether youre thinking about an updo and or something down, im sure there’s a way to get it done the day before and preserve it until your wedding
We’re doing the exact same thing. I am kind of worried about the dancing thing too, but here is some advice I’ve read that made me feel better: the guests tend to go where the bride goes. If you’re on the dance floor busting a move, chances are your guests (especially your friends who like to dance) will follow suit.
Our reception ends at 4, and then we’re going to rest for a few hours, and have everyone meet up at a bar later. It will be the official “after party” but everyone will be on their own tab.
I had a daytime wedding last fall and I had a lot of the same concerns you did. We had plenty of dancing at our reception, but I think that’s mostly because my family and our friends love to dance, no matter the occasion. So, I think whether or not people dance will depend on whether you have a dancing crowd at the wedding. A great DJ also helps.
We had an afterparty after the wedding. My parents-in-law rented the hospitality room at one of the hotels for OOT guests, so we just ordered food, hung out and finished off some of the left over wine and liqour from the wedding (we brought our own alcohol). It was awesome to see everyone in a more relaxed setting.
About getting hair/make-up, I got up at 5 AM (no joke!), to get ready. I just made sure to get to bed realllly early the night before, so I got my bare minimum of sleep. Oh, and someone came to do my hair/make-up at the hotel. Good luck!
I think “Brunch” weddings are really nice. The menu is different and unique. I love breakfast, so it gives you something other than your normal chicken and salmon. It’s not the normal PARTY but, it has alot of charm.
We did a daytime wedding and a pub crawl at night. Many of our relatives are older & live at least an hour away - so it allowed them to get home while it was light out. Our friends danced anyway at the reception and had a great time afterwards!
PS - Although we planned a “break” in the middle to nap, we ended up only having time to change since there was so many people to see, things to do, etc.
i was MOH for a daytime wedding and it was a great time! so what we had to be at the salon at 4am… i arrived with champagne and oj to make it a little easier on everyone.
the reception ended around dinner time but it was so great because there was an after party. yah, i was pooped by 7:30pm but everyone had such a great time! it was definitely a blast and i highly recommend it!!
What time is your wedding going to be, Swan? A couple of months ago I went to a lovely 11 am beach wedding in Florida … I had never been to one that early before but I have to say it was great! The weather was gorgeous and the lighting was beautiful. I don’t think people “partied down” as much (then again, this was a small-ish wedding, only about 40 guests) but everyone definitely had a good time. We took a nap after it was over, then met up with friends that night.
The previous posters are right about delegating as much as possible, and getting as much done early as you can. But don’t worry, you’re in the big city! Everyone is guaranteed to have a good time
So glad to here positive thoughts. I’ve been worried about my 1:00pm cermeony with reception following. Stupid church rules.
I love that most your posts have lists… I know off topic, but every time I see you lay it out all easy for me I get happy
I want a daytime wedding, but due to the fact that 95% of our guests will be trekking from Illinois, New York, and Jamaica to the lovely state of… Iowa, I think we’re going to end up having a good ol’ Saturday evening affair.
Bummer.
I’m jealous of your daytime wedding!
We are having a daytime cocktail reception for a few reasons: 1) To cut costs on food (finger food rather than a sit-down meal) and 2) Because so many of our friends have kids. I want the kids to be at the wedding (we are setting up a craft table for them!), but I didn’t want my friends to have to leave early because of bed times, etc. We aren’t as concerned about the dancing bit. We just want everyone to have a great time catching up with friends or making new ones!
Thank you for this! I am having a daytime wedding with the ceremony starting at 10am! Now I feel good that I am not crazy for asking my bridesmaids to be up at 5 am We will be having 2 sair stylists come to the house, a cocktail reception afterwards, a nap, dinner with our families and then out to a bar for whoever wants to keep the party going! It will be a very long day but I agree with one of the previous posters, you get to spend the entire day with everyone, rather then being hidden away until 5:00!
Take a nice break with just you and the hubby after the reception and then meet up with everyone for an after party.
i’m having a daytime wedding! i am worried about waking up at the crack ass of dawn to get ready. luckily, my bridal party is small. we are planning to have a bonfire after party on the beach a few hours after the wedding. we don’t have a problem with entertainment between the wedding and bonfire because we are anticipating everyone to hang out at the amusement park or layout on the beach.
I wish doing daytime save me money, but alas it doesn’t with my venue. I’m realy woried about getting ready also. It’s a rural area with not much choice regarding salons and we most likely would have to go to the salon. I’m worried that my rehersal the night before will be late do to church issues and my sleep time will be short..
I like Miss Joey’s idea of the after party. What better way to enjoy the NYC backdrop!
It’s up to you guys to start the party on the Dance floor. I just went to a wedding in the afternoon, and it rained and lots of people danced. You and Mr.Swan determine what people will do. IF you two dance people will dance. IF you sit they’ll sit. Wedding guests are like sheep.
I am having an 11:30am beach ceremony and 12-5 reception in Sea Bright, NJ. Like you, we did this to save money and we have saved at least $2,500 so far.
Like many of the other brides that have commented, we’re going to have some down time together after the reception then meet up with the guests that are still in the area for an unofficial after party, probably at the hotel or nearby bar or restaurant.
Maybe you can all meet up later that night for after dinner drinks as a small after party? I couldn’t do a daytime wedding because of the time I had my church, but I may have considered it if it would have been more friendly on my budget.
My brother had his wedding last fall at 10 am. The reception started at 12 with lunch and they had dancing. There were plenty of people dancing at that one. Afterwards, we were suppossed to go to their house for gift opening and to eat food leftover from the wedding, but my dad ended up in the hospital and so everyone ended up going there instead.
Yet another daytime wedding here We’re planning a 10:30am ceremony with a brunch immediately following, sans dancing & drinking. It will be less of a party and more of a relaxed family get-together where everyone can mingle, catch up and enjoy delicious food! Brunch food is great and definitely a change of pace as far as wedding food goes.
We are also planning an after-party that is really turning into more of a second reception. It will be smaller than our wedding but still about 70 people. We’re having a DJ, heavy hor’s d’eourves and drinks. So having a daytime wedding isn’t really saving us money, but it does allow us to have “the best of both worlds”!
I have enjoyed reading everyone’s suggestions. I wanted a daytime wedding (11:30 ceremony) because I didn’t want to wait all day to get married.
Afterward, our guests will either hang out at the venue (we rented a B&B, so leaving by a certain time isn’t an issue), go home, or do other things.
When a friend of mine got married in San Francisco most of the groom’s family flew in from New Jersey. One of her best San Franciscan friends led a tour the following day through the city and everyone had an awesome time. You could do something like that after the wedding, or just give people a chance to turn in early and hit the streets the next day.
The reason my friend’s tour worked so well is her “guide” wasn’t in the actual wedding (so she wasn’t over-burdened and it was a good way to include someone who couldn’t be a bridesmaid) and knows the city & public transportation system REALLY well.
Alternately, you could see if Grey Line or some other tour company does group discounts. Pick a travel agent, include their contact info in your invitations and let them handle it.
And finally, I’ve been to weddings at every time of day and there’s always been dancing if there was music! If your family & friends are the dancing type, they’ll do it no matter what. Just get your bridal party in on the action and others will follow suit.
its cheaper and gives you tons of time for pictures after the wedding, but it definitely has it’s drawbacks. I don’t think I could do it!
i’m having my asian tea ceremony / lunch banquet, so the make up artist is coming by at 7am. SEVEN. gaah!
in our case, it’s a jam-packed day because we have photos in the afternoon and then our ceremony + dinner + afterparty.
how about you guys do something cool like, a boat ride of sorts, or have everyone rest in the afternoon and have party at night? (since everyone had to wake up early!)
my sister’s wedding was in the morning - 10am ceremony and 12 noon reception start time. us bridesmaids were up at 5am to start getting ready. but the reception was awesome - the noon ‘cocktail hour’ was outside for some gorgeous sunny weather - and pictures of the bridal party were perfect. the main course was around 2, and afterwards, everyone danced a ton. the lighting in the ballroom was the same as if it was evening. it felt the same as any other nighttime wedding. the only weird part was at the end of the wedding (around 6pm) walking outside and it was still super sunny and not very late at all - like it had felt during the reception. but no biggie - we just went back to the hotel and napped and changed - and everyone went out for an afterparty at a nearby bar. one of the funnest weddings i’ve been too!
I was in a daytime wedding (ended around 4pm-ish) a couple of years ago. We did have to get up at 6am for hair and makeup, but otherwise it was great - she got married in a church, and the sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows was gorgeous - she wouldn’t have gotten that with a nighttime wedding. They had a lot of out of town guests as well, so they had an afterparty, too. They got married in NJ, and rented a bus to drive all the “young people” into NYC, where they had a room reserved at a club. It was a great way to cap off the festivities.
Its quite normal in England to have a day ceremony, followed by a reception dinner then a break before an evening party.
Helps with budgets too. We’re having a small ceremony and reception then meeting our extended family and friends for the evening do where there’s a disco and everyone can let their hair down and dance!
It also means the celebrations last all day!
I chose to have a daytime wedding (12pm ceremony followed by cocktail hour and 1:30-5:30 reception). I just like the idea of being outside in the sun and having natural light coming in during our reception.
I went to another daytime wedding and there was a LOT of dancing! I think if you have guests who like to dance, they are going to do so whether it’s day or night. It also helps to have a band/DJ that will get the group excited to dance.
As for what our guests will do after the wedding, they’ll probably head home. Most of our guests are local and the ones that aren’t will be coming from a few hours away so they’ll be able to drive home after the wedding.
My oldest daughter had a daytime wedding in 2004 and it was picture-perfect. Now my younger daughter is to be wed–and has chosen a Friday evening time slot. I’m amazed at how much more things are costing for an evening wedding.
Daytime weddings are definitely the way to go.
So glad this post was started!!! Just a few days ago i was on the fence on having a DJ… after reading everyones feedback! as i said in my first response to this post, SOOOO GETTING A DJ! Seems like most of the time it was a success!
we’re having a Sunday 11:30 am ceremony, with a pre-reception and reception until 5…but we’re getting married at Disneyland, so everyone’s just going to the Park to watch the fireworks and go on rides after our wedding!
@Miss Frenchie - Aww I’m glad you like it. I think in lists.
I’m glad to heat that there was a lot of booty shaking at the daytime weddings you’ve attended.
@haromonyeee - Yes. There have been some discussios about doing that for my hair. I would get something done the day before and then take it out the morning of.
We are definitely having an after-party! The major question is where.
I had a day-to-evening wedding, and the day portion started around 11:30 a.m.
To get ready on time in the morning, my 4 bridesmaids stayed over and we were up at 6. I had the makeup/hair ladies come to my house at 7, and we all actually had a really fun, bond-y morning over coffee and bagels, getting our hair and makeup done in turns. We were done with hair/makeup by 9:30 a.m., and had plenty of time to get dressed and get ready.
Good luck, and congrats!
Hi Miss Swan,
I live in Australasia, where day-time weddings are the norm.
For our February (summer) wedding, I woke up at 7, the hairdresser came at 8, my MOH did my make-up, and we left for our 11:30 am wedding at 11 am. No rush, except when the wedding cars showed up 45 minutes late!
We had a lunch reception after taking some photos, packed out the dance floor (due to a great playlist and MC, and our first dance being a rock ‘n roll number, I reckon), and were leaving for our photo shoot by 5 pm.
Most of our guests appreciated having the evening free to do other things. We had an intimate family dinner after our photo shoot at a local restaurant. As others have suggested, an after-party could be just the thing for you, although you may find that you’re tired come evening.
All the best!
I know I am a little late to the party…but I think having a daytime wedding is great. I too am having a “off peak” time wedding. We are getting married in the morning, and for us too it was a more economical choice. I have noticed that the price for a photographer is a lot less than it would be if I had a Saturday evening wedding. We were able to slash thousands of dollars from our budget, because of the early time of the wedding, there’s no DJ, no alcohol, and we are serving a light continental breakfast, and we cut our questlist. The price for the facility I wanted went from $13,000 for a Friday evening outdoor sit down dinner wedding for 175, went to $2400 for a Saturday morning, outdoor, breakfast wedding for 75.
To make up for the lack of music and alcohol…Afterward, we are going to gather close family and close friends at someone’s house for a cookout. Those people whom we couldn’t invite, or who wanted to continue to share our day with us, are going to meet later on in the evening in downtown. I think having an afternoon wedding will be fine, people will appreciate having the rest of their evening free, and for those who want to continue to party, and if you want to continue to show off your dress:), just have an afterparty! Best wishes!
It’s FINE! People will dance–I would! More & more people are doing day weddings–our friend is having her wedding on our date at our venue a year later, but instead of a Sat. night, she’s doing a Sun. brunch & paying less than ONE THIRD of what we are for the venue. (My church marries on Sat. afternoon, so there you go.) I have to get ready in the morning too as my ceremony is @ 1:30-it’s not that bad. Can you get your hair done the day before & wrap your head in a scarf, & maybe just have it touched up in the morning? Another trend is the after party, so go get yourself a cute chic dress & some heels & rock it out with guests at a hip bar/club w/o footing a huge bill!
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Mrs. Swan, New York City
Age and Occupation: 31, Legislative Representative
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Finance Guy
Engagement Date: August 9, 2008
Wedding Date: August 2009
Venue: Battery Gardens
About Me: I am an un-crafty but resourceful, Caribbean-born but New York-raised woman who's been known to analyze "Dancing with the Stars" and “So You Think You Can Dance”, buy stinky cheese, and use way too many parentheses. I keep lists for fun, am constantly daydreaming of my next international travel adventure (four continents down, three to go), debating sports (let’s Got Mets/Giants!) and dancing around my apartment to stay sane. I am excited to share our wedding planning journey as I hope to plan a streamlined, personal, and fun wedding with the greatest life partner I could ever imagine, Mr. Swan.
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