Morning Weddings

I am regreting a little of having a day wedding. I am getting married at 11 Am and my reception starts at 1. I need some opinions.

I am stressing that i have be ready so early. I have to be ready at like 8:30, thats what time the photographer is coming over- any advice on getting ready- how long does make-up take? how about hair? how about pics at the house?

and

Want to make sure that I make the coctail hour, so i was debating on cutting out the receiving line at the church. I was told it is important to have it so how long should it take?

Thanks

I am getting married at the hall at 11, cocktail hour and reception immediately following.

I am getting ready at our house (FH and mine, he will be staying at a hotel). Luckily I only have a MOH so that saves a lot of time. I normally get up around 5am for work so I guess I'll be getting up around that time. Hair and makeup are coming to the house.

I'm doing things a bit differently. I am not taking pictures at the house (we are selling it within a year and it's not nice enough to take pictures there). I will be getting completely ready there except for my dress. Then my MOH and myself are driving (no limos because we are doing everything all in one place) to the WAtermill from E. Northport (about 1/2 hour) and arriving there no later than 8:30... off to the bridal suite, photographer and flowers are arriving at the same time, get in the dress. I am taking ALL (I am adamant about this) pictures before hand. Because I have a small bridal party and immediate family it won't take very long (the larger your bridal party the longer it will take). then I have to duck back inside before the guest arrive for my ceremony at 11. While I'm inside the photographer will take the pictures of FH and his family because it doesn't matter if the guests see them.

I am allowing from 9-10:30 for pictures before hand and that is all of my posed shots.

As I've said on this board before, I'm paying for the entire wedding, then I will be at my cocktail hour.

You might have to cut your receiving line, especially if your wedding is over 100. If you arrive at the tail end of the cocktail hour you can start to make the rounds then.

Best to call your photographer and tell him how many in your bridal party and what are your destinations and time frame. Work your schedule backwards and allow a one hour cushion especially the larger the party and the more complicated your destinations.

I had photographers meet us at 9 for pics before our 11 30 ceremony. We started hair and makeup for 4 people at 6:30AM. We cut the receiving line and finished extended family pics during part of the CH (grandparents, aunts, and uncles who weren't there at 9 for pics).

WORD OF CAUTION: We took pics at the Arborteum beforehand--sooo pretty but my heels totally sank into goose sh*t and were greenish brown instead of ivory before the ceremony!

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Posted by nov04LIbride

I had photographers meet us at 9 for pics before our 11 30 ceremony. We started hair and makeup for 4 people at 6:30AM. We cut the receiving line and finished extended family pics during part of the CH (grandparents, aunts, and uncles who weren't there at 9 for pics).

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This is almost exactly what we did, except that we somehow managed to take our pics before the cocktail hour.

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Posted by unicorn1178

I did wavier and tried to call my hall to see If I could change the time, and the waivering stopped as soon as I found out how much extra I would have to pay for an evening wedding!! HTH

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I'll go you guys one better - I'm getting married at 10:00am!! I wasn't happy about it, but, as unicorn1178 said, I got happy as soon as I found out it was $30 more per person for an evening wedding!! I have to be ready by 8:00. My day is going to begin at 4:30am I already know. IF we start the ceremony on time, we will do a receiving line (shouldn't be that long - people may beg off and just come to the CH and reception.) If the ceremony doesn't start til around 10:30, no receiving line (to give people a chance to get to my 11:45 CH) and we'll greet folks at the reception.

My wedding was at 11am at the hall with reception to immed follow. I would forgo the recieving line

The photographer was at my house at 8:00 took about 1/2 of pics then we followed him to Villa where he took all the pics before the ceremony so we could enjoy our cocktail hour. I had everything done by 10:30am and was away in my suite before any guests starting arriving, and I loved see my husband before the ceremony and being able to enjoy cocktail.

Another Morning Bride here.

But I saw Jim before the ceremony
Got dressed and 'done up' at the hotel we were staying at.

Met the photo guy AT the hall 10am
was done in time for the wedding and totally enjoyed my cocktail hour. But I see that I could have done the pictures at that time instead.

I, too, sunk into the mud. heh

I really appreciated having 'smooze' time with my guests at the cocktail hour. Gave more time to boogie during the reception

PS I gave a WHOLE write up about how much i loved having a morning wedding.
Ah, morning weddings... Yeah us!

i had the same reservations but from the advice on this site i've calmed down quite a bit..i'm sure we'll all find the time to get ready and be ready by the right time with pics in between..

Wow, thanks so much for the responses, good to hear that others are stressing about this as well and trying to figure it out. It is so true about the price difference, it is crazy how much more it is for the SAME wedding only a few hours later. There are pros and cons of both, day wedding and evening.
For all the morning brides somes of the PROs are:
I felt was that my wedding is over at 6, my friends and some family are all getting hotel rooms that night and we are going to continue to celebrate at the hotel bar.

Reflect on my wedding with my 'husband', friends and family that night. I am sure there will be a lot of funny stories to tell, my fam and friends are partiers.

Longer time that i get to spend in my beautiful dress, remember this is the only we get to wear it

In my eyes the only con is getting ready so early and since i get up every morning at like 5:15 i think that i will be fine with doing it on my wedding day.

I am debating on if i should stay out east the night before (Ceremony is 1 hr away) and get ready there, really how important is it to take pics at the house you grew up at. Also, do i want to sit in my dress for a hour in a limo?Any opinions?

I am going to attempt the receiving line and my mom will just have to push people along.

i am morning

makeup 6am
house photos 8am
more pics 9-10.30am
at westbnury gdns

Me too, another morning bride. Our ceremony is at 10:30 at the church followed by a 1:00 start time for cocktail hour. At one point I felt a little bad about not having an evening wedding but I came to realize that the day has its beauty as well. I could have my wedding at 3:00am as long as its the man of my dreams by my side

Goodness! I thought I was the ONLY one!!!!!

I too have church 11:00 and CH 1:00.....

I have me, 9 girls in my BP and 1 FG to get ready not to mention my Mom all in the same house.....same hair salon.....But I'm going to a place where there are many hairdressers...

I am excited to have a morning wedding for these reasons:

1) You have all types of light..,.morning, afternoon, Twilight and evening.... ( I'm getting married in November)

2) Can't stress for the whole day about getting married...

3) You can actually spend your wedding day with your new husband.

4) There is time to relax and enjoy the day after the wedding with friends and family at a laid back atmosphere...(bar at hotel) after the reception.

5) Cheaper $$$$

***The timing will be a little difficult...I'm cutting the Receiving Line at the church, hired a photograher who can handle a large BP in a short amount of time.

We will all do fine...