Before You Choose Your Ceremony Time…

There is no perfect ceremony time for every wedding—but there is a time that will work best for yours.

The right choice will depend on your venue, the season, the sunset and what you have planned for the rest of the day.

Here are the things worth thinking about before you lock it in.

Where will the sun be?

This is a big one—especially for an outdoor ceremony.

Will the sun be directly in your eyes? Will one of you be standing in shade while the other is in full sun? Will your guests spend the ceremony squinting?

Bright overhead sun can create harsh shadows and make everyone uncomfortably warm. Later light is often softer, but the best timing depends on the season and which direction your ceremony space faces.

If you can, visit your venue at a similar time of day and time of year. Otherwise, ask the venue or your photographer for photos from ceremonies held in the same spot.

The ceremony space may look completely different at 2pm in January than it does at 2pm in May.

What is the weather usually like at that time of year?

Waikato weather likes to keep us guessing.

A summer afternoon could mean blazing sun and plenty of heat. An autumn day may start warm but cool quickly once the sun disappears. Winter and early-spring weddings usually bring lower temperatures and much less daylight.

Think about what the conditions are likely to be at your proposed ceremony time.

• Will the afternoon sun be at its hottest?
• Will the temperature drop quickly during a later ceremony?
• Will the ceremony space become shaded or windy later in the day?
• Will guests be comfortable arriving before the ceremony begins?

You cannot control the weather, but you can choose a ceremony time that gives you and your guests the best chance of being comfortable.

What does your photographer recommend?

Your photographer understands how the light will behave and how much time your photos will realistically take.

Talk to them before confirming your ceremony time. Work backwards from sunset and allow enough time for the ceremony, congratulations, group photos, wedding-party photos and couple portraits.

If you want golden-hour photos, you may not need to schedule the ceremony immediately beforehand. You could slip away for ten minutes later while everyone else is happily occupied with drinks and canapés.

Planning a first look or taking some photos before the ceremony may also give you more flexibility with the rest of the day.

How will it fit with the rest of the day?

Work backwards from the parts of your timeline that are already set.

When will drinks and canapés begin? What time will guests be seated for dinner? How much time does your photographer need between the ceremony and reception?

Remember that guests will usually arrive twenty to thirty minutes before the time printed on the invitation. If you choose a 3pm ceremony, they may be waiting outside from 2.30pm—right in the afternoon sun, wind or cold.

Your ceremony time should create an easy flow into the celebration.

It should not leave guests waiting around or make the rest of the day feel rushed.

Have you checked the sunset time?

Do not assume you will have plenty of daylight after the ceremony.

During the warmer months, daylight saving gives you more flexibility for outdoor photos and a later ceremony. Once daylight saving ends, the light disappears much earlier—and often faster than people expect.

Check the sunset time for your exact wedding date and location. Do not base it on what the light looks like now or what you remember from another season.

For late-autumn and winter weddings, you may need an earlier ceremony, photos before the ceremony or a tighter plan for portraits afterwards.

So, what is the best ceremony time?

The one that makes your whole day flow.

It should keep your guests comfortable, give your photographer enough time and leave you space to enjoy the day without being hurried from one thing to the next.

Before printing your invitations, check your proposed time with your venue, photographer, caterer and celebrant. Together, we can spot any lighting issues, awkward gaps or tight turnarounds before they become a problem.

Because choosing your ceremony time deserves a little more thought than simply picking whatever sounds wedding-ish.