h2b and I have booked and paid the deposit on our venue and booked and paid the deposit for the registrar for our New Years Eve wedding. However I'm now starting to have a mini melt down (far too early for this sort of thing I know!). I have booked the registrar to conduct the ceremony at 3pm, the idea being that this would give us an hour of light after the ceremony for photos, and I would obviously like our guests to stay to celebrate the New year with us at midnight. However, I'm worried I might be asking too much of my guests to spend 10+ hours with us. My proposed time table for the day is: 3pm- ceremony 4pm- photo's and drinks reception 5.30pm- wedding breakfast 7.30pm- reception starts, evening guests to arrive 8pm-10pm- fun casino (and if budget allows live music, if not we will just have recorded music playing) 9.30pm- cake cutting and evening buffet 10pm-1am- DJ and dancing 12am- celebrate New year (again if budget allows a small fireworks display) There will be a few children invited but I am planning to provide a room for them to play games/watch films/relax in if they want to. Does this make the who thing too long? Should I put the time of the ceremony back an hour or so (I would need to do this now if I don't want to loose our deposit). If you were a guest invited to a wedding on NYE would you be put off going knowing it would be such a long day? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!
31/12/2017 A New Year, A New Life, A New Husband and Wife
CommentAuthorWhovianbride
mine is aslong at that if not longer, my ceremony is at 2pm hoping to dance till the small hours 1am/2am
Met June 2009 on my Birthday,Met again July 2009 and got
together, May 2010 Moved in,Jan 2011 got pregnant,
August 2011 Got our own place, 2011 Had our Baby Girl,
Dec 2011 Got engaged, July 2015 Getting married! Yay!
CommentAuthorMyranny
Our ceremony is at 1 and we plan to be going till midnight, so I can't see what's wrong with that. Not everyone will stay, I'm sure, but most will, especially the important ones xx
CommentAuthorMrs D2B
I'm glad others are starting early and finishing late, some of the timings I was looking at were suggesting the wedding and reception would only be about 5/6 hours in total and I started to panic. I am hoping to provide things to keep guests comfortable and entertained, I am going to try to provide a quieter more comfortable;e seating area for my older guests to be able to relax with a drink whilst those with more energy can party so fingers crossed I can keep the majority happy and no-one will want to leave before midnight!
31/12/2017 A New Year, A New Life, A New Husband and Wife
CommentAuthorWhovianbride
be careful, american weddings seem to tend to start later in the day. so if its a american site will state that, but more uk weddings seem to take place not long after lunch.
Met June 2009 on my Birthday,Met again July 2009 and got
together, May 2010 Moved in,Jan 2011 got pregnant,
August 2011 Got our own place, 2011 Had our Baby Girl,
Dec 2011 Got engaged, July 2015 Getting married! Yay!
That would make sense, I wondered how they were getting married in the evening, when we first thought about NYE we wanted to get married at midnight but the registrar said they don't work after 5pm so that idea quickly went out the window lol
31/12/2017 A New Year, A New Life, A New Husband and Wife
CommentAuthorGlitterfairy
I got married at 3pm and it finished at midnight. As we got married at the venue ours went like this.
3pm ceremony 330-530 pictures and mingling with guests whilst they changed the room around. 545-830 wedding breakfast 830-midnight dancing.
We finished at midnight purely because we did not have an extension on the bar plus people had to get back home which involves public transport which finishes at just after midnight.
Our wedding day - 6 October 2012
CommentAuthorInDreamland
It's totally normal, don't worry!
Our ceremony was at 1.30pm (although I was then 20 minutes late), and our day went on until midnight, our guests would have carried on I think until 2am happily as the dance floor was still packed and everyone was disappointed it ended.
Think even our DJ was shocked at how the dance floor was packed all night as he made a comment to us at the end, best wedding he'd done I think as nothing worse than an empty dance floor for a DJ.
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorInDreamland
Oh and to add the venue kept the bar open for as long as our guests stayed up there drinking, many of hubby's friends were up until 5am in the bar, or so I was told, so 10 hours is totally reasonable.
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorMrs D2B
Thank you ladies that's really reassuring! Was seriously starting to think I'd messed up from the very beginning :( so it's great to know I'm about right with the times
31/12/2017 A New Year, A New Life, A New Husband and Wife
CommentAuthorTanyaS78
My friend had her wedding on new years eve, and im sure hers was longer than yours but was absolutely fine! I wouldnt worry about it :)
CommentAuthorMrsC2bee
Our ceremony is at 1pm and will be partying til midnight, if people want to stay then they will no matter what time it starts. Pen joy ur day Hun :) its your day ( the whole day) lol x
CommentAuthorTeresa
sounds like a great way to celebrate new year, i think is a lovely idea and you have come up with some great ideas around it too! go for it have fun and party :)
CommentAuthorMrs D2B
Thank you Teresa, I get so excited every time I think of it, got almost 3 years to wait tho :(
31/12/2017 A New Year, A New Life, A New Husband and Wife
CommentAuthorGlitterfairy
As it is new year, I would expect that all your guests would want to stay on and bring in the new year with you anyway
Our wedding day - 6 October 2012
CommentAuthorWelshBrideBethan2015
All sounds perfect :)
Somehow always connected , finally became friends .
Friends became soul mates :)
Engaged 6th July 2013
CommentAuthorTeresa
It soon comes round though, goes quicker than you think, enjoy the planner stages :)
CommentAuthorAprilS61
I wouldn't worry at all! You only get one wedding day and I'd make it earlier if I could, make the most of it. You'll only get one chance. If people get tired then they can leave a bit earlier, easy! X
Mr & Mrs Swan 04/04/15
CommentAuthorFlossie
Sounds like a totally normal day, don't worry! Ours will be 2pm until midnight and even later than that for those guests staying at the venue with us! They will love sharing your special day with you x
