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Daytime Weddings

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While it’s typical to have a Saturday afternoon/evening wedding there’s nothing wrong with having a daytime wedding either. If you’re an early bird bride and think an 11am service is for you then check out our tips!

The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure your bridal party is on board and those alarms are set. A daytime wedding will usually require a much earlier start. A daytime wedding is also a great option because lunches are usually cheaper than dinners. After the ceremony, your guests can go straight to the reception venue where lunch could be served as soon as noon. You can still cut the cake, have dancing, mingling and speeches like an evening wedding. The only difference is the time.

Guests should be finishing their meals around 1pm. What should you serve? Most people do lighter fare like chicken or fish with a vegetable and starch. But going with the traditional beef option is up to you. Some couples love to do brunch for a daytime wedding! You can get fun and creative with festive drinks, waffle bars and juice bars.

As far as entertainment goes, the daytime wedding typically only lasts until 2:45 or 4:30pm. What happens after that? You and your groom can spend time alone or go to a spa for some couples time. If you’d still like to hang out with your guests suggest local activities like zoo’s, museums or games that you could all participate in. You can also limit this gathering to only close friends and family for a more intimate celebration.

For the daytime wedding it’s also a bit more casual. For men think morning coats or a lighter color like gray or navy rather than a full tuxedo. As for the bride, you can still opt for the glamorous wedding gown but perhaps with a few less bells and whistles. But it’s your day and you get to wear the dress of your dreams! A daytime wedding can be a lot of fun and a little more casual so that you can enjoy the rest of the big day.

Incorporating the little ones in your day

Incorporating the Little Ones in your Day

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Incorporating the Little Ones in your Day

Setting guidelines and expectations are crucial if you want kids at the wedding (or in the wedding). For example, perhaps you have an adorable little chicky poo in mind as a suitable flower girl candidate aka your childhood friend’s little girl. But when it comes to your sister’s kids, your neighbors’ teenage son, or your boss’s brood of four you really want to avoid having to invite them (or have them show up uninvited) to the wedding. Here’s the good news; you can do all that and avoid conflict. Have your flower girl and consider giving your sister a free pass to bring her kiddos since she is after all your sister.

Here’s the bad news though. You will look like a total hypocrite if you invite select kids but don’t allow others. And you’re walking a fine line between doing what you want and being rude slash hurting feelings. Tread lightly. No one wants to see a humiliated girl in a pretty white dress. Nobody.

 

Incorporating the little ones in your day

Mark Janzen Photography

If you do end up having kids as guests, prepare accordingly. Depending on your planner or coordinator (if you have one) and how rad she is, she may bring snacks, games, and activities for the kids in order to keep them busy and out of your hair during the reception (and ceremony if said kids are spectators and not part of the wedding party). If it’s in the budget, look into hiring some sort of separate entertainment for the kids like a babysitter, a clown, a fairy princess, or some sort of person who can make sure the kids don’t get bored, restless, or out of hand on their own. Check with your venue to see if there’s a room this can be set aside, preferably close to the main event so parents are within a close enough distance should a problem arise. Ask the caterer for options kids will eat and get some juice boxes. Lot’s of juice boxes. Or sparkling pop for the older kids for the champagne toast.

You can make it work, and to your expectations. Just know that with kids in the (sticky) situation, your dance floor might attract some younger dancing kings and queens.