Starting on Time

So is your photographer going to take any pictures (like with you & the BMs only) before the wedding starts? Does that count as "time used" or just ceremony time? Yes I've been to wedding that have started 15 min- 2 hours late. Never been to a site that assess fees for starting a few minutes late. Realistically if you have the church from 2pm-3pm, and you start late but still finish on time that's your business. I have heard of places that charge for staying past your alotted time, though. I have my site from 8am til 2am, so I'm loving that! Plenty of time to do whatever.

[quote="DaughterRhonda"]I actually called this weekend to have the time changed to a half hour later -- just in case :-)
[/quote]

That was a good idea. My wedding was scheduled to begin at 5PM nad I vowed that it would start no later than 5:15PM. No need to tell you that it didn't start until close to 6PM. So many things are going on that you have no control of. Remember though, even though you changed the time on with the church, don't change it on your invitation. Your guests will expect the service to start late.

Bossie, please tell me what was the cause for the time delay. I'm curious to know what sort of thing could happen. My invite says 5pm but I told the minister it will actually start around 5:15. I figured a grace period of 15 minutes will do.

You were more than a beautiful bride. Your jewelry was exquisite.

[quote="Marshine"]Bossie, please tell me what was the cause for the time delay. I'm curious to know what sort of thing could happen. My invite says 5pm but I told the minister it will actually start around 5:15. I figured a grace period of 15 minutes will do.

You were more than a beautiful bride. Your jewelry was exquisite.
[/quote]

Thank you sooo much Marshine. I must say, I felt like a princess...no a QUEEN...lol

Well, I was dressed and ready by 4pm. The limo's were there at 4:30, but my bridesmaids and I didn't leave the hotel until 5PM. There was nobody at the hotel to make sure that we were on schedule. If you are coordinating your own wedding, it's a good idea to have someone coordinate just for the day. I had a wedding day coordinator, however, she went straight to the church.

Once I arrived at the church, they wouldn't let me out of the car for a good 20 minutes. ( I was pissed). Some guests were still arriving that they didn't want to see me.

I told myself the whole time that my wedding would start on time and I would have total control. But once I got in the church, people were already lined up, the sanctuary was packed...I just had to follow what I was told to do. It's like I was lost. Everything moves so fast...you'll see!!!

Wow!!! I didn't think about the "visibility" factor. It's those real late comers that can slow things up.

Thanks for the heads up on the "hotel." I'll make sure someone other than me and FH tell the wedding party to assemble in the lobby at a certain time. As of today we received 277 yes responses. Yeah! We're so excited.

Marshy, 277 yes responses? WOW! How many guests are you having?

The last wedding I had it was to start at 3 however in my invites I put 2 (oh yes I did) I worked with my bridal party and we geared everything for 2. Needless to say we got there at 2:30 so we were late on our schedule but early for everyone else!

[quote="ieasha"]The last wedding I had it was to start at 3 however in my invites I put 2 (oh yes I did) I worked with my bridal party and we geared everything for 2. Needless to say we got there at 2:30 so we were late on our schedule but early for everyone else!
[/quote]

Hi Iesha. What part of Jersey are you from? Also, you said the last wedding you had. How many weddings have you had?

[quote="SeptBride"]The last wedding I had it was to start at 3 however in my invites I put 2 (oh yes I did) I worked with my bridal party and we geared everything for 2. Needless to say we got there at 2:30 so we were late on our schedule but early for everyone else!

Hi Iesha. What part of Jersey are you from? Also, you said the last wedding you had. How many weddings have you had?
[/quote]

I have only had one wedding. Been married twice, first one JOP and annulled, second one a big wedding. That is why I told myself I would never marry again but you never know what the future holds for you.

[quote="SeptBride"]

Hi Iesha. What part of Jersey are you from? Also, you said the last wedding you had. How many weddings have you had?
[/quote]

Oh, I live in Central Jersey. Right on the Jersey Shore.

Oh okay. But, what part of Central Jersey? I'm in Northern, NJ (Hillside). Are you anywhere near Pt. Pleasant?

hey ladies, this is my last post for the next week and a 1/2 and i am going to miss you all... Rhony, the most 'on time' wedding i've been to was 15 minutes late - haha.

[quote="SeptBride"]Oh okay. But, what part of Central Jersey? I'm in Northern, NJ (Hillside). Are you anywhere near Pt. Pleasant?
[/quote]

I live in Ocean, I am twenty five minutes from Pt. Pleasant.

We are getting our invitations together now. The ceremony is starting at 10am (early wedding) but my FH and I are thinking of putting 9:30 on the invitations so that everyone will be there at 10. Is this tolerable or does it break every etiquette rule in the book?

I think it's a smart idea. I think I'm putting an earlier time on my invitations as well.

That is the samething I am going to do. My wedding is starting promptly at 7:00pm, so I am going to put 6:30 on my wedding invitations.

Ladies, in my opinion whatever time your wedding starts is what time it should state on the invitation. It is time out for our people to be on CP time. My invitaton said 4:00 and we started at 4:00 and no one was allowed in the sanctuary luckily the late comers had to view the wedding through the windows in the lobby. You should not try to change the tim they have to accomodate those late ones, we need to learn how to be on time. It's not fair for folks that arrive early to have to sit for 30 minutes waiting on the late ones. I've learned that no matter how early you tell them they will still be late, so stick to your guns.

Well my wedding will be outside, so they can just walk right up. I think that if I put the wedding will start at 7 then my quest will think that they have ample time to make it and will come after 7 figuring the wedding will start late anyway. It sucks but that is just how some people are.

I have never been to a wedding that started on time.

[quote="housewife147"]Well my wedding will be outside, so they can just walk right up. I think that if I put the wedding will start at 7 then my quest will think that they have ample time to make it and will come after 7 figuring the wedding will start late anyway. It sucks but that is just how some people are.
[/quote]

And there will always be the "divas" who will come at 7:10,7:25, and will just arrive at the reception b/c they were that late. I am not worried about latecomers but I considered it when I chose my bridesmaids.

I hear that Rhony!

The only thing that I am worried about is the limo coming late and we run into the rush hour traffic.

Our wedding 97 minutes kate. My fav niece:2hrs 17mins and her sister's wedding was 3 hours laate!!!! how about people were still showing up at the church after her????

I agree with Pure Bliss. I will definitely be putting the exact time for the wedding to start on the invites. And I will begin promptly at 10:30 AM. My coordinator is such a stickler for timeliness and deadlines which is why I hired her. I will be closing the doors on people who show up at 10:31.

We will most definitely be on time!!! He or she who is not in line will get left behind( lol lol). This includes not only guests but fam members and the bridal perty as well. I am very serious about this and they know it.

I AM PUTTING A 1/2 HOUR WINDOW FOR MY GUESTS AS WELL. WEDDING SET TO START AT 5:00 BUT I WILL BE PUTTING 4:30 ON MY INVITES. For my prompt guests I will advise them 5:00 so they won't have to sit all that time but I don't have too many of those. Yes our people need to step up and start being on time but you cannot change grown people. It is very important to me that my grandma see me coming down the aisle and since she will be coming with my uncle and his wife, who are always late, I will give that 1/2 hour window. Most wedings don't start on time because sometimes there are things beyond your control. The 1st time I got married, I was at the church at 5 min to three. wedding was to start at 3. My coordinator had to come out to the limo and tell me to wait in the limo cuz people were still being seated and my ex had to go bck to get the marriage license.(he left it in our car and at the last min his bm drove him because he was too nervous to drive)So although he thought he was being well prepared by having everything ready and in the car, stuff happens. Shame on you Rosie 3hours!!!!

BUMP for thew newbies....this is a BIG issue...

My invitations will read 3:30pm, my wedding will begin at 3:30pm. Anyone arriving late will be seated in the balcony! I do not have time for people that don't have any regard for others. 15 minutes is the max late start I will accept!

At my MOH's wedding they almost started without her DH's MOTHER AND SISTER. She asked us to meet her at the hotel at 2, the wedding was at 5. Her SIL never showed at the hotel, where her dress and shoes were. 4:30 we head for the site, still no SIL. She's comes in at 4:50, has to get dressed in a bathroom stall. Her shoes were left at the hotel (good thing we had long dresses). Wedding started at 5:15!

[quote="SeptBride"]I think it's a smart idea. I think I'm putting an earlier time on my invitations as well.
[/quote]

I put 5 on my invitations, then decided I wanted to march on the upswing of the clock (5:30 for the ceremony to start). Then I wanted to start at 5 so we could catch sunlight and take pics, but ended up starting a little after 5:30. That day was craaaaaazy! lol

We had a start time of 10:30. All of my very wonderful family members showed up to be seated in front at 9:30 in a waiting area, and then they were seated at 10:00. Since all my hostesses didn't know my family members we decided to seat them early and it worked out perfectly. My coordinator brought 2 of her team-members and they talked via cell phones (one at the church, one at the reception site and my coordinator was able to handle all the behind the scenes stuff like getting everyone in place for pics and walk-in). We started the grandmothers walking in with candles at 10:30AM, and I walked in at 10:35-10:40...so it all worked out on time.

We all got dressed at the church which makes a BIG difference in getting started on time, cause then you don't have to worry about making a grand entrance via limo/carriage, etc (esp when you can't control the time of the transportation)....and everyone had their weekend schedules and phone numbers weeks in advance so everyone knew when and where to be in place.

Let's be truthful - CP time is CP time for a reason! I'm thinking of starting at 2pm, but FH and I are the worst for time keeping!! We'll probably get there after everyone else.

Why can we never get anywhere on time??

Hello Ladies,

I am pretty new, I visit the website often though. I am to be wed 08/31/08. I was wondering where you ladies were getting dressed at, home or the church?

ive never been to one that started on time

[quote="Augbride08"]Hello Ladies,

I am pretty new, I visit the website often though. I am to be wed 08/31/08. I was wondering where you ladies were getting dressed at, home or the church?
[/quote]

Hello and welcome to the site. I would like to get dressed at the church. That way you have a better chance of keeping it clean.

[quote="Augbride08"]Hello Ladies,

I am pretty new, I visit the website often though. I am to be wed 08/31/08. I was wondering where you ladies were getting dressed at, home or the church?
[/quote]

Welcome to the site Augbride08!!!
I am planning to get ready at the church-actually we are going to take pics first (me & girls) and FH and his group will come after that to take their pics-that way after the wedding we will only have "group" pics to take instead trying to do them all.

I got ready at church. I think this is a great idea to keep things going on time. Plus you have to be DETERMINED to be on time....I am not a good time keeper-but for my wedding, it was not an option....and I really stressed to everyone that we would start without them! And for some, I did see them waiting OUTSIDE as I LEFT the church!

Having a DETAILED schedule for that day from the time you are to be at the salon that day, the time you have to be OUT of the salon in order to get to the church on time, etc, etc etc will help you and everyone else be on time....

Taking it seriously in your heart instead of having an "the guests can eat cake" attitude will help get things going in a timely manner. Being 5-15 minutes late is not bad...but its not worth it to tell the guests to be on time, if you are going to drag your feet and make them wait for an hour or more- it is kind of rude.....and you simply should put yourself in their shoes...what if the AC stops working all of a sudden and someone like granny or grandad has to leave? No one wants to be a soaking mess waiting on you to arrive....by the time you do arrive instead of smiling faces greeting you, you may get glares....and its not that people don't appreciate YOU-because they came....its just YOU planned this wedding and set this time, so YOU are the reason, people have to wait....if its out of your control like a late limo, or traffic, have someone call ahead and make an announcement to your guests....HAve a cooler available for water if its hot, or have ushers/hostesses provide fans, or someone have extra some songs (for JUST IN CASE) ready for the musicians or singers to entertain the guests....or even have your praise dancers have another routine ready JUST IN CASE....

I think that we have CP time because deep down we don't have a sense of urgency on the matter....and people (and cultures) are like that...I try to get to work before 8AM daily (and sometimes I do make it at 7:30-7:45)....but in my heart I know if I come by 8:10 I am okay since I am salaried....so some days if I am running late, or I may just drag my feet and not even try....But for your wedding day! MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO BE ON TIME! IT REALLY DOES FEEL GOOD TO KNOW PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT ON YOU....especially those who took the effort to be on time FOR YOU!

Thank you so much for all of your input. I just can't seem to decide on where I want to get ready at. My wedding is on a Sunday so I don't imagine having any traffic issues (but you never know).

Are you ladies using an organist for the ceromony? I am not sure if I really need one other than having one play for my soloist. The rest of my music will be pre-recorded.

[quote="Augbride08"]
Are you ladies using an organist for the ceromony? I am not sure if I really need one other than having one play for my soloist. The rest of my music will be pre-recorded.
[/quote]

I am using both-but my soloist is also the keyboard player; he will sing 3 songs and then I have 3 songs pre-recorded; as you can see my wedding will be FULL of music! :)

Welcome Augbride08! I think I am getting ready at the church. The guys are getting ready at our house. We are having both an organist and pre-recorded songs. The organist will play while the guest are being seated, as well as for my soloist.

Side note - be sure you have ALL OF YOUR CEREMONY MUSIC ON CD just in case! My friend went to a wedding where the church organ went out all of a sudden. The bride was coming in to Canon in D so she had no music! Luckily her soloist scheduled to sing for the unity candle ceremony improvised and did an acupello song for her!

Thank you, that is a really good point. I will have a 2 CD's ready just in case.