Although we look back on our wedding as the happiest day of our life, there is no denying that it can also be one of the most stressful. So, why not get the ceremony out of the way early in the day so you have more time to party with your nearest and dearest? Here are the pros and cons of a daytime wedding…
See more from Claire and Aaron’s beautiful Byron Bay ceremony here
Frugal Food…
Let’s start with the pros of a daytime ceremony. Once the wedding costs start building up, they don’t stop so it can be really important to try and save money wherever you can. Food and drink packages are generally cheaper for daytime catering as there’s less demand during that time period when compared to the highly sought after Saturday evening time slot. People also tend to eat less at a brunch or lunch than they do at a formal dinner which means you’ll be able to save a few pennies with this option.
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Picture Perfect…
The soft glow from the midday sun will make all of your wedding photos look absolutely glorious! Having your wedding later in the day can make it difficult to catch the best lighting and it’ll be dark by the time your photographer is snapping away at your reception. Camera flashes can be really unflattering so the presence of natural light makes for much better photos. Also, you’ll be saving money on decorative and functional lighting for the reception space which will make your wedding even more affordable.
Find out the best and worst times to take wedding photos here
Free Time…
Having a daytime wedding totally frees up the rest of your special day! If your ceremony and reception wraps up by mid afternoon, you have complete freedom to spend the rest of your big day however you please. This may involve having an intimate dinner with family or guests who have travelled a long way to be at your wedding, or you could choose to spend some much needed quality time with your partner. Think room service, movies and an evening of total relaxation after your crazy day.
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Early Riser…
Now, it’s time to address some of the cons of a daytime wedding. Preparations for the big day are often super extensive and you need to set aside a relatively big block of time for hair and makeup appointments and any other pre-wedding requirements. These commitments will start pretty early and you may have to forego some much needed beauty sleep on the night before your wedding to ensure you are awake with enough time to get everything done.
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Lonely Dancer…
If you want your reception to be a high spirited dance party that your guests will never forget, a daytime wedding may not be the best idea. A lot of guests only feel comfortable getting up on the dance floor when they’ve had a couple of drinks but at a daytime wedding, they probably won’t be consuming as much alcohol as they would at an evening reception. That means there will be less people hitting the dance floor than at a night event. However, this doesn’t mean you need to hold off on booking a DJ or band! Just set low expectations for guest participation. Consider a solo acoustic artist instead who can set the ambiance and provide relaxing background music for your guests to enjoy throughout the afternoon.
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Constant Costs…
Although there is a high chance that a daytime wedding will be cheaper than one in the evening, that’s not always the case. Unfortunately, there are some expenses that likely won’t be reduced by moving your reception to an earlier time slot. For example, a band or DJ will have to book out the entire day for your wedding as they probably can’t fit another event in afterwards. This may also be the case with your venue, photographer, florist and wedding planner. So, don’t get your expectations of budget savings too high simply from deciding to have a daytime wedding.
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Still trying to organise all the details for your big day? Check out the 30 planning tips you need to plan your dream wedding here.
