Morning wedding

[Rube]

Well, I''m making the final arrangements for our wedding in a little over 6 weeks (August 7th!) and am looking for some advice.

First, my fiance and I are morning people, no problem there, but I can tell you now a good portion of our guests are not!

The chapel we are getting married in is open to us from 9-11am, so we have picked a 10am ceremony time. There is no changing that. My question is, what can we do to help our guests feel awake and excited?? Have any of your been to a wedding that early in the morning?

The chapel is also almost an hour away from town... I know, we are cruel... so we are thinking about throwing some coffee and danish in the back of our car for guests who make it there a few minutes early.

What have a I done to my closest family and friends??

 

[widget]

I don''t think you''ve done a thing to closest family and friends!

My son and daughter-in-law were married in the morning, and it was just delightful.

It was also in August, and among other things, they chose the time in an effort to beat the heat. Both the ceremony and the reception were held outdoors, and it couldn''t have been nicer.

At the reception (buffet) they served the usual lunchy stuff, but also sweet rolls, croisants, etc and had an omelet maker!

widget

PS: I think a lot of the guests really liked it. This wedding didn''t take up their whole Saturday...

 

[njc]

I hope that weekend has the BEST weather of the summer!

For those that dont know, Rube and I are weekend twins. Im getting married on Saturday and she has Sunday covered.

My MOH got married at 11am this past fall. Everyone seemed to be wide awake and had plenty of fun at the reception. Her ceremony was about 30 min from town and then the reception was another 30 beyond that.

Is everyone staying pretty much at the same place? If they are, maybe you could set up your own continental breakfast for your guests at the hotel? Specialty coffee and nice muffins, etc. Say if you are going to Hawaii for your honeymoon, have Kona coffee... something fun and personal like that. IMHO, i think having food/coffee AT the church is a little tacky.

We are getting married late afternoon, but some of my mothers friends are hosting a breakfast for our OOT guests... a kind of come and go type thing, nothing formal or sit down. Maybe someone could do something similar, or talk with a local bakery/coffee shop and see if you can get some special coupons or deal and just tell everyone about it?

 

[Rube]

widget, we''re also hoping to beat the heat! The ceremony is inside an air conditioned chapel, but the chapel is in the botanical gardens here. So, we are hoping the guests will be able to walk around between the ceremony and the lunch at 1pm (also an hour back into town...)

njc, I hope the weather is the greatest too!

It DOES look like all the out of town guests are staying at the same place, so we''ll make sure they eat (and drink coffee) before they come.

I''m getting very excited! Thanks for the advice.

 

[elepri]

Not being a morning person myself, I''d definitely appreciate coffee before the ceremony. Danishes sound good too. It should keep your guests awake and happy.

 

[eks6426]

I think your guests will be fine. It''s not like most people don''t have to be to work by 8am or so anyway. Just make sure YOU have enough time to get ready and take any pictures you want to do ahead of the ceremony. I had my first wedding at 11:30am and most of my relatives had a 2+ hour drive. It worked fine.

 

[onedrop]

I''ve been in a morning wedding and attended another. Not being a morning person I did not relish the thought of waking up at the crack of dawn. But in both cases things went fine. And to my surprise most guests were very punctual and *awake.* Your idea of coffee and danishes is a great one. It lets your guests know that you appreciate their sacrifice. I also remember that both of the brides told people early that the time of the wedding would be early. Apparently giving the guests that heads up made a real difference.

I think you will be fine!!

 

[hoorray]

I think your morning wedding will be fine. Years ago, my mother got remarried in an 8am ceremony -- now that was early! But we all happily made it, went to brunch afterwards, and saw them off on their noon-ish flight to Hawaii.

Not being a morning person myself, if I were a guest, I would get there a few minutes early, and really appreciate a cup of coffee while I milled. I wouldn''t care about the food, but coffe would be nice. 10:00 isn''t that early for most people. It just means they have to get up and get moving, like most other days. And, like someone said above, you probably still have some of your Saturday for other things

.

 

[gingerBcookie]

vietnamese weddings often happen anywhere from 7am on -- the time dependent ont he chinese zodiac signs of the couple for the "luckiest" time and day to get married! I am NOT a morning person, but there is such excitement surounding a wedding I never had dificulty being awake and excited!!! Esp if you keep the ceremony short and sweet!

 

[Rube]

You all brought up some good points. I feel so much better now.