Wedding Day Timeline: what you need to know
An Italian wedding day flows quite differently to weddings in other countries and this often catches couples off guard. You can expect to start you wedding day a little later than ‘normal’ and here’s why…
Italian wedding day timings depend on these key factors:
The weather
Sunset time (based on month)
Whether the ceremony is at the same location as the reception
Catering / supplier length of service booked
Your venue party rules / curfew
The timing of your wedding influences every single supplier, budget and guests too. It effects the flow and atmosphere of the day and needs careful thought.
Ask your venue before you book whether they have any restrictions on when suppliers can set up, when to set down and when the music has to go off or the party has to go inside. These can all add a) more to your budget if the set up time isn’t long enough for example and b) disappointment later if you realise you can’t party until sun rise…
If you’re getting married in slightly cooler months (earlier in the season), you’ll want to maximise on the warmer weather in the day, as the evenings can get chillier, so start your ceremony sooner. Dinner will start as the sun is starting to fade and you’ll be at the table from dusk to night. A total vibe - and means you’ll make the most of the lighting you’ve invested in too.
Many suppliers will be used to weddings being much later in the day. In Italy a wedding ceremony can be 18.00 very easily…so you may find some push back from suppliers if suggesting earlier timings, or an impact on your budget for having a longer day.
Design your own Wedding newspaper with Notes Studio and ensure guests know exactly what is happening when.
It’s important to set some rough timings after you’ve booked your venue but before you start to book suppliers. The timings of your day will affect some supplier quotes and therefore may affect your decisions. Some suppliers may have limited hours which may not suit the timings you want either.
For a very hot mid-July wedding, consider moving the ceremony back to 17.00 or even later. We know you want to enjoy the most of your day but guests sweltering in the heat is not pretty or enjoyable for them.
If booking a mid-summer wedding, make sure your curfew is late so your party can go on, making the day as long as you’d like.
Catering need to knows:
The base offer tends to be a 7 hour service, starting from the welcome drink / setting of the ceremony seating that they provide. In scenario 1, the catering service would end at 22.30. To party to 01.00 you need to add 2.5 hours of service on.
Be aware, catering companies have different prices for additional hours – most are very fairly priced but some aren’t. A very important consideration when choosing your caterer and another reason to ensure you’ve roughly plotted your timings before booking.
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