Sunset Wedding Day Timeline

[CurlyKristen]

Good evening brides! I am planning my dream wedding for January 31, 2015 at Now Sapphire in Riviera Maya Mexico. I was wondering if anyone that has had a sunset beach wedding would mind posting their wedding day timeline? Like for example this is kinda of we are thinking for our wedding in January.

Ceremony starts at: 4pm

Family pictures: 4:30-5pm

Couple pictures: 5-6pm

Cocktail hour: 6-7pm

Reception: 7-9pm

Party continues at the bar: 9pm-close

 

This issue actually came up because my photographer asked about it. He wanted detailed times, like when the first dance will be and when the speeches will be given. I don't have those details yet and wondered how everyone planned their wedding day timeline?

Is my wedding day timeline is reasonable? Please help!

[jackshayne0123]

Hello, congratulations on planning your big day! Your timeline looks pretty similar to what ours was, just an hour later. Our day went like this:

 

Photographer arrived in my room to take pictures getting ready, putting corsage on parents, grandmother, etc 2pm He also snuck over to my groom's room to take some pictures of the guys getting ready

Ceremony 3:30pm (was supposed to start at 3 but the notary was late)

Cut cake, champagne toast 4pm

First dance and dance with my Dad 4:10pm

Family/group photos 4:30

Wedding party photos 5pm

Bride and Groom photos 5:30-6:15ish I think?

We went back to our room for approx 20min to freshen up, my husband changed his shirt, I brushed my teeth, reapplied deoderant, lipstick, etc.

Entrance into reception dinner 6:45

Speeches, dinner 7-9pm

Then we moved to the beach bar to dance the night away

 

The day flowed nicely and even with the notary being 30 minutes late, it was fine, we didn't feel rushed, and we had plenty of time for pictures.

 

Your timeline should flow well for you too! All the best!

Jackie

[CurlyKristen]

@@jackshayne0123 Thank you so much! Hearing how your day played out really helps I will have to share this with my fiance.

I do have one question- did you cut your cake and have champagne at 4pm for your photographer or is that traditional? I have only been to a handful of weddings myself so I don't really know what comes first, second, third....

[jackshayne0123]

@@jackshayne0123 Thank you so much! Hearing how your day played out really helps I will have to share this with my fiance.

I do have one question- did you cut your cake and have champagne at 4pm for your photographer or is that traditional? I have only been to a handful of weddings myself so I don't really know what comes first, second, third....

You are very welcome, glad it helps you! Traditionally, with at home weddings, cake, champagne and the dances don't happen until the reception/dinner, but this is just how the resort does it, I'm not sure why. I actually didn't mind doing it this way, it flowed well, and when the reception started we got to eat right away, which everyone was thankful for

[CurlyKristen]

@@jackshayne0123 I think it sounds like a great idea! because there are actually other sweet treats that is apart of our sit down dinner

[dreamweddings]

Good evening brides! I am planning my dream wedding for January 31, 2015 at Now Sapphire in Riviera Maya Mexico. I was wondering if anyone that has had a sunset beach wedding would mind posting their wedding day timeline? Like for example this is kinda of we are thinking for our wedding in January.

Ceremony starts at: 4pm

Family pictures: 4:30-5pm

Couple pictures: 5-6pm

Cocktail hour: 6-7pm

Reception: 7-9pm

Party continues at the bar: 9pm-close

 

This issue actually came up because my photographer asked about it. He wanted detailed times, like when the first dance will be and when the speeches will be given. I don't have those details yet and wondered how everyone planned their wedding day timeline?

Is my wedding day timeline is reasonable? Please help!

Hello curlykristen,

This our usual timeline: 

 

Ceremony starts at: 4pm

Family pictures: 4:30-5pm

Couple pictures/coctail hour: 5-6pm

Reception Dinner starts: 6-7pm

Dessert/ speeches: 7pm

first Dance: 7:15pm

father daughter/mother son dance

Dance floor opens. 7:30

bouquet toss/garter toss: 9pm

Cake cutting: 9:10 

eating cake and party continues. 

 

All these depends on the length of your reception plus the hours your photographer will be there to shoot..Make sure you include all the important moments while your photographer is still there.

 

 

 

[sammbugg]

Hello, congratulations on planning your big day! Your timeline looks pretty similar to what ours was, just an hour later. Our day went like this:

 

Photographer arrived in my room to take pictures getting ready, putting corsage on parents, grandmother, etc 2pm He also snuck over to my groom's room to take some pictures of the guys getting ready

Ceremony 3:30pm (was supposed to start at 3 but the notary was late)

Cut cake, champagne toast 4pm

First dance and dance with my Dad 4:10pm

Family/group photos 4:30

Wedding party photos 5pm

Bride and Groom photos 5:30-6:15ish I think?

We went back to our room for approx 20min to freshen up, my husband changed his shirt, I brushed my teeth, reapplied deoderant, lipstick, etc.

Entrance into reception dinner 6:45

Speeches, dinner 7-9pm

Then we moved to the beach bar to dance the night away

 

The day flowed nicely and even with the notary being 30 minutes late, it was fine, we didn't feel rushed, and we had plenty of time for pictures.

 

Your timeline should flow well for you too! All the best!

Jackie

This is exactly my timeline as well...I was wondering though did you set time for the speeches or did they just happen during dinner? Did you also have specific speeches in mind or let people say something if they felt like it?

[jackshayne0123]

This is exactly my timeline as well...I was wondering though did you set time for the speeches or did they just happen during dinner? Did you also have specific speeches in mind or let people say something if they felt like it?

We knew we would have the restaurant to ourselves for the first 45 min or so, so we planned to do speeches then. I asked my sister if she wanted to go first, and so she got the ball rolling. We only planned on a few speeches, my sister, the two best men spoke together, my parents and his parents. His sister also stood up and said something, and one of my best friends also prepared a poem for us, so those two were spontaneous, but it worked out and everything was awesome and beautiful

[AllieH]

Just an FYI - it'll be dark by about 5:30 in RM in January.

 

We had a 4pm wedding as well, and we lost light fairly quickly after the photos. You may want to consider 3:30, depending on how many family/group photos you'll be taking!

 

 

Good evening brides! I am planning my dream wedding for January 31, 2015 at Now Sapphire in Riviera Maya Mexico. I was wondering if anyone that has had a sunset beach wedding would mind posting their wedding day timeline? Like for example this is kinda of we are thinking for our wedding in January.

Ceremony starts at: 4pm

Family pictures: 4:30-5pm

Couple pictures: 5-6pm

Cocktail hour: 6-7pm

Reception: 7-9pm

Party continues at the bar: 9pm-close

 

This issue actually came up because my photographer asked about it. He wanted detailed times, like when the first dance will be and when the speeches will be given. I don't have those details yet and wondered how everyone planned their wedding day timeline?

Is my wedding day timeline is reasonable? Please help!

[pddcmc]

This photographer was very helpful to me: http://deansandersonweddings.com/wedding-photographer-advice-2/gp/choosing-the-best-timeline/