The Romance of Destination Wedding Sunsets: Choosing the Best Time to Get Married

Planning a destination wedding always comes with a long to-do list. From putting together the dinner menu to deciding on the perfect wedding resort, there are a lot of things to prepare. 

One important decision to make is choosing the best time to get married. With your ceremony and reception to think about, it is important to know if wedding days or nights will be best for your personal celebration. There isn’t always a wrong answer, but there is always a right one for your dream wedding. 

This article will help determine when the best wedding times are, and the benefits to each time of day.

 

How Long Is A Wedding Ceremony? 

In order to come closer to learning the best time to get married, it is important to answer the question of how long a wedding ceremony is. Knowing how long a ceremony can typically run can help you determine what time it will be when the reception gets started. 

Plus, if you will be celebrating your wedding days with an outdoor wedding, the placement of the sun in the sky will be different from the start and end of your ceremony, which will change the lighting and look of your photos (which can also look very beautiful!) 

A typical wedding ceremony will typically be about thirty minutes long. If you are having a religious or cultural ceremony, there might be more elements that could lengthen the time frame, like scripture passages or other traditional readings. 

No matter what your wedding looks like, if you decide to have a traditional ceremony or something entirely personal to you, make sure you read through and time out your ceremony before you set any specific times. When it comes to the starting time of your ceremony vs reception, one similarity between the two is that you cannot choose a start time until you know how long the ceremony will be. 

Wedding Days Or Nights? 

The best time to get married is, in reality, always a matter of preference. Some people love a morning or daytime wedding when the sun is high in the sky. Others might prefer an evening wedding that starts as the sun sets. There are certainly benefits to every time of day, so let’s discuss some of the reasons you may choose to have a day or a night wedding. 

Morning Weddings

Morning weddings can be an incredible option for you and your soon-to-be spouse. Typically, they will come with discounted rates on catering and other wedding expenses. They also usually offer an intimate atmosphere, which allows you more quality time with your friends and family. 

Mornings can also make your receptions more unique. Instead of a traditional dinner menu, your reception could be a fun brunch event, complete with mimosas and sweet treats. You can also enjoy beautiful natural lighting throughout the entire ceremony and reception. 

Afternoon Weddings

Having an afternoon wedding allows you plenty of preparation in the morning for any last-minute details like hair, clothing, and other wedding-day needs. There is also more time to travel to the venue, so hopefully none of your guests or your wedding party will be late.

With the sun hanging high in the sky in the mid-afternoon, you can enjoy the beauty of natural lighting at this time of day, too. Especially if you are having an outdoor wedding, an afternoon time frame might be best to capture the natural beauty of your ceremony. 

Evening Weddings

Evening weddings offer a romantic atmosphere that can’t quite be captured in the same way as a morning or afternoon wedding. Try adding some romantic string lights to your night-time ceremony for a unique way to illuminate the aisles, or light the way with candles. 

If you are getting married right as the sun goes down, you can capture the beauty and romance of a wedding sunset. Out on the beach, you could say your vows as the sun sinks below the ocean in a beautiful and unforgettable moment. 

The Ceremony vs Reception

Instead of just considering the best time to get married, you also have to think about the wedding reception. The reception will be a lot longer than your ceremony, and will likely have a very different atmosphere than the ceremony. This is the celebration, after all! The time of day you choose for your ceremony also impacts your reception. 

Wedding days, where you have your ceremony and your reception while the sun is up, can offer you the wonderful benefits of natural light and a fun, summery outdoor atmosphere. If you want, you even have a natural ending time for your reception: when the sun goes down, you can start saying goodbye to your guests. 

On the other hand, with an evening ceremony and reception, you don’t necessarily have the same natural ending time. So instead of asking the question “how long is a wedding ceremony”, you will likely be trying to find out how long a reception tends to be. 

Plan The Perfect Wedding With Destify

Deciding on the best time to get married is entirely up to you. No matter what you choose, what is most important is that it feels right for you and your partner’s wedding. Whether you opt for a sunny and cheerful outdoor ceremony or a romantic and elegant nighttime reception, there is no wrong time to get married. 

When it comes to putting together all of the fine details of your wedding day, like the time of your ceremony, the catering menu, and the ceremony vs reception location, it is important to make sure that you have the right team on your side. 

At Destify, we make meaningful memories and strive to help you have the most perfect destination wedding experience possible. Our team of expert wedding planners can help you with every step of your path to “I Do”, down to your walk toward the altar. 

Work with us at Destify today to plan and time your dream wedding.