Don’t Make These 9 Mistakes When Planning A Morning Wedding

A morning brunch wedding is considered laid back and cost-effective, but that doesn’t instantly make it a breeze to plan. You need to begin planning months before the day and hire vendors and tent rentals just like an evening wedding, and avoid potholes that can turn the wedding into a disaster. So, here are a few things you should not do when planning a morning wedding.

Brunch Wedding Planning Mistakes

Not Hiring A Specialized Morning Wedding Planner

You may think that all wedding planners are the same, but their expertise matters. Morning weddings require a completely different approach from the theme and décor to the food and event timeline. So, if you’re hiring a wedding planner, then you need someone who has planned a fair number of brunch weddings. They will be aware of common mistakes to avoid, some of which are mentioned here, and will keep everything on schedule.

This applies to other vendors as well, especially caterers, makeup artists, and photographers, so make sure they have worked on morning weddings before.

Starting Too Early

It’s a morning wedding, but it doesn’t mean to begin the ceremony at sunrise, even though that would make for excellent photos. That’s because you will have guests as well, and setting the time too early, say before 9:00 AM, may become a reason for some guests to either skip the wedding or attend half-heartedly. You certainly don’t want that.

Now, you can plan an early ceremony if you’re doing something very unique or want to say “I do” without having any guests or for breathtaking pictures, but if you have guests, it’s best to begin the ceremony at 10:00 or 11:00 AM.

In case you’re looking for those stunning sunrise wedding photos, you can plan a photography session at that hour before the ceremony.

Not Starting The Wedding Day Preparations Early On

You don’t want the guests to be too early, but for the couple and the wedding party, it’s critical to start early with the prep, or you will find yourself chasing the clock the entire morning.

But how early? You and the wedding party should wake up 5-6 hours before the ceremony begins. Your hair and makeup artist should arrive at least 5 hours before the ceremony. Here’s a general timeline for a morning wedding ceremony that begins at 11:00 AM.

  • 5:30 AM – The bride and groom and the wedding party start the morning.
  • 6:00 AM – Hair and makeup for the bride and bridesmaids.
  • 7:00 AM – Hair and makeup for the groom and groomsmen.
  • 7:00 AM to 7:30 AM – Photographer arrives to take photos of the bride, groom, and the wedding party getting ready for behind-the-scenes photos. If you don’t want these, have the photographer arrive an hour later.
  • 8:30 AM – Photos.
  • 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Final touches and double-checking everything before departure.
  • 9:30 AM – Heading to the venue.
  • 10:00 AM – Guest arrival begins.
  • 10:45 AM – Final touches
  • 11:00 AM – Ceremony begins

This is a general timeline and you can adjust it as you want, but the idea is to start early and allow buffer time between each step to avoid getting late.

Not Considering Other Activities Apart From Dancing

Morning parties are not associated with raging dance floors. It’s daytime and there is minimal to no alcohol consumption, so most guests would not feel the urge to dance. Therefore, you should consider other activities for guests to have fun.

Lawn games are a winner for brunch weddings as the guests mingle and also enjoy friendly competition. Consider games like cornhole, croquet, giant Jenga, giant checkers, bocce ball, or others. You can also have a game show where guests will participate in teams and answer questions about the couple, the location, the city, or general trivia.

And who doesn’t like to take photos? So, set up an interactive photo booth with many types of backdrops. Moreover, for those who like to relax, have a quiet lounge area. You can also couple soothing music with it.

Not Thinking Beyond DJs

Again, daytime weddings are more relaxed, so loud music is not as popular among couples and guests. Even though hiring a DJ is still important, this should not be the only source of wedding entertainment.

Apart from outdoor games and activities, there should also be entertainment where guests don’t have to do anything other than simply sit back and enjoy. So, think of things like live acoustic music, or invite performers like magicians, mentalists, caricature artists, standup comedians, etc.

Ignoring Shade In Outdoor Weddings

Although it depends on the weather and season, if you’re planning an outdoor wedding, a shaded area is still important to consider. Even if there is no forecast of rain or gusty winds, a shade will ensure a relaxed vibe, and the guests’ focus will remain on the event.

Moreover, direct sunlight can cause discomfort to some guests, and it also makes the light in photos appear too harsh. So, having a shaded area has too many benefits to ignore.

Not Guiding The Guests

Morning weddings are fun, but they are not as common, so you should guide your guests and mention important details in the invites or the wedding website. This will ensure the guests know exactly what to expect.

You can give details like a rough timeline of the wedding day, the dress code, parking instructions, activities, the menu, and anything else you may want to share with the guests.

Forgetting About Your Health

Morning weddings feel like you have to do a lot of stuff in a small timeframe. In that rush and adrenaline, you will keep going with the preparations and management without hydrating and eating enough. But soon you will find yourself feeling fatigued and sluggish in one of the most important moments of your life.

Therefore, focus on your health, and this begins with a good night’s sleep. As it will be an early morning, avoid spending the night before partying too hard. Get an ample amount of sleep, 6-8 hours, so you wake up refreshed. Then, take a bath and hydrate, and have a balanced breakfast.

Apart from that, keep hydrating throughout the day and have something with you to eat to stay energized.

Don’t Plan A Long Ceremony

As daytime weddings are laid back, they should not be too long, otherwise, they will feel like a day at the office for the guests. Plus, the guests may have to be somewhere as well. Therefore, keep things concise so they don’t have to leave during the ceremony. Generally, a brunch wedding is 4-5 hours long so stick to this length.

And an added benefit of a shorter ceremony is that it would be cheaper. So, if you want a budget-friendly morning wedding, shorter is better.

Conclusion

Daytime weddings can be unique and exciting, so if you’re planning a morning wedding, go through this guide to know which things you shouldn’t do and mistakes you should avoid for a smooth and memorable experience for yourself and the guests. Proper planning begins with an early start, so book the venue and wedding tent rentals Northern VA right after setting the date. Happy planning!