Wedding Day Timeline 2pm Ceremony [Typical Order Of Events] (2024)

When it comes to the planning and organization of your wedding, one of the things you will need to consider is the time of your ceremony. It can have a big impact on the rest of your day. But what about a 2 pm ceremony? What would this look like in terms of timelines, and when can you expect each event to take place?

I spent some time researching what a wedding day would look like, based around a 2 pm ceremony.

Below, you will be able to see an example timeline of even based on this schedule.

Wedding Day Timeline 2pm Ceremony

There are many options for planning a wedding. You can hire the likes of a dedicated planner to organize the day on your behalf and as per your preferences, or you can work closely with a coordinator if your venue is providing one.

Either way, it’s always good to be aware of what a typical day looks like, and some of the factors and elements of the day that you will need to take into consideration.

Besides, you may even be taking on this task yourself, and there are a lot of moving pieces and people that need to be synchronized and arranged.

Plus, it is always nice to learn about what your day is expected to look like, and how everything seamlessly fits together.

Seeing it visually helped me a lot, so hopefully the following tables will be of great use:

Pre-Ceremony Schedule

A lot has to happen prior to your ceremony, which is partly why you would want to schedule it at 2 pm to begin with.

This is when you will be getting ready for your special day, plus having a range of photos taken to be able to fondly remember it for years later.

Plus, depending on where you are getting married, your venue, and where you live, transportation may be involved.

This is true for either/or both the bride and the groom.

A schedule here and sticking to the timings can be quite crucial, so backup plans may be required.

Even small deviance to the schedule can cause issues, and will likely be very stressful.

It comes strongly advised that some light food is served at the respective locations of the bride and groom during the morning.

Having a 2 pm ceremony will mean that the wedding breakfast (dinner) is unlikely to be served before 5 pm. There will not be an opportunity to eat much beforehand.

Another pre-ceremony consideration is that the bride should have her make-up and hair done last. This will ensure it is as freshly applied as possible ahead of the ceremony.

Also, consider that depending on the locations and transportation times, the schedule set above may need to change accordingly.

Wedding Ceremony Schedule

Wedding Reception Schedule

The above is merely an example timeline and may be somewhat different to the day that you set.

Equally, you do not want to follow it down to the last minute and weddings do not typically work out like that anyway.

Instead, use this as a guide for reference only.

Who Manages The Wedding Timeline?

The example wedding timeline set out above will need to be somewhat directed.

Typically, a person or small group of family members will be in charge of coordinating the course of events and ensuring that everyone is in the right place at the right time.

This is why wedding coordinators can be so valuable; as they take the need for a family member to have to worry and think about the schedule.

However, if a wedding coordinator is not provided by the venue, or they are too expensive for your budget, dividing up and sharing the responsibilities among your family members and bridal party is a great solution.

For example, your maid/matron of honor can help coordinate the arrival of the hairdresser, make-up artist, and the wedding photographer pre-ceremony.

From there, you can always get your ushers to work with many suppliers, and your best man to announce to guests the wedding breakfast is due to commence.

So long as it is organized, and people are aware of their responsibilities and duties, and when they need to happen by – it should all work out fine.

What Time Should Your Guests Arrive For A 2pm Ceremony?

It comes strongly advised that you get your guests to arrive 30 minutes before your wedding ceremony begins. So, 1:30 p.m. is ideal.

This will give them plenty of time to find their seats, or be taken to them, and settle down without having to wait too long or have to sit around.

Equally, if the weather is cold or wet, it also prevents guests from being exposed to the elements for too long!

What Times Is A 2pm Wedding Likely To End?

Weddings typically end at around midnight (12 p.m.) regardless of the time of the wedding ceremony.

So, if you are having an earlier wedding ceremony, then you can expect your wedding reception to go on for longer.

In terms of the time of such events, the wedding ceremony typically will last for 1 hour, whereas the wedding reception will last around 6-8 hours.

However, it is important to consider that wedding schedules and timelines can differ depending on the venue and the preferences of the wedding couple.

In fact, some wedding celebrations go on for longer with post-venue parties. This is usually, however, organized by the guests and who attends is likely to vary.

How Long Before The 2pm Ceremony Should The Bride Be Ready?

It comes generally advised that the bride is ready at least 45 minutes before they need to depart for the ceremony. This will give some additional time for photos.

However, much of this will depend on where the ceremony is being held, who is helping the bride get ready, and how many bridesmaids there are too.

Transportation is a big consideration and this will vary from bride to bride.

In fact, some brides get ready on-site, and for this reason, can afford to be ready moments before the ceremony is to commence.

Nevertheless, what is important is that the bride has plenty of time to get done up and feel her best, have the photos she wants to be taken, and does not feel too overly pressured throughout the morning.

On average, brides take between 1-3 hours to get ready and this includes all the various elements; hair make-up, and putting on the dress.

Finally

By now you should have a rough idea of what a wedding day looks like around a ceremony scheduled for 2 pm.

If you wanted to know what a 3 pm ceremony would look like, then we have also written a guide here.

Of course, this is just a guide and an example of how it may look. A lot can be changed and it shouldn’t be followed completely!

But that being said, this kind of schedule can help you when it comes to planning, setting of your expectation, and ensuring that everyone is aware of what needs to happen on your special day.

Ultimately whether you decide to plan, organize and coordinate yourselves, or hire the expertise of a wedding planner and/or coordinator, is a personal decision that you will have to make, in accordance with your budget!

Related Guides:

• Wedding Day Timeline 3pm Ceremony [Typical Order Of Events]
• Wedding Day Timeline 5pm Ceremony [Typical Order Of Events]
• Wedding Reception vs Ceremony [What Is The Difference?]
• How Long Is A Typical Wedding Ceremony? [What Can You Expect?]