Going Against Tradition: An Alternative Wedding Timeline
Something I’ve been chatting a lot with my couples about lately is their difficulty to imagine having a wedding without a dance. While we don’t know what the summer will bring, dances are currently not allowed on PEI with the exception of a couple’s first dance and parent dances. The natural progression of a wedding day runs from ceremony, often to a cocktail hour or pre-reception, to meal, to dance. A lot of my couples are left wondering how they’ll feel at the end of the night without a dance, if things continue as they are. How will we end the night? Will people still drink and have a good time without dancing? How will we keep people entertained to keep them around? I discussed a few alternatives in my previous blog post discussing the pros of having a COVID friendly reception, but I also wanted to discuss an option that might make couples feel less pressured to have a traditional “party” that you might see most wedding receptions evolve into.
BRUNCH or LUNCH WEDDINGS!
I see you rolling your eyes at me. I do. But hear me out. If you’re not celebrating with your guests in the evening, there is much less pressure to have a “party.” We had a couple that got married last year that had their ceremony at noon, then we all went out for an amazing lunch together at a nearby restaurant. It was all kinds of magical. From there, the bride and groom had an amazing photo adventure throughout the afternoon, and the day did culminate with everyone gathering back together again for food and a party (this was before the province said dances weren’t allowed). But hear me out - do you really want to stick with the traditional timeline of a wedding or do you just feel like you have to because that’s how things are?
One of the things I love to see most is couples who take charge and change things up. There is nothing wrong with wanting to go the traditional route. Not. A. Thing. But, if it doesn’t feel right for you, change it up! I’ve talked on Instagram before about my couple who dreamed of a sunset ceremony, so in order to make it work, we did photos first, then dinner, then ceremony and went into the dance from there. And it was amazing and beautiful and unique and I honestly can’t thing of anything negative that came from changing things up.
So picture this. It’s 11:15AM and you’re being pronounced married, you look out and see your guests are cheersing to your nuptials over a mimosa. Your closest friends and family are beaming at you, and you’re so happy you actually feel like you’re floating on a cloud. (I’m not even joking. Wedding day feels are like an out-of-body experience and you quite literally feel like you’re floating!) You recess down the aisle and your guests follow you to your reception area which is decked out with the most delicious brunch foods - French toast, eggs Benedict, waffles, bacon, all sorts of fresh fruit - whatever your favourites are. Bottomless mimosas or a bar of fresh fruit juices. Or both. Whatever you want because it’s your wedding. A brunch reception typically see much less alcohol consumption than an evening reception, so that alone can equate to a huge budget savings! You wrap up brunch with laughter, reminiscing and a few speeches, your guests cheer you out with a grand exit complete with environmentally friendly dried floral confetti, and you take off with your photographer for your photos. Your day is wrapped up by late afternoon, and you’re in your hotel room or cozy Airbnb in your comfiest clothes by 5PM, with a whole evening of enjoying your new spouse ahead of you, riding that high together.
Anyway, all of that is to say… don’t feel like you need to follow tradition unless it’s because it feels right for you. Most couples I talk to have never even considered straying from the norm simply because it’s just so ingrained in them to follow tradition. So think about it. ;)
xo Kristina