Can you give me a sample wedding day timeline for a 5pm ceremony?

Here is a practical timeline for a 5pm ceremony, which suits a later start and a longer evening celebration.

• 5pm: Ceremony at your venue or place of worship.
• 5.30pm: Confetti, group photos and a relaxed drinks reception with canapés.
• 6pm: Drinks continue, and you and your partner can take a few quiet moments or join the photos.
• 7pm: Wedding breakfast (the main meal) is served. Keep it to two or three courses so you are not eating too late.
• 8.30pm: Speeches and toasts, usually after the meal. Keep them short and heartfelt.
• 9.30pm: Cake cutting, then evening guests may arrive if you have invited them separately.
• 10pm: First dance, then the dance floor opens for everyone.
• 10.30pm to 1am: Dancing, with a late-night snack around 11.30pm if you like, and the reception winds down at 1am.

This timeline gives you a full evening, but it does mean dinner is later than usual. If you have older guests or children, they may find a 7pm meal a little late, so consider serving a few lighter bites earlier or having a separate kids' table with food at 6pm. You could also move the speeches to before the meal if you prefer to eat with fewer interruptions. Check with your venue about the latest time for music and any noise restrictions, and plan for a buffer of 15 minutes between each part. If you want to finish earlier, shift everything back by an hour and end at midnight instead.