In the first post about the destination wedding in Italy timeline I told you about all the things that need to be done before the wedding ceremony. In this post, I would like to tell you more about the wedding day itself. It is impossible to give a detailed timeline of the wedding day for several reasons. First of all, it is different for couples who choose a religious, symbolic or civil ceremony, as well as for those who have accommodation at the same location where the wedding reception will be held and those who need transportation to get there. It also depends if you want to make a wedding lunch or dinner.
Another important thing to consider is the time of the year. The months from May to October are considered the best for weddings in Italy, but try to avoid August if you can, it is usually very hot and it is a holiday season in Italy, especially the central two weeks.
Consider the timeline of the wedding day ceremony in order to avoid the hours when it is usually very hot. If you choose to make your wedding ceremony at noon, not only you and your guests will probably be melting as well as your makeup, but the sun will be right over you and your wedding photos will be with lots of shadows, with a light that makes them flat and look like “burned” and takes all the romantic atmosphere out.
So, what should the ideal wedding timeline be?
Wedding ceremony
The ideal time for the wedding ceremony is 30 minutes for a symbolic or civil ceremony and 45 minutes – 1 hour for religious ceremonies. For civil or symbolic ceremonies this is usually a natural course of events.
Of course, if you get married in a church in Italy it depends on the priest, some of them like long ceremonies with lots of reading. But in order to keep your guests focused, try to keep it short and meaningful.
Wedding aperitivo
Before dinner, I always recommend having an appetizer moment. It should take about 1 hour and 30 minutes. After the ceremony, the couple needs some time for the photo session or just chill so they can enjoy their wedding day too.
An aperitivo is also a good way to avoid the awkward moments between different locations when the guests don’t know what to do. I always recommend keeping them busy but relaxed on the wedding day. In this way, they get to know each other better and interact with people who won’t be sitting at the table with them while trying the best Italian cocktails.
In Italy aperitivo is usually taken outside during spring and summer. This becomes a great occasion of showing your guests the amazing Tuscan landscapes, from the rolling hills to the venue’s historical gardens. I generally recommend changing locations, so your guests don’t get bored and they get to know more of Italy.
Wedding reception
The wedding lunch or dinner should take 2.5-3 hours, considering speeches, wishes, etc. Some couples prefer to have the dancefloor in the same place as the dinner. I recommend having them in separate places if the venue allows it because the guests usually want to speak to each other during the dinner and the loud music is not a good idea in this frame of time.
After dinner, you can arrange a dancefloor near the place where you cut the cake or create a dessert buffet.
Wedding dance floor
Another thing you always have to consider is the time limit for the music. If your location is in the countryside with no neighbors nearby this won’t be an issue, but if you get married in a city, for example, Florence, consider that the Italian law prohibits loud noise outside after 11PM.
After this time or around midnight many locations might require to move the dance floor indoors or to stop it altogether. Consider this too for your wedding timeline.
How would you like your wedding timeline to be? Contact me and I will make sure your wedding day goes smoothly.