For most couples getting married, the main event kicks off sometime in the afternoon with the wedding ceremony and exchange of rings and vows, and leads to the evening reception. To break with this tradition, some couples are choosing to send out evening wedding invitations to the wedding of the year that begins when the sun goes down.
Evening weddings offer a unique way to celebrate a marriage with night owl VIP guests in attendance. If you like the idea of taking the plunge in a style that reflects your personalities individually, and as a couple, an evening wedding could be the perfect option for you.
The Romance & Glamour
Pro:
If your idea of a romantic fairytale wedding involves saying “I do” and exchanging rings, with the love of your life, under a canopy of sparkling stars, it’s certainly worth considering getting hitched in the evening.
When your guests receive their evening wedding invitations they are likely to expect to attend a wedding ceremony and reception that promises elegance, drama, and a touch of decadence. Events that take place in the evening are generally more magical, fancy, glamorous, and extravagant than afternoon affairs.
Con:
Evening weddings instantly conjure up images of romance and glamour, but may make some guests feel a little pressured or intimidated by having to live up to your expectations. They may worry about dressing up to the nines in order to be able to attend such a grand occasion. To put their minds at ease, it’s a good idea to mention the dress code on your VIP wedding invites.
The Guest List
Pro:
As the start time of an evening wedding is generally 7pm, you’ll need to carefully consider your guest list. Not everyone who you would like to be in attendance at your wedding will be able or willing to join your evening celebrations – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It simply means that you can make your evening wedding more exclusive and intimate, so that your guests really do feel like VIPs.
Con:
Although you may discover that many of your younger and/or single guests think that an evening wedding is an inspired idea, you may also find that some of your elderly relatives, or married friends with young children but no babysitter, don’t feel quite the same. If you have your heart set on getting wed after 7pm, you may need to rethink your guest list to avoid too many guests having to regretfully decline your evening wedding invitations.
The Expense
Con:
Couples wanting to get married after 7pm need to be prepared to receive a premium price quote for a wedding venue and vendor services. The bumped up cost typically reflects having to pay for a late night crew, and to cover other expenses that are incurred during an evening event.
Pro:
Events that start after 7pm may initially seem more expensive, but that doesn’t mean that you have to pay the premium price for the evening wedding that you want. You can use your negotiating skills to agree on a price that suits your budget, or come up with a few creative compromises when shopping around for wedding vendors. Swapping the wedding day from Friday or Saturday to midweek will instantly reduce the cost of hiring a venue!
As you don’t get what you want if you don’t ask for it, be prepared to ask vendors how you can save on your evening wedding expense.
The Reception
Pro:
For an evening wedding, there are a few adjustments that you need to make when planning the reception. During a daytime wedding, it’s considered to be good etiquette to feed your hungry guests a formal wedding breakfast sit down meal, or to offer a buffet. At an evening wedding, you simply need to provide drinks and a selection of canapés or snacks to satisfy your guests.
Con:
The post ceremony celebration is often considered to be the best part of the wedding day, as it’s the time when guests can relax and mingle while feasting on good food and drinking plenty of alcohol. If you’re not providing a sit down meal, let your guests know in advance so that they don’t show up at your evening wedding feeling ravenous.
The Wedding Photos
Con:
Every couple wants to have stunning photos of their wedding as a reminder of the magical and special occasion. To produce gorgeous, natural looking portraits of the happy couple, a photographer must have light! If you’re planning of tying the knot after dark, you may be compromising the quality of photos that you end up with in your wedding photo book.
Pro:
Just because you have low light at your evening wedding, it doesn’t have to mean that your wedding photos don’t live up to your hopes and wishes. To ensure that your wedding photography is striking and breathtaking, it’s worth doing some research when looking for a professional wedding photographer.
The perfect photographer for your evening wedding has a diverse portfolio, and knows how to properly use light during any type of shoot. When shooting at night, it’s best to play around with different angles and poses, to create attractive images, as the light source is highly contrasting. Evening photography can also make what doesn’t look great during the day look absolutely fabulous after dark. Ambient and surrounding light can also help to create beautiful images.
Guests that accepted your evening wedding invitations will look forward to seeing and enjoying wedding photos that are original and unique.
