Let’s Plan a Reverse Wedding!
The Reverse Wedding is catching on as one of the newest trends!
It’s perfect for Brides and Grooms who are ‘all about the party‘! You will kick off the event together- partying with all of your favorite people right up to the ceremony, and then party a little more!
Basically, your whole celebration is backwards, starting with cocktail hour and reception, then ceremony, and finally finishing off with a little more reception. Guests LOVE it!
At The Carriage House of Yorktown, we have been planning and performing Reverse Weddings since 2019. We have perfected the timeline and created even more ‘party’ time!
Here is a quick sample timeline:
11am Bridal party begins hair and makeup
12pm Photographer arrives
2pm Light luncheon for the bridal party
3pm Groomsmen arrive
4pm Everyone gets ready for the reception
5pm Bridal party, family and close friends gather for photography
6pm Guests arrive, cocktail hour begins with light hors d’oeuvres and drinks
7pm Reception begins (begin countdown to the ceremony)
Special dances and toasts
Serve heavy hors d’oeuvres and buffet items
8pm Bridal party dresses for ceremony, guests continue to party
8:30pm Ceremony
9pm Continue reception with more snacks and drinks
Cake cutting, serve selection of desserts
Open dancing
10:45 Last dance, wind up the celebration and guests depart
The Reverse wedding does stray from the norm, so you’ll need to make sure your guests know exactly what is going on from the get go. Communication is key:
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Spell it out on the Save the Date
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Incorporate it into your wedding website
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Give a full schedule on the invitations
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Prepare your bridal party
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Utilize your DJ to their fullest potential as Emcee of the celebration
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Create specially timed playlists and a Ceremony Countdown
Bonus Tip- The Reverse wedding easily lends itself to budget minded couples. You can save on the catering bill a bit by moving away from the traditional sit down meals. By staggering hors d’oeuvres, special treats, desserts and refreshments you can easily keep your guests satisfied without breaking the bank.
To sum it up- a Reverse wedding is a fantastic choice for those that love a great big party, love a twist and are a bit non traditional. Treat your family and friends to an exciting celebration full of surprises that will be talked about for a long time to come!