Creating a Unique Wedding: Choose a Different Time of Day

Couples these days are constantly struggling to find something new and different in terms of planning their wedding. While the new trend seems to be focusing on distant locations and exotic themes, sometimes the answer is as simple as a change in time.

We have become so busy that often our hectic schedules leave us no time to attend a wedding. Couples strive to keep the romance in their big day alive, and for some, the perfect solution is a sunrise wedding with a short and sweet breakfast reception. This allows guests to get up a little earlier than they are used to on their busy workday to dress and attend the wedding of their loved one and still be able to make it to work on time. Often, these types of weddings are seen in beautiful countrysides, in lovely gardens, or even on quiet beaches in order to preserve the romance of the day.

However, getting up before the sun is exhausting - not just for the guests, but for the bride and groom and any and all service individuals at the event. If you have your heart set on a dawn wedding, plan on making your ceremony a brief one, or perhaps do something rarely thought of with weddings - combine your reception and wedding ceremony into one. Odds are, your guests, after being forced to set their alarms much earlier than they are used to, will be tired and cranky, and giving them an opportunity to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee or maybe eat a muffin while they listen to you share your undying love for one another.

Not everyone can accomplish a dawn ceremony. It seems that more and more people are turning into night owls. If you can't stand the thought of getting up early to say your "I do"s, consider a moonlit ceremony. For some people, a ceremony that takes place outdoors under a moonlit sky brings to mind tales of secret romantic rendezvous in the dead of night.

For these ceremonies, anything that may require a signature should be done beforehand, as moonlight and candles are very poor substitues for electric light. However, you may consider old-fashioned looking lamps or hanging lanterns, which can provide you with better lighting. After all, the ceremony does have to be read, as do your vows if you've chosen to write your own. Also, consider having a dessert-only reception, given the time of your ceremony. If you choose to make your ceremony and reception adults only, cocktails would also be an appropriate option.

The great thing about the options available for weddings in this day in age is that you're not limited to anything but your budget and your imagination. Your wedding can take place anywhere, any day, and at any time! Just remember that the more inconvenient the time of your wedding is, the less likely people will show up. That's fine, if that's what you want, but isn't the whole point of a big wedding ceremony to share the special day with those that you love?