Post # 1
Member
2217 posts
Buzzing bee
- Wedding: October 2019 - Chateau Lake Louise
We’re having a secular ceremony for which I am writing the script. Even sticking a reading in there it’s still clocking in at just under 10 mins of talking from start to finish.
I feel like everything is in there:
- Welcome
- statement of intent
- vows
- charge to persevere
- reading
- rings
- closing declaration
I don’t want to fill it out with extra stuff just for the sake of doing that, but 10 minutes seems so short…
Does anyone remember how long the ceremony took?
Post # 2
Member
9687 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
From walking down the aisle to walking back up it I would guess 15-20ish minutes. We didn’t really include anything you don’t have listed there. I think things take a little longer in real time than when you just read through it beforehand.
Post # 3
Member
935 posts
Busy bee
Mine was 5 minutes long. Some people kind of poked fun at us later for it and some people who were running late missed the whole thing, but we heard from so many people about how great it was. (We wanted to get to the party part of the evening!)
Don’t feel like your ceremony has to be a certain length. Do whatever feels best to you and your fiance.
Post # 4
Member
1716 posts
Bumble bee
Ours was very similar to yours and took 15-20 mins. It was perfect and short.
Post # 5
Member
4662 posts
Honey bee
45 minutes. Church wedding.
Post # 6
Member
2527 posts
Sugar bee
15-20….very simple non-religious ceremony.
Post # 7
Member
1211 posts
Bumble bee
Mine was about 45 minutes long- which was very impressive for a full Catholic mass!
It probably seems short now but if you have someone doing the reading they’ll take time getting up and back from their seat, etc. which will probably end up actually clocking in at 15 mins, which I think is a good amount of time. As long as you have everything in there that is important to you, it will be the perfect ceremony!
Post # 8
Member
2217 posts
Buzzing bee
- Wedding: October 2019 - Chateau Lake Louise
Okay, this makes me feel better.
I think things will probably take longer in the moment, too. Right now there isn’t room for laughing OR crying, and I suspect there will be both.
Plus, I think most people consider the start of the wedding when the music comes on and people start coming down the aisle. Adding that, it’ll probably end up at the 15-20 minute mark…
Post # 9
Member
2217 posts
Buzzing bee
- Wedding: October 2019 - Chateau Lake Louise
bayoubee : Good point; I didn’t allow time for the reader to get up to the front, and back to her seat so that will tack on a bit of time, too.
😀
Post # 10
Member
751 posts
Busy bee
Ours is max 20 mins including me getting in and getting us out out time
Post # 11
Member
140 posts
Blushing bee
Ours will be about 15 minutes. I’ve rehearsed it with our officiant. Short sweet and to the point! It’ll be outside in June. It gets so hot in texas, I don’t want to torture anyone.
Post # 12
Member
765 posts
Busy bee
teamroro : I’m having a church wedding and my pastor said he doesn’t expect it to take more than 20 minutes since we don’t have a bridal party.
Post # 13
Member
2757 posts
Sugar bee
Including processional, recessional, and signing the marriage certificate, our ceremony was probably 20 minutes. Remember that signing the marriage certificate takes like almost 5 mintues, I didn’t see it in your timeline? Our ceremony was also non-religious (humanist).
Post # 14
Hostess
1599 posts
Bumble bee
Ours was a full catholic mass (60 min and I stg I was kneeling for at least half of it with my bad knees lol)
wouldve been 45 but we had communion in our ceremony.
Post # 15
Member
467 posts
Helper bee
About 15 minutes. Secular wedding with my friend officiating. We did do a reading to add to it a bit. Instead of personal vows, we more had like letters/statements and then a more “repeat after me” vows so there would still be an “I do” moment, as well as the exchanging of rings.
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