Post # 1
Member
9 posts
Newbee
Hello Bees! I’m working on our DIY invitations (130 days to go, yay!) and I am coming up dry on my internet search for how to word our ceremony time, 10:15am. Our actual ceremony starts at 10:30, but we wanted the invitation time to be 15 minutes before since we have several notoriously late friends/family members.
Most sites say half past ten (o’clock) for the 30 minute time slot, but nothing for the 15 or 45 minute timeslot. Currently have “at ten-fifteen in the morning”.
Have any of you run into this for wording? I’d appreciate any help!
Post # 2
Member
538 posts
Busy bee
- Wedding: September 2018 - City, State
Spelling it out like that is fine. It doesn’t need to be anything else.
Post # 3
Member
4594 posts
Honey bee
How about “quarter past ten”
As a side note, why do you want to ask people 15 minutes early? Surely this means some people will turn up even earlier? ETA sorry, just read about late family members
Post # 4
Member
4066 posts
Honey bee
I wouldn’t put the wrong time on your invitation. You’re just punishing the people who are courteous enough to arrive 15-30 early by making them wait even longer. Can you just not let it be known by word of mouth that no one will be allowed inside the ceremony space once the ceremony begins?
Post # 5
Member
72 posts
Worker bee
Agreed with both PPs, either is fine.
And it’s super normal to have the ceremony start a little after the invite time.
Post # 6
Member
2975 posts
Sugar bee
dallaslady93 : 10:15 would be quarter past ten….
ETA: I agree with PP that you shouldn’t put the wrong time on your invitation in anticipation of people being late. That’s not cool to the people who are early. Most people tend to show up 10-15 minutes before the ceremony so that means they’ll be waiting half an hour, assuming it starts right on time.
You can put something like “please arrive at ___, with ceremony to begin at ___.” But most people know that you don’t show up late to a wedding.. I would be shocked if even my most notoriously late friends showed up late to something like that. If they did, well fuck them they can miss the ceremony because that is just terrible adulting.
Post # 8
Member
1466 posts
Bumble bee
Put 10:30 then just start ceremony 5 minutes late
Post # 9
Member
8132 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
Just put the actual time on the invite. Do not put 1015 to accomodate potential late comers. The people who do show up “on time” will be there 15-30m prior. That means someone “on time” could be there as early as 945, waiting until 1030!!! Do not punish the on-timers for the issues of a few.
Post # 10
Member
13920 posts
Honey Beekeeper
Our place of worship strongly recommended an earlier invitation time, however they also provided light refreshments so our guests were always properly hosted. The correct wording, if you must use it, is a quarter after. No need to write afternoon or evening.
Post # 11
Member
1615 posts
Bumble bee
If they are diy, just give the late people ones that read quarter past and everybody else half past.
Post # 12
Member
13998 posts
Honey Beekeeper
The wrong time on invitations is a huge pet peeve of mine. As someone who is very punctual, having the wrong time infuriates me. I show up 20-30 minutes before the ceremony time, so if you put it 15 minutes early, there’s a good chance I showed up 45 minutes early to sit and stew.
Post # 13
Member
7869 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
I’d also arrive before 10 for a 10:15 ceremony and would be pretty pissy to be waiting so long. Don’t punish all of your guests because a few of your guests are frequently tardy. The 15 minutes probably won’t make a difference to your latecomers anyway. Next you’ll tell us you won’t have seating…
Post # 14
Member
74 posts
Worker bee
We decided against ‘tricking’ people to get there earlier – we were initially going to say 3pm for the 3:30pm ceremony, but in the end decided to just put 3:30 and if people were late, we’d stall for maybe 5-10 minutes for the important people, and then start.
Post # 15
Member
309 posts
Helper bee
Yes please don’t but the time early as I always get to weddings early and hate it when the wedding starts over 15 minutes late. I plan on being at the most 5 minutes late for my own as I value people’s time.
