Post # 1
Member
55 posts
Worker bee
We are having our ceremony on a little island, and there will be a boat that takes our guests to the island. On our wedding invitations, do you think we should list the ceremony start time, or the boat pick-up time? It is really important that guests are on the boat on time, or they won’t have a way over for the wedding.
We have a wedding website that goes into this in more detail, but what time should we list as on the wedding invitations?
Post # 2
Member
2270 posts
Buzzing bee
Swoo: For the invitation, you list the ceremony start time.
If you have an accommodations card, that is where you should direct your guests to your website where they can find more information on accomodations and boat transportation.
Post # 3
Member
195 posts
Blushing bee
I would list both times and specify. but i dont know what is better format wise so BUMP
Post # 4
Member
45636 posts
Honey Beekeeper
Swoo: On the invitation I would put the actual start time of the ceremony. I do agree with the pp however, that it is important that you include an insert that explains the boat situation.
Post # 5
Member
906 posts
Busy bee
- Wedding: November 2014 - 11/15/14-Vineyard
I would definitely put both on the invitation.
Post # 6
Member
2566 posts
Sugar bee
I would put both. Put the ceremony time, as well as the time the boat will be leaving. Since people will miss the ceremony if they miss the boat, I wouldn’t just rely on people going to the website to find the boat time.
Post # 7
Member
9482 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I also have questions about this. In live event/concert production you put the start time as X when in reality the start time is X:15. But obviously a wedding is not a concert…
Do you actually start at the listed start time and expect guests to have enough respect to show up a bit early?
Post # 8
Member
3082 posts
Sugar bee
I would think the boat time? Wouldn’t they miss the ceremony if they don’t make the boat.
Post # 9
Member
359 posts
Helper bee
Swoo: I’m your one vote for boat pick-up time! Instead of saying, ceremony starts at . . . , I would say, the boat will leave for the ceremony at . . . . The ceremony time doesn’t even matter, since your guests MUST board the boat to make it there.
If you don’t care for that suggestion, though, maybe you could do what we did. We had a morning ceremony, so we wrote, ceremony starts at . . . , <next line> coffee is served at . . . . People got the hint.
Post # 10
Member
2977 posts
Sugar bee
I would say the boat leave time as well. Invites in my mind cover the time I need to be at the event by. In this case, I need to be at the event by the time the boat leaves. I also wouldn’t rely on everyone keeping the insert from the invite. I know right before my wedding several people requested information because they had misplaced the actual invitation.
Post # 11
Member
1577 posts
Bumble bee
Ooo – That’s a tricky one. I believe your invitation should state the ceremony time.
I think this is the type of thing that deserves an insert. A seprate item that the guest will have to touch which will hopefully help them notice it. (There will still be far too many people that totally ignore it.) Don’t leave it just to the website to explain. You can also announce it at the rehearsal dinner and let the people at the hotel desk know in case people ask them.
Oh – you could design it like a ticket! That would be cute and maybe people will think they need to hold on to it! lol
Post # 12
Member
1577 posts
Bumble bee
Just know that whatever you do, half your wedding guests will manage to entirely miss critical pieces of information.
I had a woman, who had already RSVP’d yes to the wedding, call my mother about 2 weeks before the wedding to chit chat about what to wear and ‘so excited’ and such who had NO IDEA that my wedding was on a Friday. I spelled out the word FRIDAY in large font on both the Save the Date and the Invitation. OMG. Wedding guests be crazy.
Post # 13
Member
604 posts
Busy bee
- Wedding: June 2015 - Dreams Las Mareas - Costa Rica
aekc: +1
No separate insert that they may not read
Boat leaving to ceremony boards at 5:45 and sails at 6:00.. Ceremony @ 6:15 that way they know…
maybe u can have little mimosas/ lemonade or something on the boat for the people as they arrive
Post # 14
Member
1773 posts
Buzzing bee
You need to list both. If you only list the boat time on the invite, many ppl will think that’s the ceremony time and they’ll be anxious to get on the boat much earlier than necessary/planned. If you only list the ceremony time, some ppl won’t realize that there’s an earlier boat time. Listing both times on the invitation (not just website or inserts) seems like the only way to avoid any serious problems.
Post # 15
Member
623 posts
Busy bee
Hmmm I agree with PP to write both boat time and ceremony start time just to be safe because not everyone will go to your website. Does the ceremony start soon after the boat arrives to the Island?
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