The old “custom” of the bride being late was society’s nod and winked at her symbolically – exercising her independence for the very last time before she became her husband’s property with no rights whatsoever.
Those days are long gone, so a last-minute rebellion is unnecessary and discourteous to your guests and the various wedding professionals you have hired for the day.
Being late also has flow-on effects that will seriously compromise a number of aspects of your wedding and will cost you emotionally (the feelings of your guests and of the groom, extra stress for everyone) and financially (extra charges or services paid for not received or not received in full).
- The venue may be booked for a ceremony immediately after yours, so guests for the second ceremony will be arriving before your ceremony is over, and this can be very disruptive.
- If your ceremony is being held in a park or another outdoor venue, guests may become heat-stressed. Nothing breaks the mood of the ceremony and deflects attention from the bride and groom more effectively than having someone collapse, particularly if an ambulance is required.
- Because of requirements put on celebrants by the Attorney-General, celebrants’ terms and conditions routinely state that if you are not ready to start on time, the celebrant may leave to fulfil another engagement. Depending on how late you are, the celebrant may shorten your ceremony or just leave.
- Where you have booked a limo, a late start to the ceremony means you cannot accomplish everything you were planning to do, such as photographs at different locations after the ceremony. It may mean you have to catch a lift or a cab to your ceremony or reception if the limo has a subsequent booking, or you may have to extend the booking for an extra fee which will be payable then and there.
- The sun will be in a different position than expected, so the light may not be what was planned for by your photographer, and you may need to cut short your post-ceremony photography session.
- Musicians booked for the ceremony may charge extra or stay only for the agreed length of time because they have a subsequent booking.
- The flowers in your bouquet and floral decorations at the ceremony may start to look very sad.
- Your reception package will have been booked to end at a specific time. Start late, and you will get less than you paid for – drinks service will be for fewer hours, the band/DJ will play for a shorter time, and food service will be rushed.
About author Jennifer Cram
Jennifer Cram, a high-credentialed Brisbane marriage celebrant and author of the Romantic Wedding Rituals series of books, is known in the wedding industry for her creative approach to the development of unique, personal, and creative wedding and commitment ceremonies. Appreciated by couples for the meaningful simplicity of the ceremony and by photographers for their attention to the visual aspects, Jennifer devotes many hours to ensuring that each ceremony reflects the love and the values of the couple and the warmth of their relationship with family and friends. In 2009, 2010, and 2011, she was voted one of Queensland’s top celebrants at the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Awards with a rating of 99.53% and 99.62% by those in the know, the couples she has united.