A Guide To Our General Wedding Day Timings!
Some of the most common questions we get from couples are about the timings of their big day. This is completely understandable as most people have never planned a wedding before! However, we have plenty of experience here at The Old Library so read on for an minute-by-minute guide to your special day.
11am – Preparation is Key!
Our venue doors will be open hours before you or any of your guests arrive, with our staff and suppliers hard at work preparing for the day. You will be using this time to get glammed up and perhaps calm your nerves with a drink or two!
1pm – 1:45pm – Guest Arrival
Your guests will be welcome to mingle in The Old Library from an hour before your ceremony is due to start. Be sure to put together a playlist of songs that sets the vibe for your day and is at least an hour long, so that your friends and family members that arrive early don’t have to listen to the same songs on repeat!
2pm – The Ceremony
The most important part of the day will commence when the two of you meet at the top of the aisle in front of our iconic Victorian windows. Depending on the type of ceremony, they typically last between 20-30 minutes.
2:30pm – Confetti Shot
Once you have tied the knot you will be directed out to the front steps of The Old Library with your guests for a fun confetti shot to celebrate!
2:40pm – Drinks Reception & Photographs
The first part of your celebrations will take place in either The Nomad or Dome areas of our Zellig Building – just across the road from The Old Library. You and your guests may be greeted with a glass of fizz and perhaps a canape or two! You and your photographer can take advantage of this time to take some gorgeous shots around Digbeth.
4pm – Wedding Breakfast
Your drinks reception will last for around 90 minutes whilst our hard-working team transform your ceremony room into your reception room. Food service timings can vary depending on what you decide to go for and guest numbers, but typically a 3-course meal service will last around 90 minutes – 2 hours. Whereas a more casual street food service or buffet will last around 1 hour – 90 minutes.
6pm – Speeches
Either the funniest or most heart-warming part of the day, the speeches normally happen after your meal. Typically, we suggest that they take between 20-30 minutes – long enough to make an impact but short enough that your guests won’t get bored!
6:30pm – DJ/Evening Entertainment Arrives
7pm – Evening Guests Arrive
Once your meal and speeches are over, you and your guests will be itching to get onto the dancefloor! After your speeches, our team will clear away any tables that need moving for that all important dancefloor space and your DJ or live band will arrive to set-up. We recommend asking your evening guests to arrive at least 30 minutes after your meal/speeches are due to end to allow for any over-running.
8pm – Cutting the Cake
8:10pm – First Dance
Allow enough time for your evening guests to arrive so that they can enjoy some of the big moments of the evening. Once the party starts, timings can get thrown out of the window so just go with the flow and enjoy the evening! Our team will be on hand to make sure these moments aren’t forgotten about, but we know that it’s key to be flexible – especially at this time in the day!
8:15pm – The Party Starts!
9pm – Evening Food Served
If you have ordered any evening food from us or an external supplier, we would recommend around 9pm (or at least 3-4 hours after your main food) as the best time for this to be served. Your guests will need some fuel so that they can dance the night away!
11:45pm – Last Orders at the Bar
12am – Say Goodbyes!
Unless you are party animals and have requested a late bar until 1am, when the clock strikes midnight the day is over! All the planning will have been worth it, and you will wonder why you were so stressed about it all! You and your new husband/wife will ride off into the night with nothing but happy memories of your special day.
This is a general guide for a wedding day at The Old Library – of course we are completely flexible to any differing timings that would make your day perfect for you. Get in touch with us now to book a venue viewing or to get some more information about having your wedding with us!
