Watching a glorious sunset is a time-honored passion. Some people even take time out of their day to watch the sun setting, knowing how romantic and Instagram-able that moment can be. It’s a calming and beautiful sight to enjoy.
Dusk is a time of day that naturally lends itself to something else: a wedding. Holding your ceremony as the sun is setting, followed by a nighttime reception, is increasingly popular with couples. The romantic vibes from a ceremony at dusk are tough to beat.
A nighttime wedding comes with lots of romantic rewards — and some challenges as well. Here are some tips on ways to organize the perfect nighttime wedding.
Nighttime Wedding Ideas
How Can You Organize An Amazing Nighttime Wedding?
One of the most popular movie images that captures the essence of romance is a candlelit dinner, either at home or in a cozy restaurant. Now, think of how beautiful a wedding ceremony using candlelight on your reception tables can be. Not only does the softness of candlelight provide an intimate glow, but it’s also ideal for anyone looking to snap plenty of wedding photos. If your wedding venue is located in a beautiful area, you can also impress your guests by hanging lights on the trees outside or around the venue.
A wedding at dusk helps you create that magical ambiance, and you have other lighting options to enhance the mood. That includes the use of:
- String lights
- Lanterns
- Chandeliers
In fact, a nighttime wedding gives you a lot of creative concepts to play around with, and that includes ways you serve the meal. Holding a wedding at dusk followed by your reception lets you offer multiple dinner courses in the sit-down setting. Keep in mind that you’re also planning a party after dark, so guests are likely to be looking forward to music, drinking, and dancing.
Another thing to keep in mind is that holding a nighttime wedding means it’s going to be a much shorter event since you’re not taking advantage of the entire day. But that may be just what you want. Having a four-hour reception still allows everyone to enjoy dinner and dancing, and that could be easier on your budget as well. You can also consider hosting a late-night after-party if you want the fun to continue through dawn.
What to Consider When Planning a Night Wedding
If you’re planning a midday wedding, the bride and bridal party will almost certainly be up early to work on their hair and makeup, but you can sleep later if your wedding starts in the evening. If you’d prefer for adults to attend, an evening wedding means your friends and family with kids will probably hire a babysitter.
Here are some issues to consider as well:
Find Out When the Sun Sets
If you definitely want your ceremony to begin as the sun is setting, make sure you know in advance the exact time that will happen on your chosen date. Remember that you’re scheduling a wedding around sunset, which shifts by the minute each day. Make sure your photographer is informed of the time as well.
Check on Noise Ordinances
Some communities prohibit music after 9 or 10 p.m., so depending on where your venue is, it’s worth checking to see if you’ll need to have the band or DJ stop at a particular time. If that’s the case, that could mean you’ll need to start the music earlier. That also will be a consideration in deciding where you have the band perform inside the venue.
Think About Transportation
With an evening ceremony, guests are more likely to start drinking after dinner. Consider guests who drink by having backup transportation available such as an Uber service or a designated driver for guests going to the local hotel. You can also book a shuttle from your reception to the hotel.
Consider The Guests’ Attire
Do you want your evening wedding to be more formal than a daytime ceremony, or do you want your guests to feel comfortable in what they wear, especially as they head out onto the dance floor? If your aim is for a more laid-back atmosphere at the reception, remember to let the guests know in advance what the wedding guest code is.
Plan Your Beautiful New Jersey Nighttime Wedding Today
At Windows on the Water, we recognize that your nighttime wedding location is not only going to be very important to you but will be the focal point for the most important day of your life. Through the entire planning process, we’d love the opportunity to help you make your wedding day something you’ll remember forever. Our recognized professional services and years of crafting unique experiences help us to relieve a lot of the stress that comes with planning your nuptials. Our lake wedding venue demonstrates that it’s not only the most spectacular Central Jersey wedding location but the ideal one for an evening ceremony.
Do you have your perfect wedding in mind and want to start learning how to make it happen? Contact us today at (609) 208-9475 to learn about the amenities and services we have available.