Length of a wedding ceremony?

Question

I'm not a big wedding person so I get bored fast, so I don't want to go by just me. Since marriage is a serious commitment and can be pretty costly, I don't want it to just be in an out but I don't want everyone getting bored wondering when its going to end. So as a guest how long would be too long for a wedding ceremony to last?

Maybe I should have said, what would be a good length

Answer 1

full ceremony should last about 1 1/2 hrs

Answer 2

Length Of Wedding Ceremony

Answer 3

I agree that ceremonies that go on for too long can be boring...you start to zone out! I was once at a wedding where the ceremony lasted only about 15 minutes, and that felt like it went by really quickly. (Like, "Its over already?!) So, I think somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes is a good length. Our wedding was within this range, and it worked out nicely. Although, if you are doing a church wedding with a full mass, that is another story!

Answer 4

It shouldn't matter how long the ceremony is...what's most important are the vows exchanged during it! If you and your fiance feel that you can make a firm commitment in 5 minutes, then 5 minutes it is! Or, perhaps you two would like to explain your views on love, commitment, and what the word "forever" means to your guests...this method might take some time, say 45minutes... Either way, your guests who attend, and your close friends and family, will be more interested in the promises being made than how long the ceremony is. (within reason! If after 2 hours nothing is happening..then thats overkill) But as long as you have a ceremony that is representative of both of you, and the promise you two are about to make, that's really all that matters.

Best of luck! And congrats~!

Answer 5

30 minutes - an hour if you are doing religious with all the ceremonies like the unity candle and such.

If you are just doing the civil and a reception afterwards but still want to do the extra ceremonies you would have to split that since judges don't waste time with it. However if you have a JP at the location you can have the extras.

If it's outdoors and people are standing keep it around 30 minutes.

Otherwise I'd keep it proportinal to the length of the drive for most of the guests. People might be upset if they drive a few hours only for a 15 minute ceremony you know what I mean?

Answer 6

It really depends on a lot of factors as to the length of the ceremony (civil or religious..written vows instead of traditional, various other ceremonies or none at all) My ceremony, for example, was a short, sweet, to-the-point affair that lasted all of 2 minutes. An example of a REEEEEEEEEEEALLY long ceremony was the wedding of Princess Diana to Prince Charles back in the 80's. I remember it being nearly 45 minutes (maybe more, maybe less..h*ell..I was 5 at the time, lol) I'd try to see if the officiant can keep it to 10 minutes, tops. I thank you for keeping your guests in mind on this one, lol....because I've sat through MANY a boring..long winded ceremony, and wanted to jab my eyes out. Just don't forget that its YOUR wedding day. Make a compromise.

Answer 7

I agree with you. I have been o Many a wedding when I am like WHEN the hell are we getting out of here? All that ceremony stuff is great for yuo, but your guests are not that emotionally involved with it. I say a church ceremony should not be any more than 30 minutes. We were married in Vegas. On the bottom of the video the time says 9minutes 22 seconds!!!! Can't beat that!!!

Answer 8

Of course this will depend upon what you are including in your wedding. Rose Ceremony, Sand Ceremony, music.....buy mostly, the ceremony from the time the bride and groom are at the altar.....not more than 20 mins.! There are many ways to include the guests in your wedding. You want your wedding to be remembered! Check out A Centered Wedding on my site, it will give you a bunch of ideas. Blessings, Chaplain Debby

Answer 9

Most weddings I have been to, the ceremony itself is probably only a half hour, so from getting into the church and getting out are usually done within an hour.
I've been to Catholic weddings which were an hour, and that amount of time was fine, too. Every ceremony is interesting!
Our own ceremony was Ukrainian Catholic, we didn't have a full liturgy, so it was about 45 minutes.

Answer 10

I think for a religious ceremony it should be about a half hour, if it's a civil ceremony - 15 minutes would be good. (Most civil are only like 10, depends on how involved you get). And then of course a Catholic wedding is closer to an hour, but most in attendance are used to the length because its the same as a typical mass.

good luck and congrats.

Answer 11

It truly relies upon on the denomination, and additionally the inclination of the minister to evangelise. I attended a marriage final summer season in a Presbyterian church that went on (and on!) for an hour and a a million/2, which comprise the climate of the rite itself and a marginally long sermon on marriage via the officiating minister. A Baptist wedding ceremony could be longish, for the comparable reason (i'm a former Baptist). on the different hand, i've got been at weddings in a Church of Christ and a Methodist church that have been extremely short, approximately 25-half-hour. The sermon area seems to be the determining factor. So if I have been you i might examine with the minister who's going to be presiding, and merely ask him how long the weddings he conducts frequently final.