Sunday is the new Saturday
Welcome back to the Bodleian Wedding Blog. Today we’re shedding some light on Sunday weddings and why they’re going to be the next big thing in 2022.
Read on to find out more…
Why are we so excited about Sunday weddings?
Well, if we’re being completely honest here, we don’t really have much of a choice! The Pandemic has caused hundreds of thousands of couples to compromise and shift their dates on multiple occasions. For those of you in a similar situation, our hearts really do ache for you. Unsurprisingly, this has meant that our flurry of freshly engaged couples are now having to delay their weddings or their prime date by up to a year, due to the sheer volume of those who have had to shift their date from 2020 to 2021.
So finding a spare Saturday in 2021, or indeed 2022 is now like discovering gold. To that we say – have no fear, because Sundays are here! If you, like so many others, have been dreaming of the big party for a long time, then please know that we can create a wedding that feels just as special. (Although you might want to think about taking Monday morning off!)
Venue Timings
There is little difference between hosting your wedding on a Saturday or a Sunday at the Bodleian Library. Readers will have finished their studies by 5pm – but suppliers will still be able to set-up in the time frame that they would for a standard Saturday wedding.
Need a bit more info? Here’s an example of what your wedding timings could look like:
| Wedding Reception only 16:00 – Venue opens – suppliers start to arrive onsite 17:30 – Guests arrive onsite for drinks reception in the Old School’s Quad 18:45 – Guests invited to dine in the Divinity School 19:00 – 21:00 – Wedding breakfast 21:00 – 23:45 – Dancing in the Divinity School 00:00 – Guests depart 01:00 – Venue to close | Wedding Ceremony and Reception 16:00 – Venue opens – suppliers start to arrive onsite 16:30 – Guests arrive for the ceremony via the Wren door 17:00 – 17:30 – wedding ceremony 17:30 – Guests have drinks in the Old School Quad* 18:45 – Guests invited to dine in the Divinity School 19:00 – 21:00 – Wedding breakfast 21:00 – 23:45 – Dancing in the Divinity School 00:00 – Guests depart 01:00 – Venue to close | Wedding Ceremony only Any three hour hire time between 9:00 – 15:00 |
Music
If music is an important part of your wedding and maybe you’re planning on rocking out with an energetic 5-piece band, then having your wedding on a Sunday can have its benefits. How come? Well, at 5pm the library closes to the readers, meaning that after 5:15pm, you will not be contributing to any sounds disruption to the rooms above. A second perk is that our neighbours, the Sheldonian Theatre, are actually much less likely to host a concert on a Sunday. Usually, if there was a concert booked in, couples are unable to start playing their amplified music until after the concert has finished (which is 10pm at the earliest.) However, if there isn’t a concert booked, you can get the party started any time after your wedding breakfast has finished! (This would typically be around 8:30/9pm)
Extending your stay
So much time, effort, blood, sweat and tears goes into wedding planning. A lot of couples admit to not being able to relax until the day arrives. But why should it just be about that one day? Have you ever thought about extending your wedding celebrations with your loved ones by two or even three more days? Obviously, weddings aren’t cheap – and we recognise that too. But if this is a date you have had to postpone multiple times, or it’s even a date that you’ve had to compromise on, then surely you deserve to prolong the party?
For Sunday weddings, close family and friends may choose to arrive on the Saturday, which would be the prime opportunity to book in a relaxed and intimate dinner at a local restaurant with your loved ones the night before.
For more inspiration about celebrating your wedding in Oxford, you might want to read this…
There are also some wonderful places to stay in central Oxford. The list of hotels below are all within a 10 minute walk from the Bodleian Library:
–The Marriott Hotel
-The Old Bank Hotel
-The Mitre
Move over Monday!
Did we also mention that Mondays are the new Sundays (?!)
If, like so many others, you have had to postpone multiple times, then you definitely deserve to have the Monday off. Hopefully your guests won’t take too much persuading either!
Until next time…
We hope that this post has served two purposes: Firstly, it has made you feel much more reassured about booking your wedding on a Sunday and secondly, that you feel inspired to continue planning for the day that you have so desperately looked forward to. If you want to find out more about hosting your wedding at the Bodleian Library, don’t be a stranger and get do get in touch. We cannot wait to hear from you!
Website: visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/venue-hire/weddings
Contact us!
Photo credits (by order of appearance)
Andrea Verenini
V&H Photography
Weddings by Nicola and Glen
