Circle of Seven Ranch
Rustic Wedding Venue with Outdoor Garden Ceremony
in East Bernard, Texas - Near Houston, TX
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Your Wedding Day Timeline at Circle of Seven Ranch
Every wedding is unique, but a thoughtfully planned timeline helps your day unfold naturally and allows you to make the most of our beautiful ranch setting.
We recommend scheduling your ceremony 1½ to 2 hours before sunset. This timing allows you to enjoy the ceremony, capture beautiful photographs in the golden evening light, and transition into your celebration as the sun sets.
To help you make the most of your day, we have developed a suggested timeline below for you to use.
A Sample Wedding Day Timeline
Sunset
--:-- PM
Wedding Party Arrival Time
9:00 AM
Guest Arrival
--:-- PM
Ceremony Start
--:-- PM
Cocktail Time/ Reception Start
--:-- PM
Reception End
--:-- PM
Clean-up Start
--:-- PM
Clean-up End*
*must end by midnight
--:-- PM
If you want to see how adding time to your reception would change your timeline, select extra time below (see pricing tab for cost per hour). We ask that your Clean-Up ends by midnight
If you want your event to end at midnight (regardless of the sunset time) and you want to keep it at our 4-1/2 hour base time, your timeline will look like this:
Guests Arrive: 6pm
Ceremony: 6:30 pm
Reception Start: 7 pm
Reception End/ Clean-up: 11pm
Clean-up End: midnight
A Sample Wedding Day Timeline
Sunset
--:-- PM
Wedding Party Arrival Time
9:00 AM
Guest Arrival
--:-- PM
Ceremony Start
--:-- PM
Cocktail Time/ Reception Start
--:-- PM
Reception End
--:-- PM
Clean-up Start
--:-- PM
Clean-up End*
*must end by midnight
--:-- PM
If you want to see how adding time to your reception would change your timeline, select extra time below (see pricing tab for cost per hour). We ask that your Clean-Up ends by midnight
If you want your event to end at midnight (regardless of the sunset time) and you want to keep it at our 4-1/2 hour base time, your timeline will look like this:
Guests Arrive: 6pm
Ceremony: 6:30 pm
Reception Start: 7 pm
Reception End/ Clean-up: 11pm
Clean-up End: midnight
Ways to Make Your Timeline Work for You
After almost 300 weddings here at Circle of Seven Ranch, we would like to offer some suggestions on how to make your wedding day run smoothly at our Ranch.
Before Your Wedding
Preferred Vendors- Our Preferred Vendors have been here before. Having a vendor that knows their way around the venue can help make your timeline work for you.
Decorations- Planning Ahead- We suggest for you to schedule a visit about a month before your wedding to do a mock table set-up. Once you have your table setting mock-up, take a picture and share it with those who are helping you decorate. For your wedding day, place your items in boxes like-"Table 1", "Table 2", etc. Empty boxes can be stored in our Borrow Closet until the end of your event. Designate who will be bringing and taking home your items. If you have a lot to bring, consider renting a small utility trailer.
The Day of Your Wedding
Start Your Day at 9am
You, your wedding party, hair & makeup, and your decorators can arrive. David & I will check-in with you to be sure everything is set for you to to start your big day!
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Guest Arrival
Invite your wedding guests to arrive 15-30 minutes before your ceremony.
Ceremony
Estimate 15-30 minutes for your ceremony time.
Cocktail Time/Reception Start
Begins immediately after your ceremony.
Below are some recommendations for a reception timeline.
1st Picture Session/Cocktail Time-
(30-45 minutes)
At the end of your ceremony, we suggest for you, your wedding party and immediate family members to exit to the right and walk toward our middle gazebo to begin picture taking. Ask your officiant to direct your guests to go to the left and either relax on the patio or head inside the reception hall to enjoy cocktails and/or light appetizers. Take your family photos and bridal party photos around our venue's garden at this time.
Grand Entrance/First Dances
(15 min)
If you are pressed for time, move dances until after your sunset photos.
Sunset Photos (15-20 min)
within Dinnertime (60 min)
Get dinner started & be sure to eat first! Then as your guests are getting their dinner and eating, sneak out for your couples photos at sunset. These should be the photos you take on the dock and around the pond field.
After Sunset Photos...
When you come back in, cut the cake, do speeches as the cake is being passed, take a large group photo and now that you have everyone on the dance floor- get your party started! Hopefully, with this timeline for a 4-hour reception, you can have anywhere from 1-2 hours for dancing & traditional reception activities & fun! If you decide you want more reception time, you can add up to 2-hours to your reception. See our Pricing tab for current rates.
Reception End
For your last dance and send-off, make sure you start heading your guests out for the grand exit about 20 minutes before the reception end.
Clean-Up Start
Time to move your items out of the venue. (This is when it's helpful to have those pre-numbered boxes, so people know where your things go.) David and I will also be there in case you have any questions.
Clean-Up End
Everyone (vendors included) should be out of the venue. Now we begin our deep cleaning to get our venue ready for our next event.
