Ceremony Location Restrictions

• If you are planning a wedding in a Christian church, your ceremony time options may be restricted by the timing of the church's regular Sunday services. Check in advance to see how many services the church holds each Sunday and whether or not there is time to have your ceremony before, after or between services. Remember to allow for time to set up and clean up before and after your wedding ceremony, and the time the church requires to prepare for services. Large churches with multiple daily services may not be able to accommodate Sunday wedding ceremonies, while smaller churches with only a single morning or afternoon service are more likely to permit Sunday ceremonies when the chapel is not in use.
  
  

Officiant Availability

• Even if you are having your wedding ceremony at a secular venue, if your officiant is a Christian minister, his availability may be restricted by his duties at his church's service. Many ministers and pastors have other meetings and other duties beyond just the church service on Sundays. The timing of your Sunday ceremony will need to work around his schedule if you have your heart set on your childhood minister or current pastor performing the service. If he is unavailable on Sundays, consider asking a retired minister or secular officiant to perform the ceremony.
  
  

Religious Preferences of Families and Guests

• If you and your fiance are both either non-religious or celebrate the Sabbath on a day other than Sunday, you may not need to consider your families' and guests' religious practices in timing your Sunday ceremony. However, if you are an interfaith couple or have family and friends whose Christian religious beliefs are more devout, you will want to take their church attendance into account. While some people will not mind missing a day's church service for your wedding, others may be unable to attend due to their religious beliefs or church commitments. Ask important family members and friends about their Sunday practices if you do not already know about them and take them into consideration when scheduling your Sunday ceremony.
  
  

Sporting Events and Holidays

• Religion is not the only potential pitfall for a Sunday wedding ceremony. Be cautious when scheduling your wedding ceremony during a major sporting event, especially if your guests are avid football fans. Schedule around your hometown team's game to keep your guest's attention on the ceremony. Choose carefully when scheduling a Sunday wedding ceremony on a three-day weekend. Many guests may still be out of town, and may resent having to travel back early to make it to your Sunday wedding ceremony. Other guests may not want to give up their three-day weekend to travel to your Sunday wedding. However, if most of your guest list will already be traveling to town for that weekend, scheduling your ceremony on Sunday afternoon allows them freedom to schedule their travel the Saturday before and Monday after.
  
  

Special Morning and Evening Considerations

• If you've always dreamed of serving eggs Benedict or lox, eggs and onions at a wedding reception brunch, an early Sunday wedding ceremony may be your ideal time. However, do not schedule it too early in the morning to allow guests time to sleep in and get ready at leisure. A 10 or even 11 a.m. ceremony still allows for a reception during brunch hours. Exercise caution in choosing a late Sunday afternoon or evening ceremony. Your guests may not be able to stay late at a Sunday night reception due to work and other Monday morning commitments, so be sure to allow time for the ceremony and a reception that ends at a reasonable hour.