Although I am the first of my friends to marry, sometimes I feel like a twenty-four- year-old bride stuck in a forty-four-year-old woman’s gown. Let me explain. Friends and family have often referred to me as an “old soul.” In many ways, I agree. I will always choose a low-key evening compared to those my age who live to see the sunrise each weekend (these lifestyle preferences do not apply to my bachelorette, of course). I’m a fairly cheap date since I will happily nurse a glass of red wine over the course of an entire evening. Unfortunately for JB, my lack of wine does not make up for my love of non-alcoholic purchases such as handbags and shoes. That’s just me and luckily, I found my match. But how will my routine translate into our wedding schedule?

A few days ago I received a mock itinerary of the big day via e-mail. I learned that the guests will arrive at 6:30PM, and the ceremony will commence at 7PM. When I did the quick math, I imagined that after cocktail hour, our guests would eat a very late dinner with limited time on the dance floor.

After digesting the full schedule, I politely requested that the ceremony be moved to 6:30PM. Ironically, it was the elderly of the party planners who rejected my suggestion with little empathy. In their defense, they explained that our wedding will take place on the longest day of the year. It will hopefully be a beautiful summer night, and generally guests prefer an evening affair to kick off as close to sunset as possible.

And so, the ceremony remains as scheduled. There are plenty of other factors that justify a 7PM start. For one thing, the paparazzi will most likely arrive around 2 or 3PM to begin the storm of photography, capturing the bridesmaids mid-pamper, the big reveal and the organized, (majorly posed) family photos.

I am sure there are other brides, like me, who have questions and hesitations about the appropriate time to start their celebrations. I have learned that almost everything regarding a bride and groom’s wedding are entirely unique to that day or evening. After all, weddings are (hopefully) once in a lifetime events.

There is no right time to walk down the aisle…as long as you’re with the one you love.

Who knows, I may end up shocking my hubby and guests by finishing a full glass of wine and staying up the entire night. I won’t be twenty-four forever. Also, there will be plenty of time to rest on a beach somewhere remote after the big day. With what feels like endless wedding planning, I have come to understand why newlyweds schedule honeymoons!