Planning Your Wedding Day: A Guide To Creating An Itinerary

Planning a wedding day itinerary can be a daunting task, but it's an important part of making sure your big day goes smoothly. A detailed wedding day timeline will help to minimise stress and eliminate confusion by keeping everyone, from your bridal party to your vendors, on the same page. The key to creating a wedding day itinerary is to plan ahead and consider the logistics of each event, from getting ready in the morning to the grand exit. It's also important to remember to share your schedule with your suppliers and vendors, and to keep your guests entertained throughout the day.

Getting ready

The "getting ready" portion of the wedding day covers hair and makeup, getting dressed, and the photographer capturing the bridal details. This part of the day often runs behind schedule, so it's important to add some "padding time" to your itinerary.

11:15 a.m. - Flowers delivered

11:45 a.m. - Photographer arrives

12:15 p.m. - Hair and makeup complete

12:45 p.m. - Bridesmaids dressed

1:00 p.m. - Bride gets dressed

1:15 p.m. - Groom and groomsmen dressed

• If you're opting for a hairstyle that requires setting, such as curls, start the process before moving on to makeup. This way, you can have your makeup done while your hair is setting.
• Schedule the most responsible bridesmaids for hair and makeup appointments earlier in the day. This will help ensure that the schedule isn't held up by any bridesmaids who are running late.
• Consider any external factors that could impact the timing of appointments, such as a mother of the bride who wants her services done early so she can help out before the ceremony.
• If you have a large bridal party, be sure to allocate more time for the "getting ready" portion of the day, as most hair and makeup artists require 30 minutes for hair and 30 minutes for makeup per person.
• If you're travelling to the ceremony, be sure to allow ample time for any traffic delays.
• Don't forget to eat! Opt for an energizing breakfast and have some light snacks and water on hand to keep you and your bridal party hydrated and fuelled throughout the day.
• If you're doing a first look with your partner before the ceremony, allow for an extra 30 minutes in your timeline.

Pre-ceremony photos

Timing:

Allow for 1 to 1.5 hours for pre-ceremony photos, including solo portraits and group shots with your wedding party. If you're doing a "first look" with your partner before the ceremony, add an extra 30 minutes. Start getting ready early to give yourself plenty of time for photos and to avoid feeling rushed.

Logistics:

If you're getting ready in the same location as your partner, your photographer can alternate between you. Allow 2 hours for this. If your partner is getting ready elsewhere, give yourself 45 minutes to an hour with them before the photographer needs to arrive. Include travel time in your schedule, and remember that guests might still be arriving, so add a buffer of 5-10 minutes.

Photo Ops:

• Solo portraits and getting-ready shots: Budget 1 to 1.5 hours for the photographer to capture these moments before you leave for the ceremony.
• First look: If you're doing a first look with your partner, allow 30 minutes for this special moment.
• Wedding party photos: These can be done early during the prep time if everyone is getting ready in the same place. Otherwise, budget about 15-20 minutes for these shots.
• Couple's portraits: Allow 20-30 minutes for these, ideally 1-1.5 hours before sunset for the best lighting. If you have multiple locations or a large venue, you may want extra time.
• Group shots: Limit large group photos to ten or fewer people to save time. More casual group shots can be taken throughout the day.
• Ceremony venue photos: Include travel time in your schedule, and allow 45-60 minutes for photos at the ceremony venue, including confetti and congratulations.

Other Considerations:

• Sunset photos: Check the sunset time and plan for some golden hour photos if possible.
• Buffer time: Expect the unexpected and build in some buffer time to your schedule. Allow extra time for travel, packing up, and potential traffic delays.
• Photographer's needs: Remember that your photographer will need a few minutes between events to change equipment and set up lights.

Travelling to the ceremony

Logistics and Timing:

• Consider the distance and travel time from the getting-ready location to the ceremony venue. If they are in the same place, you won't need to factor in travel time. However, if you're travelling to the ceremony, allow ample time to prevent delays.
• Account for potential traffic delays or unexpected obstacles. It's better to arrive early and have some buffer time than to be rushed and stressed.
• Finalise the route and communicate it to the driver in advance. If possible, have a backup route in case of last-minute changes or unforeseen issues.
• If you have a large bridal party or guests travelling with you, ensure there is sufficient transportation for everyone.

Guest Experience:

• Keep your guests entertained during the journey, especially if it's a longer trip. Provide refreshments, music, or even games to make the trip enjoyable.
• If guests are travelling independently, provide them with clear directions, maps, or GPS coordinates to the ceremony venue. You can include this information in their welcome bags or send it via email or text beforehand.
• For destination weddings, consider arranging group transportation for guests to ensure everyone arrives together and on time. This can also be a fun way for guests to bond and create a community feel before the ceremony.

Bridal Party Coordination:

• If the bridal party is travelling together, ensure they are ready and assembled at the designated meeting point on time. This includes the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and anyone else travelling with you.
• Communicate the travel plans and timing to the bridal party in advance, so they are aware of their responsibilities and arrival expectations.
• If the groom and groomsmen are meeting the bride and bridesmaids at the ceremony venue, coordinate their arrival time accordingly.

Final Preparations:

• Use the travel time to make any last-minute adjustments, such as fixing your makeup, straightening your outfit, or checking that you have all the necessary items with you (e.g., rings, passports, etc.).
• If you have a wedding coordinator or planner, they can assist with final checks and ensure nothing is forgotten before you depart for the ceremony.
• Take a few moments to relax and enjoy the anticipation of the upcoming ceremony. This is a special time, so savour it and create some memorable moments with your bridal party during the journey.

The ceremony

Processional

The processional is the first part of the wedding ceremony. This is when members of the wedding party, such as the groom, best man, bridesmaids, and flower girl, walk down the aisle and take their places at the altar. The processional ends with the bride making her entrance, usually escorted by her father. However, the specific order of the processional can be customised to suit the couple. For example, the couple may choose to walk down the aisle together, or the bridesmaids and groomsmen may stand on opposite sides.

Opening Remarks

Once everyone is in place, the officiant will give a welcome speech. They may thank the guests for attending and share a few words about the couple and their love story.

Readings and Wedding Poems

The officiant may then introduce any readings or wedding poems that have been chosen by the couple. These can be religious texts, poems, or even passages from books or movies. Family members or friends may be invited to come up to the altar to recite the readings.

Unity Ceremony

If the couple has chosen to include a unity ceremony, such as a sand ceremony or handfasting, this would usually take place after the readings.

Vow Exchange and Declaration of Intent

This is the most important part of the ceremony, where the couple speaks about what they are promising to each other. The couple may write their own vows or stick to traditional phrasing. This is followed by the declaration of intent, also known as the "I do"s, where the couple verbally agrees to enter the marriage.

Ring Exchange

The couple will then exchange wedding rings, which is not a legal requirement but is often included in the ceremony. The officiant will give each partner their ring, and they may choose to say a few words about what the ring symbolises to them.

Pronouncement and First Kiss

The officiant will then pronounce the couple as newlyweds and give them permission to share their first kiss as a married couple.

Recessional

Finally, the couple will lead the recessional and walk back up the aisle, usually followed by the wedding party and guests.

Signing of the Register

After the ceremony, the couple will need to sign the marriage license, which is the final step in making their marriage legal. This is usually done while background music is playing, and the license must be signed by two witnesses in addition to the officiant.

Closing Remarks

The officiant will then speak some closing remarks, offering congratulations and well wishes to the couple.

Family portraits/cocktail hour

Family portraits and cocktail hour are a great time for guests to mix and mingle, eat, drink and be merry. It's also a chance for the couple to take a breather and freshen up after the ceremony.

Family Portraits

Family portraits are best kept to a maximum of one hour, and it's a good idea to prepare a list of the family photos you want to get. This will help the photographer to move quickly from one shot to the next, and ensure that all the necessary people are present and in the right place. It's also a good idea to stick to immediate family members for these photos to save time.

Cocktail Hour

Cocktail hour is a great time for guests to relax and enjoy themselves, and it's an opportunity for the couple to get some natural, candid shots. It's also a good time for the couple to sneak away for a few more minutes of portraits, especially if the lighting is good. The photographer can also use this time to get shots of the reception setup, and extended family portraits.

Tips for a Smooth Family Portraits/Cocktail Hour

• If you want to get family portraits out of the way, consider doing them before the ceremony. This means you can fully enjoy cocktail hour.
• If you're doing family portraits after the ceremony, make sure they don't clash with cocktail hour. You don't want guests to be waiting around too long before the reception.
• If you're doing a first look, you can get couple portraits out of the way beforehand, which will free up more time during cocktail hour.
• If you're not doing a first look, consider an extended cocktail hour to give you more flexibility with photos.
• If you want reception detail shots, you'll need to allow extra time during cocktail hour.
• If you want to capture the setup of the reception space without guests in the shot, you may need to allocate some pre-ceremony time for this.
• If you're doing family portraits after the ceremony, make sure all the key people know where and when they need to be to avoid wasting time.
• If you're doing family portraits before the ceremony, make sure there's a place for the couple to hide while guests transition to cocktail hour.
• If you're doing a receiving line, be sure to adjust the time according to the number of guests.

Frequently asked questions