Planning Your Wedding Day Timeline: A Step-By-Step Guide

Planning a wedding can be a daunting task, but creating a detailed schedule can help ensure your big day runs smoothly. A well-planned wedding timeline will eliminate confusion and scheduling conflicts, keeping everyone – from your wedding party to your vendors – on the same page.

A typical wedding day timeline includes everything from getting ready in the morning to the grand exit at the end of the reception. It's important to consider the unique logistics of your wedding when creating your timeline, such as the location of your ceremony and reception, the length of your ceremony, and any cultural or religious traditions you plan to incorporate.

To create a comprehensive wedding day timeline, start by listing all the key people involved, including vendors, wedding party members, and family members. Then, create a schedule of events, allowing ample time for each activity and factoring in travel time if your ceremony and reception are in separate locations. Don't forget to include important details such as addresses, roles, and expected deliveries.

It's also a good idea to start your wedding day preparations early, allowing plenty of time for hair and makeup, and photos. And don't forget to eat! Breakfast and lunch are essential to keep your energy up throughout the day.

Finally, be sure to distribute your wedding timeline to all your vendors and key people in advance, so everyone knows where they need to be and when. With careful planning and a well-structured schedule, you can create a seamless and unforgettable wedding day.

Getting ready: hair, makeup, and breakfast

The morning of your wedding is a crucial part of the day and setting aside a clear schedule for getting ready will help the entire day run smoothly. It's important to give yourself enough time to wake up, relax, and mentally prepare for the day.

Breakfast

It's important to eat something on the morning of your wedding. Even if you're not typically a breakfast person, opt for a healthy mix of cereals and fruits or a filling group meal. You'll feel better for it later in the day, and it will give you the energy to get through the busy morning.

Hair and makeup

Now it's time to gather your wedding party and get their hair and makeup done! The timing you assign to this task, and the size of your group, will determine how long you need. Three hours is generally enough time to get everyone ready, but discuss timings with your vendors, as they'll know from experience how long your group will need.

Getting dressed

Some of your wedding party may get ready while others are having their hair and makeup done, but it's good to set a time for everyone to slip into their outfits by. Little fixes nearly always need to happen on the day, and time should be allowed for that. It's also important to know that everyone is ready before the photographer arrives.

Lunch

Lunch is the perfect opportunity to relax a little with your bridesmaids and wedding party before the madness really begins! Avoid choosing anything that could stain fabrics, and try to pick lunch items that will fuel you through the day.

Photographer arrival

Photographers generally offer packages based on a set amount of shooting hours. A standard package will be around 8 hours, but you can book less if you only want certain parts of the day captured. Getting ready shots are some of the most popular sections in an album and will help to capture the mood of the day.

Detail shots

You've spent countless hours designing and choosing stationery and detailing for the ceremony and reception, and the end product deserves to be celebrated! If you have any other personal items like family heirlooms or photos you'd like included, be sure to collate these when planning your wedding.

Flowers delivered

The bridal party should be dressed and made up for the day by this point, ready for their photos to be taken. But a key part of everyone's look is the bouquets, fresh floral hairpieces, and boutonnieres for the groomsmen. Your florist will likely deliver all the flowers to your ceremony location, and they will need to be collected from the venue.

Bride completes their look

As the bride, it's expected that you'll be the last to finish getting ready. But don't leave putting on your dress and accessories to the last minute. Little fixes nearly always need to happen, and it's good to leave enough time for them without making anyone feel rushed.

First look photos

Not every bride and groom want to break with tradition and see each other before the ceremony, but first-look sessions rarely fail to create beautiful moments. Pre-ceremony is a great time to capture you both looking your very best and feeling the most emotional. If planned properly, with an experienced photographer, you'll likely be done in under 15 minutes.

Catering vendors arrive and set up

The set-up time for your caterer will depend on what you've requested for the day. Couples who desire hot food or something labor-intensive for their cocktail hour will generally require vendors to show up earlier than if light nibbles were being served. The size of your guest list will also affect their workload and arrival time.

Photography: first look, couple, and family portraits

Photography is a key part of your wedding day, and it's important to plan a schedule that allows you to capture all the moments you want without causing you to miss out on enjoying your day and celebrating with your guests. Here is a suggested schedule for your wedding day photography:

First Look

The first look generally takes place about two hours before the ceremony. This timing provides sufficient time for the couple to have a private moment and take formal portraits together, with family, and with the wedding party. For an early afternoon or evening ceremony, you might schedule your first look for late morning. This will allow you to take advantage of the natural light and ensure you don't miss out on the cocktail hour with your guests.

Couple Portraits

After the first look, the couple can take some time to themselves, perhaps enjoying a quiet moment or having some refreshments. The couple portraits can then take place, with the photographer capturing the couple in their wedding attire in different spots and from various angles. This should take around 45 minutes to an hour.

Family Portraits

Family portraits can be the most stressful part of the day, so it's a good idea to create a family photo shot list to ensure that no important groupings are missed. The family photo session should take place after the couple portraits, with the couple's parents, siblings, grandparents, and perhaps a few special relatives. This should take around 30 minutes if you stick to only close family and immediate relatives.

It is recommended to keep formal portraits to a minimum and not spend too much time away from your guests. You can always take more photos with extended family and friends during the reception or at other points during the day.

Wedding Party Portraits

Finally, the wedding party portraits can take place, with the couple and their respective sides of the wedding party, as well as shots with the entire wedding party together. This should take around 30 minutes.

By following this schedule, you can ensure that you capture all the important moments and people on your wedding day without missing out on the celebrations.

Ceremony: travel, music, and seating

The ceremony is a key part of the wedding day, and there are several components to consider when scheduling this part of the day.

First, think about travel. If you are getting ready at your ceremony venue, you don't need to factor in travel time. However, if you are travelling to the ceremony space, give yourself ample time to avoid any travel mishaps.

Next, consider music. Prelude music is a great way to set the mood while guests are being seated and waiting for the ceremony to begin. This usually starts when the doors open, or up to 45 minutes before the ceremony begins. You'll need between five and ten songs for this period.

Then, there's the processional, which accompanies the entry of the extended wedding party, family, attendants, and the couple. You can use the same song for each entrance, or change it up when the bride enters to add drama. The number of processional songs you'll need depends on the number of people walking down the aisle and the length of the aisle. Usually, two processional songs are chosen—one for the family and wedding party, and a more emotional song for the bridal processional.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the recessional plays. This is traditionally bright and lively music to celebrate the joy of the occasion. There's usually just one main recessional song, but you can plan a few postludes as guests are leaving.

You might also want to include interludes or songs during significant moments, such as the unity candle lighting. A postlude is also a nice touch—a selection played while guests exit the ceremony.

Finally, seating. Guests will begin arriving around 45 minutes before the ceremony start time listed on the invitation. This is a good time to have music playing to add to the ambiance and indicate that the ceremony is approaching. You could also set up a gift and guest book table for guests to visit as they arrive.

Cocktail hour: drinks, canapés, and mingling

Cocktail hour is a great way to transition from the ceremony to the reception, giving your guests a chance to relax and mingle while you and your bridal party take photos. It's important to keep your guests entertained and well-fed during this time, so here are some tips for a seamless cocktail hour with drinks, canapés, and mingling:

Drinks:

The drinks offered during cocktail hour are entirely up to you and your preferences. You can choose to have a signature cocktail or a selection of batch drinks for guests to serve themselves. If you want to include alcoholic options, it's a good idea to also provide mocktails or non-alcoholic alternatives. Remember to have enough servers to keep the drinks flowing and ensure your guests are never left empty-handed.

Canapés:

For the food, it is customary to serve hors d'oeuvres or canapés, which are light and tasty but won't fill your guests up before the main meal. The general rule is to provide around 4-5 canapés per guest, but you can adjust this number based on your budget and the duration of the cocktail hour. If you're looking to save money, consider adding some crudités (celery and carrot sticks) with dips, nuts, and crisps to supplement the canapés.

Mingling:

To encourage mingling, you can set up interactive elements like a photo booth, lawn games, or a selfie installation. Providing a variety of seating options, such as soft seating and higher bar tables, will also ensure your guests' comfort. Don't forget to choose some music to create a festive atmosphere! Whether it's a string quartet, a mariachi band, or a playlist on a Bluetooth speaker, music will help set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Timing:

Cocktail hour typically lasts for, well, an hour. This gives you and your bridal party enough time for photos and allows your guests to socialize before the next part of the celebration.

By following these suggestions, you'll be able to create a fun and memorable cocktail hour that your guests will surely enjoy!

Reception: dinner, toasts, and dancing

The reception is the perfect time for guests to mingle and get into the mood for a party. Here is a suggested timeline for the reception, including dinner, toasts, and dancing:

Guests Enter Reception

As the cocktail hour wraps up, guests will be asked to file into the reception space and find their seats. This usually happens around 6:30 pm.

Wedding Party and Couple's Entrance

The wedding party can enter first, with each member announced by the emcee and entering individually or in pairs to an upbeat song. The couple can then make their grand entrance as newlyweds, or they can choose to enter together with their wedding party. This typically occurs around 6:45 pm.

First Dance and Mini Dance Set

The couple's first dance can be right after their entrance, or they can wait until after the first course. The DJ or band will play a few favourite songs to get the guests energised before sitting down for dinner.

Dinner and Speeches

The next hour will be dedicated to dinner and speeches. The emcee will ask everyone to return to their seats, and a family member or the couple can give a welcome speech and blessing. The first course is served, followed by the maid of honour and best man speeches between courses. The entrée is served, and the parents or father of the bride give their toast.

Parent Dances

As guests finish their meal, the emcee will call the couple and their parents to the dance floor for parent dances, such as the father-daughter and mother-son dances.

Dancing

The DJ or band will play high-energy songs to get everyone on the dance floor. The couple and wedding party should stay on the dance floor to encourage others to join. Breaks in the music can be kept to a minimum, and the bouquet and garter toss can occur about 45 minutes into the dance set.

Cake Cutting and Dessert

About an hour before the reception concludes, the waitstaff should start preparing tables for coffee and dessert. The cake cutting can be made into a photo opportunity without interrupting the dancing.

Last Dance

Don't abruptly end the music when it's time for guests to leave. Schedule a last dance to signal that the reception is coming to an end. Choose an upbeat and festive song to leave a lasting impression.

Reception Ends and Send-Off

It's time to say goodbye. The coordinator will usher everyone towards the exit so that the couple can make their grand exit while friends and family cheer and blow bubbles or light sparklers.

Frequently asked questions