How to plan the wedding day timeline

Planning a wedding day timeline is very crucial as it helps you keep everything on track on your wedding day. A timeline is the process of breaking the entire wedding day into smaller events in a timely and organized manner. The more details you add, the better it will be. Here is a sample wedding day timeline created by Expert wedding planner Tessa Lyn Brand of Tessa Lyn Events that will give you a better idea. Also note that it is plan for a wedding where the ceremony and reception are held on the same day. If your ceremony and reception are at separate location then you need to add travel time for the guests to reach the post-wedding functions.

• 2P.M. The Photographers arrive
• 2:15P.M. Bridesmaids have gotten ready
• 2:30P.M. Brides get ready
• 2:45P.M. Brides Portraits and Photos
• 3:10-3:30P.M. Bridesmaid Photo shoot
• 3:30P.M. The First look
• 3:30-4:10P.M. Couple’s Portraits photos
• 4:10 – 5:00 p.m. Wedding Party and Family Photos
• 5:30 p.m. Start Time Listed on Wedding Invitation
• 5:45 p.m. Actual Start Time
• 5:45 – 6:15 p.m. Ceremony
• 6:15 – 7:15 p.m. Cocktail Hour
• 7 p.m.(ish) Sunset Photos
• 7:15 p.m. Guests Invited to Dinner
• 7:30 p.m. Grand Entrance and First Dance
• 7:35 – 7:45 p.m. Welcome Toasts From Hosts
• 7:45 – 8:30 p.m. Dinner
• 8:30 – 8:40 p.m. Bridal Party Toasts
• 8:40 – 8:50 p.m. Parent Dances
• 9:30 – 9:45 p.m. Cake Cutting, Bouquet Toss and Garter Toss
• 9:45 p.m. Open Dance Floor
• 11:30 p.m. Grand Exit

Before creating your wedding timeline, you need to ask yourself a couple of question. If you know the answer to it then you can start creating your timeline.

• Are your wedding ceremony and reception at the same location/Venue? If not then you need to add travel time in the timeline.
• Will you provide transport to your guests and bridal party? If so then it will make it easier for your guests to come plus they will reach on time.
• Will you be getting ready at the venue where your wedding ceremony will be held?
• Do you plan on having the first look and photo shoot before the wedding?
• Will you be having your first dance at your reception?

Next you will make a rough draft. There are plenty of wedding-day timelines available on the internet but copying it and adding your own detail in it will be of no use. Every wedding is unique so start from the scratch and make your own timeline.

Don’t forget to discuss it with some experts. They are skilled in making such timelines and will assist you in creating the official wedding timeline. You will tell your ideas to them and then they will tell you how to put your thoughts into perspective. Talk with all the vendors as well and ask how much time they will need to set up their stalls. 

You can invite your guests a little earlier than the start time. But do not invite the guests too early. Your guests will get angry if they have to wait longer than half an hour. The same applies for food serving. Make sure the food is served half an hour or an hour after the reception begins. How you serve the food also depends on you. You can serve all the meals at once or can have dance breaks in between. 

I hope this article gives you an idea of how to create your wedding day timeline.