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How to create your wedding day timeline

Updated: Mar 8

Your wedding day is going to feel like it flies by, it will go in the blink of an eye and quite honestly, you will have no idea what the time is most of the day. This is the exact reason you need a timeline for your wedding day, so your venue and suppliers know exactly when they need to arrive, how the day is going to run and to keep it on track.



I get asked all the time, and it's not surprising, as it's probably the first wedding you've planned, but where do you even start with the timeline? Well, don't worry, this blog post is for you. Go put the kettle on, grab a coffee and let's work through this together!


#1: Start with the key times first

#2: Work backwards

#3: Fill in the gaps

#4: Plan in contingency time

#5: It's totally ok to do it your way

 

Let's build your timeline

 

Wedding Day Timeline FAQ's

 

#1. Start with the key times of your wedding day first

To get the schedule rolling start with what time your ceremony is, this is a pretty non negotiable time and helps you work out the rest. Add in the time when your suppliers are allowed on site. You will probably have been given a time by your venue as to when all your guests need to be offsite/the party needs to finish, pop this one in too. Putting the "set in stone" times will give you an idea of what you're working with.


#2: Work backwards

This sounds a little bonkers I know, but stick with me. You have your key times, let's say your ceremony is at 1pm, so work out when you need to leave to get to there. You will want your make up to be last, but you don't want to be getting in your dress any later than 1 hour before you leave for your ceremony (I know, it seems crazy, but trust me on this one, no one wants to be stress dressed!), so put your make up time at 2/3 hours before your ceremony... You get the picture!


#3: Fill in the gaps

Have you been to weddings where there are long gaps and a little bit of a lull? Think about what you want your guests to be doing. Do you need to provide entertainment, food, drink or something wild and outside the box?


#4: Plan in contingency time

This kinda contradicts the last point, but make sure there are some little gaps, some contingency time for things to slightly over run. Allow for things like traffic, technical problems or the speeches are longer than you expect. It doesn't have to be huge chunks of time, but it allows adaptation if something does get delayed.


#5: It's totally ok to do it your way

Obviously this is a very traditional way of building a timeline for your wedding day, but if you want to throw this out of the window and do it your way, then do so. Sunrise wedding? Brunch wedding? Sunset wedding? It doesn't have to be 1pm.



 

Let's build your timeline

The key times

  • 9am - Suppliers can arrive on site

  • 1pm - Ceremony

  • 7pm - Evening guests arrive

  • 12am - Guests must leave the venue

Work backwards

  • 8.30am - Breakfast

  • 9am - Suppliers can arrive on site

  • 9.45am - Bridal hair starts (1 hour before make up)

  • 10.45am - Bridal make up starts (1 hour before getting dressed)

  • 11.45am - Bride gets dressed (1 hour before due to leave)

  • 12.45pm - Wedding party leave for ceremony (assuming 15 mins to get there)

  • 12.15pm - Groom and guests arrive at wedding

  • 1pm - Ceremony

  • 1.45pm - Confetti shot (assuming 30 mins ceremony)

  • 2.15pm - Canapés and drinks (15 mins for confetti shot, 15 mins to get to reception)

  • 3.40pm - Guests seated for wedding breakfast (1hr 30mins for canapés and drinks)

  • 4pm - Wedding breakfast is served (20 mins to seat all guests)

  • 7pm - Evening guests arrive

  • 7.30pm - Cake cutting followed by first dance (30 mins to mingle with new guests)

  • 8pm - Time to party! (30 mins for cake cutting and first dance)

  • 9pm - Evening food

  • 12am - Guests must leave the venue

Fill the gaps

  • 8.30am - Breakfast

  • 9am - Suppliers can arrive on site

  • 9.45am - Bridal hair starts

  • 10.45am - Bridal make up starts

  • 11.45am - Bride gets dressed

  • 12.15pm - Wedding party shots (get some photos with your besties before you climb in the car)

  • 12.15pm - Groom and guests arrive at wedding

  • 12.45pm - Wedding party leave for ceremony

  • 1pm - Ceremony

  • 1.45pm - Confetti shot

  • 2.15pm - Canapés and drinks

  • 2.30pm - 3pm - Couples shots (have these before you start mingling, so you aren't pulled away)

  • 2.30pm - 3.30pm - Magician

  • 3.40pm - Guests seated for wedding breakfast

  • 4pm - Wedding breakfast is served (2 hours for wedding breakfast)

  • 6pm - Speeches (always plan longer than you think for speeches, I would always say an hour, assuming 4 speeches)

  • 7pm - Evening guests arrive

  • 7.30pm - Cake cutting followed by first dance

  • 8pm - Time to party!

  • 9pm - Evening food

  • 12am - Guests must leave the venue

Contingency time

  • 8.30am - Breakfast

  • 9am - Suppliers can arrive on site

  • 9.45am - Bridal hair starts

  • 10.45am - Bridal make up starts

  • 11.45am - Bride gets dressed

  • Getting dressed an hour before leaving stops any stress and allows extra time

  • 12.15pm - Wedding party shots

  • 12.15pm - Groom and guests arrive at wedding

  • 12.45pm - Wedding party leave for ceremony

  • 1pm - Ceremony

  • 1.45pm - Confetti shot

  • The confetti shot will be a quick shot, allowing an extra 5 mins

  • 2.15pm - Canapés and drinks

  • 2.30pm - 3pm - Couples shots

  • 2.30pm - 3.30pm - Magician

  • 3.40pm - Guests seated for wedding breakfast

  • It doesn't always take 20 mins to seat people, but it's better to have that extra time allowed

  • 4pm - Wedding breakfast is served

  • 6pm - Speeches

  • 7pm - Evening guests arrive

  • 7.30pm - Cake cutting followed by first dance

  • 8pm - Time to party!

  • 9pm - Evening food

  • 12am - Guests must leave the venue



 

Wedding Day Timeline FAQ's

Which comes first, hair or makeup?

Hair will typically be done first, as styling tools get hot and can cause perspiration. This can't always happen, due to time restrictions, in which case try to avoid having hair products sprayed too close to your face after your makeup is done.

How long does the typical ceremony last?

When does a wedding normally end?

I want to fit so much into my day, how do I fit it in?



 

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