Everything starts to get a little more real when you start building that wedding day timeline. But it’s important to keep in mind all of the logistics of your wedding day and vendors in order to build a timeline that will be perfect for you and your guests! These are a few of the essentials that we work on fine tuning with our couples when going over the breakdown of their wedding day!
Published Mar 29, 2019
LOCATIONS
Are you having your ceremony and reception at different locations? Don’t forget to build in ample travel time between the two! If they’re in the same location, how do you plan on filling dead time in between the ceremony and reception?
PHOTOS
Usually, your videographer will tag along for photo sessions to capture some great footage of the bride and groom with their loved ones, so this one is important to us! When do you plan on taking family, wedding party, and solo photos? (Hint: this is when many couples decide to do a first look – allowing you to take a ton of your photos before the ceremony!) We always encourage couples to pad photo sessions with extra time so you don’t feel rushed and can enjoy the process!
TOASTS AND COORDINATED DANCES
During the reception, you’ll probably have a lot of “activities” to plan around. The most important of these are the toasts and coordinated dances. Make sure everyone involved in these mini-events know when they are expected and how much time they will have. This is also where having a great DJ/MC comes in handy! Making clear announcements for the big moments ensures that no one misses out!
RECEPTION ENDING AND/OR GRAND EXIT
If your wedding has a hard stop time (many venues do), you’ll need to have a tighter timeline. Will you be doing a grand exit and if so, what time? Do you want your photographer and videographer to stick around to capture the sparkler procession or your decorated getaway car?
Of course, every wedding is unique and yours will have specific elements that are unique and special. Start by building a general timeline and keep adding details as you go. If you’re working with a planner or day-of-coordinator, they will be a huge help when it comes to developing a successful timeline. Remember, the goal is to create as little stress as possible on the day of, so the more time you can build in, the better!
