Planning a detailed wedding day timeline is a crucial step to creating less stress for everyone involved with your special day. When your wedding day timeline is clear and thought-out, it can help to minimize confusion and any scheduling conflicts that may arise. Overall, the wedding day timeline helps to get everyone involved on the same page.
I am in the midst of planning my very own wedding and have started to think of the day-of timeline, so that is why I decided to write this blog post! 👏🏼❤️
When creating my timeline, I have found it helpful to break down every hour to ensure every participant and every vendor has clarity on the game plan. I am starting to plan my day-of schedule a bit
early in the planning process, but I encourage brides to have their timeline finalized about a month out from the wedding date. This will help to give enough time to share your details and timeline with your squad and your vendors!
Below I have listed out some sample schedules- feel free to copy and use them as a framework for your special day!
*Also if you don't know where to start... that's okay! Reach out to your vendors (especially your photographer 📸 & videographer🎥) we are happy to help and let you know how long it takes for certain parts of the day that might be unclear (i.e. group photos and all of that fun stuff 😎)
*Use these mock schedules as a starting point for creating your own.
Saturday Wedding Mock Schedule
9:00 a.m Hair and makeup begins
12:00 p.m. Photographer + Videographer arrives on-site
12:15 p.m. Bride gets dress on
12:30 p.m. First look with Bride + Dad
12:45 p.m. First look with Groom (Bride + Groom take couple photos)
1:15 p.m. Wedding party fully dressed & ready to go
1:30 p.m. Wedding party photos
2:00 p.m. Family photos
2:30 p.m. Break + Guests arrive
3:00 p.m. Ceremony
4:00 p.m. Social Hour begins
5:00 p.m. Guests get seated ready for dinner
6:00 p.m. Cake cutting
6:15 p.m. Speeches begin
7:00 p.m. First Dances
7:30 p.m. Dance begins
7:45 p.m. Sunset photos for Bride & Groom
11:00 p.m. Late Night Snacks are served
11:30 p.m. Bride + Groom sparkler exit
12:00 a.m. Dance concludes
Friday Evening Wedding Mock Schedule
10:30 a.m. Hair appointments begin
1:30 p.m. Bride is fully dressed
2:30 p.m. Photographer & Videographer arrives
4:20 p.m. Groomsmen arrive to start ushering guests
4:30 p.m. Guests start to arrive to the ceremony
5:00 p.m. Ceremony begins
5:25 p.m. Ceremony ends
5:30 p.m. Cocktail hour begins
5:30–5:45 p.m. Couple take photos with wedding party and family
5:45–6:30 p.m. Couple takes photos alone
6:30 p.m. Guests are seated for dinner
6:45 p.m. Newlyweds are announced
7:00 p.m. Dinner is served
7:30 p.m. Cake cutting
7:40 p.m. Speeches begin
8:30 p.m. First Dances
8:45 p.m. Dance begins
12:00 a.m. Dance concludes