Creating your day-of timeline

As far as the timeline goes, we started by writing out when all the vendors are showing up and when they are leaving. This way we know whatever we want the photographer to capture needs to happen before she leaves. From here it was just find of filling in the blanks based on how we want things to flow throughout the evening.

As for the menu and that, you should be able to ask them and confirm if you need to give it now or if they just want you to start thinking about all of it.

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I also wanted to do that, but then my step mom made a great point. Doing it right after the entrance, everyone is sitting down, and will be more likely to pay attention to the dance.

FH's cousin did her first dance right after dinner while dessert was being served, and I feel like not many people were paying attention and were up at the bar getting drinks etc.

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No problem, good luck with creating your timeline!

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It was my coordinator who kind of threw it all at me actually lol. I don't think she has much experience with um, 'cultural' weddings - our Ukrainian-Lebanese party is kinda throwing her off her game but I will ask her to look over the rough draft I come up with and see what feedback she can provide. Thank you for the advice!

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I hadn't even thought of talking to our photographer, it's a great idea. They do so many weddings, they will know best. Thank you!

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I agree, I can't stand being told to wait til closer to the date. Why not be prepared? I don't want to be rushing around the week before my wedding!

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Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this!!! And yes, after reading everyone's comments, I am definitely switching our first dance to right after our entrance!

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This definitely helps so much, thank you!!!

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I'm definitely capping speeches at 5 min MAX, and I think I'll talk to my photographer asap. Thank you!

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Great feedback, thanks!

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Yes, love this - take it step by step, and hopefully prevent any stress-induced meltdowns lol. Thank you!

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Lol, team procrastinators for the (delayed) win! Don't worry, I'm sure it will be amazing!

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I had intended to have dinner before the first dance but now I'm reconsidering... thanks for the advice!

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This is so helpful, thank you!

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This is a great idea, I will get in touch with my photographer and see if she has any feedback! Thanks!

Talk with your coordinator! Our first meeting with our month of coordinator the first thing we did was a same time line based on who was doing speeches, the fact that we are doing a buffet dinner. She was amazing! Immediately put me at ease and have something to follow and work with!

Check with your photographer for a timeline, because a lot of the wedding day will kinda happen around when certain photos need to be taken.

Most photographers will build a photography timeline (getting ready photos, first look, bridal party, ceremony, family, speeches, dancing, golden hour....)

So everything else will fall into place once you have that. My DOC will help fill in the details of who's speech when, and anything prior to the photographers timeline, like makeup and hair schedule, caterers arriving, decor setup.

See I am on the opposite end of the spectrum... I asked my DOC about a timeline... and she was like you don't need it yet. (I am 5 months out). But then I freaked out and still made a preliminary one with her help. Because we have some friends just coming to the party. We want to double check timing with the photographer and I am doing up a big fancy chalkboard that I do not want to leave till last minute. Plus I just need to know when things are. It was bothering me not having it done haha.

When we first met with our photographer, she sent us an idea of what her timeline would be for pictures. After that, I used this article to help me build around what the photographer gave us: https://apracticalwedding.com/calculate-wedding-timeline/

I also searched for all of the community posts on this website regarding timelines. Everyone's posts and answers were super helpful!

What I've noticed is that for most of the decisions, you'll just have to make based on what you prefer or the type of vibe you want to achieve. For example, I always thought we'd wait until after dinner to have our first dance, but that might be a little too late and I hate the idea of having all of the special dances together (parent/kid, first dance). So instead, I moved our first dance right after our 'grand entrance', to get it out of the way. Plus it fits in the timeline nicely.

One advice I got, regarding the timeline, was : Give yourself extra time for EVERYTHING. If you think it's only gonna take 5 mins, give yourself 10-15 mins just in case. Especially when it involves a large group of people.

Here's our "big" timeline, which is still a work in progress, to give you an idea:

I'll be working on the ceremony timeline with the officiant in the next couple of months. We already have our processional figured out, so that's one less thing to worry about!

Hope this helps a bit

I just freaked out about this last night!! It helped for me to break everything into chunks of time and give each chunk it's set of tasks to be done with an loose estimate of how long you think it will take to complete each task, erring on the side of more time. It is way more common to do the first dance right after the entrance this will take 5 min give or take on the length of the song and your DJ/MC to announce that your first dance is happening. Then announce that dinner will be served shortly, and the bar will closed for dinner? that gives time for guests to use the washroom/grab a drink before dinner. Dinner will take 1.5hrs-2 depending on type of service and # of guests so now it's like 8 if dinner was served for 6pm. Your cake cutting will take like 5-10 min and it's up to you if you want it be front and center, I have missed lots of cake cutting bc it's happened during the dance part. How many ppl will be doing speeches? It also helped to write out a list of EVERYTHING that will happen that day, when you see all that is to be done, you can plan when each task should take place. Hope this helps a little.

Wow! she is amazing but man I wouldn't of thought that would be figured out till closer. If you wanted to get them printed, have them pre-designed and see whatever company your using can do a rush order. This way you don't have to pay twice.

Timeline- I would talk to your photographer as they are amazing with knowing how long most of that goes. Speeches- consider how many people talking and tell them you get a 2-5 min speach thats it.

So some tips to keep ahead and how to make sure the venue is also doing the layout if particular on their end.

1. Your menu cards can be printed once finalized and no changes are made to your meal choices. The way I created a menu card placing 2 per table for guests to see.

2. Day Timeline is exactly the same way you look at your days timing and filling in the spaces. Consider the time and what is being done and how long you want to take towards everything. Include the entrances wedding party, groom and yourself and music selected to know every detail is looked over. Ceremony time and pictures after if taking as groups and family. Reception details of entrance of wedding party and yourselves, first dance, other dances, cake cutting and music chosen to specifics played. This will not only give yourselves the organization, the planner can also go by this information as to the photographer and Dj to know what's happening. Speeches before the dinner or after and in order and let them know 2 minutes if you want a time limit to keep it simple and sweet.

Glad you had a good laugh about it! Don't worry though, 66 days is plenty of time to figure out timelines. I'm still about 6 months away and I put my timeline together in a few hours.

I think you need to base your timeline on photography. Make a photography timeline and you can figure out everything around that.

My coordinator actually sent me a huge list (4 ish pages) of things to figure out for my planning such as speeches, dances etc.

If you want, I can send you my photo list/day of timeline as a reference!

Also agreed, what is time even. The day is going to fly by

I’m working with my venue coordinator to come up with our timeline. We have a big meeting in June to finalize some details and to start working on the timeline.
My suggestion for starting out is to write in what you know: ceremony time, reception start time, what time you need to be out of the reception space, when you have your photographer, etc.

Omg! Im so behind! I need to keep an eye on this post because I haven’t made a timeline yet.... 15 days until the wedding... ugh! My photographer sent me a form with times of photos. I honestly just kind of threw in random times. I am not good at this whole wedding planning thing! My venue Coordinator is a god send and is handling a lot of stuff.
Where I’m sitting, you’re ahead of the game lol.

I feel the same way. I feel like I am super organized and have everything planned, and then I see something on here, or on Pinterest and freak out that I haven't planned it yet!

1. I double checked the choices with my venue and then printed the RSVP cards. For us the proteins are either salmon, chicken or vegetarian, but there are a ton of chicken dishes we get to choose from. So I just put the basics down and then when we get closer to picking the menu I will let guests know.

2. When you do everything and how long is really up to you. We are doing our first dance right after our entrance. Then the parent dances after that so they are out of the way. We also only have our photographer for a limited amount of time into the reception so we want to get that done first.

We are then doing speeches in between courses/ while people are eating to break it up a little bit. The length of the speeches does not bother me, but nothing too long. Both our parents are just saying a short speech and that will be it

I feel like your DOC should be able to give you a little direction here. But it's up to you.

We are doing our First dance right after our grand entrance. Our thank you/welcome speech right after that and Then dinner. Then speeches start towards the end of dinner. And Father Daughter/ Mother Son dance to follow.

Then we are starting the party for a bit .. like an hour or so. We have desserts with dinner. So we want a bit of a break before we do cake. Plus we might sneak off for a couple other photos. Then cake/bouquet and garter toss all together. We don't want to keep interrupting the party for random stuff. Then another 1.5 hour break and then midnight lunch.

Just don't do cake and that too too late... as that's usually the cue that people can start leaving if they want. Ours is around 9 PM.

And keep speeches short. Our DOC recommended 5 minutes max each. And we are just doing MOH, BM, Grooms Dad, and my Mom.

I mean it all depends how you want things to flow.

We just kind of want to get our first dance over with.. and it makes more sense to me to do it right off the grand entrance. (Plus then I am not worried about makeup of food in my teeth for those photos haha)

Also pay attention to how long you have your photographer for.. and what moments you want captured for sure. And how long she thinks certain things will take in terms of photo Ops. Ours was actually pretty helpful in developing part of our timeline.

We have her for 8 hours. Since she is coming to the hotel to capture us getting ready. She is starting at 1:30 PM. That means she is done at 9:30 PM . So I need all the big moments in between that time frame.

Are you having seated dinner or buffet? If it's seated ask your vendor how long it takes. If it's buffet my DOC said to start speeches after about 30/40 minutes. Then everyone will for sure be seated and eating. And most may already be on dessert or 2nd plates. I have seen people do speeches in between courses for plated dinners.

Ah! I'm glad you were able to get a good laugh in about it!

1. I'd contact the venue to ask if there will be any changes to the menu between now and your wedding date. If they say "no" and you're already confident in your choices, I'd say you're good to go with your RSVPs.

2. It's up to you! Does your venue have a day-of coordinator? If so, I'd get in touch with them as I'm sure they could write-up a general timeline based on their experience with other weddings at the venue.

My fiancé and I's photographer sat down with us and gave us two potential timelines (one traditional and another that would include "first look" pictures instead). I sent that to our wedding coordinator and we tweaked it together. Our first dance will follow our entrance, and cake will be later in the evening.