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Katherine
Curious August 2021 Prince Edward Island

Planning a wedding timeline

Katherine, on January 7, 2020 at 09:15 Posted in Plan a wedding 0 6
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I’m starting to get stressed about the timing of everything! I don’t know what time we should have our ceremony at. It is a catholic wedding so it’ll last about an hour. Then we’ll do family photos probably right at the church.
It will be about a 45 minute drive to where we will be getting photos done(with Saturday traffic) and then an hour doing photos(how long do photos take?) there is one spot I really want to go to that is 4 minutes away that I want a few photos(first kiss, I would send our wedding party to the hotel) and then we will head to the reception(there is also a rooftop patio at our venue that I’d like a few photos at as well and our party could get the key while we’re doing pictures) and then supper would start.
Sorry that’s so long! My fiancé’s parents are giving us some money towards the wedding so we can do a cocktail hour, our guests would need to check in if they’re staying, some guests may go home for a bit after the ceremony as my father’s side lives nearby as well as some of my mother’s).

6 Comments

Latest activity by Ashley, on January 8, 2020 at 11:56
  • Ashley
    VIP August 2020 Ontario
    Ashley ·
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    Oh no dont stress you have lots of time!! what you should do is make tentative timeline now and put in all the times you know for sure (ex cocktail hour, reception start time and ceremony start time) and then work backwards on putting in the other times and factoring in all travel times etc. thats what i did from the start so when i booked someone like my makeup lady i was like i know i need to be ready by x time

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  • Kelsie
    Master July 2021 Ontario
    Kelsie ·
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    Hi Katherine,


    Do you have your photographer booked yet? We're also having a church wedding (although no mass as I'm not Catholic) and our photographers helped us out with our scheduling. They were super helpful and gave us generous lengths of time in between so we aren't as stressed out.


    Our ceremony is 12:30pm, we're travelling to the reception venue right after for our photos and photos with bridal party and family will come at 4:30pm to the reception venue to finish off the photos before the reception at 5:30pm.

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  • Stephanie
    Master July 2018 Alberta
    Stephanie ·
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    This was my timeline:

    10:00-hair appointments

    11:00-makeup

    11:30-photographers arrive for getting ready photos

    12:00-dress photos, then pictures (separate as we didn't do a first look)

    1:30-leave for venue

    1:45-first touch and group prayer (we held hands around a corner)

    2:00-ceremony starts

    2:30 group photos (we wanted photos taken with all our guests) followed by wedding party then just us

    5:00 grand entrance

    5:30 supper served

    6:30 speeches and dessert

    7:00 first dances

    10:00 midnight snack

    10:30 sneak out (we wanted to spend some time in our fancy hotel room and didn't want to make a big deal that we were leaving)

    Our reception went quicker than we had planned so dinner was out by 5:15, dance opened before 7 and midnight snack was served at 9:30--but, since we were leaving at 10:30, our reception ended soon after we left.

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  • Geneviève
    VIP September 2020 Ontario
    Geneviève ·
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    Ah the Catholic wedding gap dilemma. That’s one I’m super familiar with.
    The good thing is you can usually elect for a 11AM, 1 or 2PM ceremony. The 11AM will give you tons of time to get photos done (and guests tend to find ways to entertain themselves during that gap) or If you did a 2PM, you’d be done by 3 or 3:30 depending on timing, giving a shorter gap til your dinner time. Ask the priest what’s available that day!
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  • Tori
    Top October 2019 Manitoba
    Tori ·
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    Do you know what time you are wanting to aim for supper? Basically work your way back from there. whatever time you want supper/reception to start (there is no right or wrong answer - 5? 6? 7?), then subtract the 3 or so hours of pictures/driving that you will be doing and then an hour for the ceremony = start time of ceremony! Give some extra time where you think it's needed though!

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  • Vinod
    Top August 2017 Ontario
    Vinod ·
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    Plan your timeline for around noon hour for the wedding to happen and have the pictures taken after and to avoid traffic afterwards. Your guests will make their way to the hotel for resting before the reception or eat after while you get your pictures done at the location wanted.

    Your timing will also allow you to make it to the hotel/venue in time to get ready for the reception.

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