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Lynnie
WeddingWire Admin October 2016 North Carolina

Timeline Tips!

Lynnie, on December 20, 2017 at 13:05 Posted in Plan a wedding 0 9

What are your best wedding day timeline tips? Share them below!


Timeline Tip #1: Do a first look before the ceremony to get all of your wedding pictures out of the way! This way you can also join your guests for cocktail hour!

Timeline Tip #2: Talk to your photography about sunset timing on your wedding day. The "Golden Hour" is one hour before sunset when the light is extra magical Smiley heart During the Golden Hour light is softer, warmer, and more dimensional. Schedule some time to sneak away for a few Golden Hour pictures with your photographer!

Timeline Tip #4: Your photographer and your hair and makeup team are the vendors who will impact your pre-ceremony timeline the most! When you start planning your wedding day timeline, make sure to confer with them first.

Timeline Tip #5: Work backwards! It's a lot easier to plan your wedding day timeline in reverse! Trust me Smiley winking Start with the time your reception needs to end and work backwards. The same thing works for your pre-ceremony events!

Example #1: If your reception has to end by 10pm, it should start a 6pm (for a 4 hour reception), so the cocktail hour needs to start by 5pm! Add in any potential travel time between venues and the length of your ceremony, and boom - you've got your ceremony start time!

Example #2: Figuring out when you need to start getting ready! If your ceremony starts at 4pm, find out what time you need to be fully dressed and ready at the venue (let's call it 3pm). Then subtract any travel time, 30 minutes to get dressed, time for pictures, the time you'll need for hair and makeup - add in a one hour buffer to be extra safe - and viola, you've arrived at your start time!


Timeline Tips! 1

9 Comments

Latest activity by Kristy, on August 2, 2019 at 08:28
  • Kristy
    Beginner October 2019 Alberta
    Kristy ·
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    This timeline is a life savor thanks for posting!
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  • Vinod
    Top August 2017 Ontario
    Vinod ·
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    We did the family and wedding party potraits before the ceremony folowed by group pictures. That is a good guide for a timeline though you could create your own.
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  • Stephanie
    Master July 2018 Alberta
    Stephanie ·
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    Same with us! We are both not a fan of first look. I will pictures done with my bridesmaids and parents beforehand, and he will have the same, but other than that, our pictures will be done after the ceremony.

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  • Holly
    Expert June 2019 Ontario
    Holly ·
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    As much as I love the idea of being able to get pictures done beforehand then spending more time with guests, I really do not want to do the first look, want to keep it traditional for that.
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  • Maegan
    Super July 2018 British Columbia
    Maegan ·
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    We won't be having our rehearsal at the sane time... BUT we did go check out the venue originally exactly one year to the wedding at the right time haha. Our ceremony will be on a local park and it was super helpful! We totally changed locations in the park based on sunny/shaded areas.
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  • Bethany
    Super July 2018 Alberta
    Bethany ·
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    Your officiant is so smart! That's a great tip!
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  • Victoria
    Expert November 2019 Ontario
    Victoria ·
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    I like timeline tip #1, I def want to do a first look. But I think we will be doing this in addition to pics after the ceremony. We will have a break between ceremony and cocktail hour, however (ceremony is at 3pm for our venue), so we can still prob join in on cocktail hour Smiley smile

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  • Amanda
    Super August 2018 Alberta
    Amanda ·
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    That is a great tip, Stephanie! I never would have thought of that.
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  • Stephanie
    Master July 2018 Alberta
    Stephanie ·
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    Some good tips! I like the idea of #2--sneaking off for some pictures.

    Fiance and I often work our timeline backwards, for anything, so that is our plan for the wedding too!

    One tip our officiant gave us, since we are having an outdoor ceremony, is to have the rehearsal the same time as the wedding will be. That way, you can take into account the sun, shadows and shaded/sunny areas for the ceremony time.

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