1. Start with a Preliminary Timeline
Before you start plotting events down to the minute, estimate how long you’ll need for key moments. Here’s a basic overview of time estimates for each event:
Bride and Bridesmaids Preparation: 4–6 hours
Groom and Groomsmen Preparation: 2–3 hours
First Look (Optional): 30 minutes–1 hour
Ceremony: 30 minutes–1 hour
Reception Cocktail Hour: 1 hour
Dinner or Reception Meal: 1.5–2 hours
Dancing and Entertainment: 2–3 hours
Cake Cutting: 15–20 minutes
Send-off/Exit: 15 minutes
Depending on the size of your wedding party, and the vendors these times can be adjusted. Go ahead and put pencil to paper and start to visualize how you want your wedding timeline to unfold!
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2. Create a Morning Schedule for the Wedding Party
We all want to look our best and ensure we start off on the right foot! Start by planning your hair and makeup and getting ready times.
Bride’s Hair and Makeup: Reach out to your hair and makeup artist and coordinate the schedule with them. It’s typically best to begin your HMU around 4–6 hours before the ceremony. Don’t forget to leave time for the bridal party as well!
Groom and Groomsmen: The groomsmen are more concerned with which sporting event is on the tv and where the cold drinks are. They do need about 2-3 hours to get ready and snap a few pictures before the ceremony.
First Look (Optional): Some couples opt for a “first look,” where the bride and groom see each other privately before the ceremony. You many want to consider leaving 30-45 minutes before the ceremony for your first look and longer if you want a first look with your grandparents as well.
Pre-Ceremony Photos: If you’re doing a first look, you can also schedule photos of the couple and bridal party before the ceremony. This will allow you to enjoy more time visiting with friends and family at your reception. Schedule around 1 hour for portraits.
3. Ceremony Planning
The ceremony is the bread and butter of your wedding day, and it typically lasts between 20 and 45 minutes. Here are some things to anticipate during the ceremony.
Arrival of Guests: Guests usually arrive 20–30 minutes before the ceremony begins. Be clear and notify the guests when they should start arriving for the ceremony.
Procession: The walk down the aisle! Typically, the groom, groomsmen, bridesmaids, flower girls, ring bearers, and finally the bride all walk in a procession to the altar. Plan out the order and how long it will take for each person to walk.
Vows and Pronouncement: The ceremony will likely include vows, readings from bride or groom music, and an exchange of rings. The time length may vary depending on your ceremony style.
Exit: At the end of the ceremony, after the bride and groom are announced husband and wife, there will be a brief exit where the newlyweds walk down the aisle. This moment is often filled with excitement with your wedding guests standing as you exit the ceremony!
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4. Reception Timeline
Once the ceremony is over, everyone heads over to the reception area.
Cocktail Hour: Usually, after the ceremony, guests are invited to the cocktail hour while the couple and wedding party finish up photos. Cocktail hour typically lasts 1 hour.
Grand Entrance: After the cocktail hour, the couple enters the reception as newlyweds. Most photographers are anticipating their arrival as it makes for great photos and video.
First Dance: In most weddings, the couple shares their first dance right after the grand entrance. Next is the first dance with Bride/Father proceeded by Groom/Mother dance. Expect 3-5 minutes for each dance.
Toasts: Typically made by the best man, maid of honor, and sometimes the couple themselves. A good rule of thumb is to give no more than 5 minutes per person.
Dinner: Most popular dinner options at the Admiral Room is plated meals. Plan to allow for 1- 1.5. for dinner and coffee and dessert.
Cake Cutting: The cake cutting is generally before and is typically a short but sweet moment around 5-10 minutes.
Dancing: Having a fun, exciting DJ is very important, it gets people on the dance floor moving! Enjoy the celebration! Whether it’s a live band or a DJ plan to allow for 2-3 hours for dancing and entertainment.
5 Closing the Night
Who doesn’t like a great send off! The final part of your wedding should be well-planned so you can end the night on a high note:
Last Dance: Before your wedding guests depart for the evening, some couples enjoy a final, intimate last dance.Make sure your DJ or band has picked out a song for this portion of the evening.
Send-Off: Your grand exit, whether it’s with sparklers or cold sparks, is a beautiful and memorable way to wrap up the evening. We have seen a few couple have all guests leave the room and get a picture of them sharing a special moment on the dace floor. Some people do a fake send off for photos or opt for a real good bye. Schedule this 15-20 minutes before the reception draws to a close.
Vendor Departure: Be sure to check with your vendors about their departure time, especially if they are providing services like music, catering, or photography. You can release the photographer/videographer early if you choose to do a fake send off.
6. Consider these Preparations to Create the Perfect Wedding Day Timeline
Buffer Time: Weddings are filled with unpredictable moments, from leaving something at home to an unexpected wardrobe malfunction, so be sure to build in extra time between events.
Build a Strong Team: Share your timeline with your wedding planner, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and any family members who are helping coordinate the day. Clear communication is vital to ensure everyone knows where they need to be and when.
Coordinate with Vendors: Make sure to go over your timeline with all your vendors’ schedules, and that it aligns with what they have planned for the day.
Make it Count: Understand you can’t do everything, so choose the moments that matter the most to you! Don’t forget to take time and soak it all in! It’s YOUR special day!
Actual Wedding Day Timeline
Here’s an example of an actual bride and groom’s wedding day timeline for a 6:00 p.m. ceremony:
Bride and Grooms Wedding day timeline for a 6pm wedding ceremony. CLICK HERE
planners
A top Wedding Planner in Buffalo NY, Gianna Pelosi, from, Wedding by Gianna shared a fabulous tip for building a timeline. “We love planning 2 “hidden buffer times” into our timeline. One is right before the ceremony. Even if everything runs perfectly, this buffer gives you a moment to breathe and relax right before the most exciting moment – getting married! It also keeps things calm if hair/makeup or photos run longer than anticipated.
Tips to Customize Your Timeline
No First Look? Bump all portraits to post-ceremony, which extends cocktail hour.
Multiple Locations? Add in buffer travel time (+10-15 mins).
Religious Ceremonies may take longer – budget accordingly.
Sunset Photos? Find out your sunset time and plan around it!
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Tip: Share It!
Once finalized, share your timeline with:
Venue coordinator
Photographer/videographer
DJ or band
Planner or day-of coordinator
Wedding party & family
photo credit: Emmie-Jo and Robb wedding http://www.kelseerislerphotography.com
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Admiral Room is a locally owned wedding venue located in downtown Buffalo NY. We would like to shout out to other locally owned wedding venues nationwide.
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https://www.theburchontwenty-seven.com/
