planning your wedding day timeline
Planning your wedding day timeline can feel like a daunting task. For many couples, it's their first time organising a large-scale event and on such an important day, the pressure can quickly build. While every wedding is unique, there are some certain elements that always follow a similar structure. From getting ready to the first dance, here is a simple guide to help you plot your order of the day…
Bridal Beauty
The day starts early for the bride and bridal party. Check the recommended timings for hair and makeup with your suppliers, but generally each person will take around an hour for each. Plan accordingly and build in some buffer time for any unexpected delays. This also allows space for capturing fun shots of the bride and her gang as they get ready.
You can find some of my favourite suppliers in my recommended suppliers post here.
The Groom Room
While the bridal party typically requires more preparation time, the groom and his groomsmen also need time to shower, shave, get dressed. A great time to capture the groomsmen is as they put on their finishing touches, like cufflinks, pocket squares and buttonholes. The morning allows for candid shots of the guys bonding before heading to the ceremony.
Guest Arrival and Ceremony
Guests should aim to arrive about 30 minutes before the ceremony, allowing time for them to settle in while the photographer takes some shots of them, the venue and the ceremony details. Civil ceremonies typically last about 30 minutes, with religious or celebrant-led ceremonies sometimes stretching to an hour, so ensure you have the duration correct for your wedding day timeline.
Confetti and Group Shots
Immediately following the ceremony is the perfect time for the confetti throw. While the confetti moment may only take seconds, gathering everyone and setting up the shot can take a few minutes, so plan for at least 10 minutes here. This is also the ideal time to capture the big group photo before guests begin to disperse.
Reception and Portraits
In your order of the day, plan for the drinks reception to last for about an hour and a half to two hours. This is ample time for mingling and for the group photos to take place. Here, you can strike a balance between candid moments of guests enjoying themselves and more posed shots. Some couples may also choose to have entertainment during this time, which can offer fun photo opportunities!
Dinner and Speeches
The wedding breakfast typically takes about two hours, which allows everyone to enjoy their meal without feeling rushed. The speeches usually follow, with the traditional lineup including the bride's father, the groom, and the best man. On average, each speech should last for around 10 minutes, but checking with the people giving a speech for an accurate wedding day timeline. Nowadays, the ladies are also taking to the mic! So if your mum or maid of honour would like to share a few words, allow extra time.
Cake Cutting and First Dance
The cake cutting can happen immediately after the speeches or later in the evening. The first dance kicks off the evening's festivities. After your spotlight moment, invite your guests to join you on the dance floor to get the party going.
Evening Food
Include a set time for evening food to be served in your order of the day. After an hour or so of dancing, top up everyone’s energy levels with delicious snacks.
Carriages
Let everyone know the time your event ends so that guests can arrange transport for the end of the night.
Example Wedding Day Timeline
08:00 - Bridal preparations begin
11:00 - groom preparations begin
12:00 - Guests arrive
13:00 - Ceremony
13:30 - Confetti
13:35 - Drinks Reception
15:15 - Seating
15:30 - Wedding Breakfast
17:30 - Speeches
18:00 - Cut the Cake
19:00 - Evening Guests Arrive
19:30 - First Dance
21:00 - Evening Food
00:00 - Carriages
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