Wedding Day Timeline Tips For Your Big Day

In the months leading up to your big day, you’ll have a lot on your mind. Are the flowers going to be finished on time? Have all of my guests RSVP’d? Will my dress need to be steamed? How will the tables look when everything is finished being set up? The last thing you need is to add more stress to not only the days leading up to the wedding, but the wedding day itself. One way to combat this stress is by putting together a comprehensive wedding day timeline. Luckily for you, I’ve put together 10 helpful tips to make your timeline planning a breeze.

Have your photographer get there early.

You have spent months (potentially years) thinking about the small details, such as invitation suites, jewelry, color palettes. You probably want to remember all of those intricate things. This will allow me to focus on creating the perfect flat lay that you have been dreaming about since you first saw one on Pinterest. If you know anything about me, it’s my attention to detail. I have a bridal flat lay kit that I bring to every wedding to ensure your flat lays are looking as pretty as can be.

Have your bridal party (and mom) get dressed before you get into your dress.

This will ensure that everyone is ready to go once you are! Sometimes getting into a wedding dress takes some time, so make sure mom (or whoever is helping you get zipped/buttoned up) is dressed and ready to go for those adorable dress zipping photos. This also allows the crew to be ready to go in case you do a first look with them.

Consider doing a first look.

I get it, the iconic “the-doors-open-and-he-sees-me-and cries” moment is what you expected when you first thought about him seeing you in your dress the first time. However, you may want to at least consider a first look for a few reasons. One thing it does is ease up your timeline. If you guys have seen each other prior to the ceremony, then we can get wedding party pictures done (and potentially some family portraits). Oh, and it is another opportunity to get more photos of you guys together! By shooting the wedding party photos early, we can breeze through family portraits and get to the “Just Married” photos sooner. It is a win-win! Plus, he will still think you are stunning whether you are walking down the aisle or in a private setting prior to the ceremony.

Don’t forget to build in travel time.

Travel time is often overlooked in the planning process. Whether you have to drive to a different location at any point or if it’s just a short walk, be sure you keep it into consideration. The key is to not feel rushed or in a hurry.

Have some buffer time in your wedding day timeline.

This kind of goes along with the previous tip, but make sure you build in that buffer time. By finishing up with all pre-ceremony portraits 15-30 minutes before the ceremony time, you are giving everyone the opportunity to play catch up if needed. Even better, if everything went smoothly, then this is additional time for you to relax either by yourself or with the people you love most.

Use the buffer time to hide the bride.

Going down the aisle is one of the biggest moments. However, if the bride is walking around prior to the ceremony, it may ruin that big surprise for everyone. Build a buffer window into your wedding day timeline to make this process smoother. Use this time to relax and take a deep breath, you deserve it!

Create a family formals list.

Family formals can be hectic but they do not have to be. Create a game plan for family formals. Prior to your wedding, create a list of family groupings you would like photographed. This will help it go so much smoother because your photographer can easily move down the list. I send all of my couples questionnaires throughout the process to collect information such as bridal party names, phone numbers, and the family shot list. So no need to think too hard about this, it’ll already be in your inbox.

Check the sunset time.

If you are looking for those dreamy sunset, just married photos, take the sunset time into consideration. This can mean lining your ceremony up to finish around the top of the golden hour or that you schedule a time during dinner after you have eaten to get those golden shots.

Schedule time to eat breakfast and lunch!

This one is so important. So many people forget to eat on their wedding day. You are going to need that energy to be able to make it to the dance floor. Pick someone in the wedding party to make this happen. That way when it’s time to eat or you’re getting hungry, the food is ready and waiting for you!

Plan out your reception activities.

This changes from couple to couple and can sometimes change depending on the venue. Sometimes the first dance happens after the couple is announced at the reception, other times it’s done after dinner. It just depends on you and your preferences. Do some research and decide what you love and plan it out!