People spend months (or years) planning their wedding — from the dress and flowers to the venue and guests, there is a never-ending list to complete. However, if you want to accomplish everything, you need to have perfect timing!
That’s why carefully planning the entire day from start to finish is essential. Whether you’ve hired a wedding planner or gone down the DIY road and used a wedding website to help you organize it all, having an exact timeline is of utmost importance.
Below, you’ll find some useful tips and tricks to reduce stress and ensure you cover every possible scenario. It’s the only way for your wedding day to run smoothly.
Decide on the Presents
Creating a wishlist is a highly anticipated aspect of wedding planning. Making a wedding registry can seem overwhelming, but it’s an essential step to help you create a newlywed’s nest, perfect for starting your life together. You can use this website to simply things.
Of course, if you want cash, gift cards, or charity donations as your wedding present, you should mention it in your invitation. That way, your guests will have more time to plan and bring you the best gift.
Think About All the Logistics
Before you start planning out every possible moment, you should consider certain things. For example, if your ceremony and reception venue (see this article for inspiration) are in different places, you should think about organizing transportation.
Usually, wedding venues have separate rooms where the bride and groom can get ready. So, make sure to reserve them in advance. Of course, don’t forget to organize transportation for your hairstylist, makeup artist, etc. Also, if you want to take photos before the ceremony or reception, you need to decide how much time you’ll need. These are just some of the examples — in reality, there are far more things to consider.
From dances and speeches, through the ceremony itself, to the cake-cutting — a wedding day is packed with action, and you need to plan it out properly.
Don’t Rely on Generic Timeline Templates
We noticed that the internet was overflowing with all kinds of timeline templates, a few samples of which you can find here. Since it’s your wedding day, we’d urge you not to use them, simply because every wedding is unique, and yours will be too.
Therefore, start planning from scratch. Of course, if you feel overwhelmed by all the decisions, these templates can serve as inspiration. However, avoid relying entirely on them — make sure you plan the day that you’ve been dreaming of.
Make the Most Out of Every Moment
Since it all revolves around the ceremony, that should be your starting point. Once you determine when it starts and how long it lasts, you can plan your day around it. Depending on your hair, makeup, photos, and wedding venue, you’ll probably need to wake up early.
So, talk to everyone involved in the preparations and decide together how much time they’ll need. Write it all down, make a list and fit it into your wedding day timeline.
Create a “Shot List”
Since it’s your wedding, you’ll want to create beautiful memories. That is why it’s a good idea to provide your photographer with a list of the most important people participating in the formal photos beforehand.
That way, the photographer can organize the groups and streamline the entire process. It’s way more efficient than running around looking for people to include in your wedding photos.
Don’t Forget About the Vendors
Aside from the official wedding day timeline, you should remember to create a separate one for your vendors. By following the predetermined timeline, they will know exactly when to set up the venue and clean everything up once the wedding celebration is over.
Typically, vendors will require three to four hours to set everything up and make the venue photo-ready. Of course, the necessary time depends on the location, wedding size, and special requirements you might have.
When Overwhelmed — Turn to Experts
No matter how big or small, you want your wedding to go without a hitch. For that reason, if you feel out of depth, you can always turn to experts for assistance. That’s why they are here — to make your dream wedding come true and relieve you of the unavoidable stress that comes with planning the big day.
Take Potential Delays Into Account
When your wedding day arrives, you might forget about the essentials, like having breakfast or drinking coffee. Add all of it to the timeline, even if it takes just a couple of minutes to do. On that note, planning for any potential delays can ensure everything runs smoothly.
For instance, if you change venues between the ceremony and reception, make sure you leave at least a 15-minute buffer in case there’s unexpected traffic. You’ll be relieved you planned for it in advance.
Don’t Allow Too Much Time for Cocktail Hour
Surely, cocktail hour is there to kick start the wedding celebration. However, don’t let it drag on for too long. While everyone will have a great time, guests might begin to feel restless before the meal. They might even dive into the open bar and end the party before it’s even started.
Of course, you shouldn’t cut this part of the reception short, either — your guests should have enough time to mingle, chat, and get comfortable. But, remember — cocktail hour is there to prepare the guests for a mind-blowingly delicious lunch or dinner you’ve planned.
Limit the Time for Toasts
While it’s common for the best man and maid of honor to say a couple of words and the parents to give a heartfelt speech, unplanned toasts can negatively impact the entire wedding. This can cause meal delays or simply bore guests, which is something you want to avoid.
Therefore, make sure to always have a contingency plan in case anyone becomes overwhelmingly chatty.
Leave Enough Time to Eat
Bride and groom are the center of attention, and that’s how it should always be. However, this also means they will have less time to eat, drink, or rest. So, in between special dances, toasts, and photo sessions, make sure to find enough time to take a bite and replenish your strength. It’s not going to be a successful wedding party if the bride and groom end up being too exhausted to celebrate on their special day.
