Planning a perfect and hustle-free wedding could be a difficult task and not everyone has access to an event organizer. As a photographer, I have covered more than 100 weddings up till now, and trust me not everyone needs an event planner or organizer as long as you have planned out everything ahead of time. For this purpose, it is very important to list out the events that will take place in chronological order. It is important for you to accept one thing and that is, not everything on your wedding day will take place according to the tie mentioned, so be prepared and have a backup if things get a little late. Before making a list of all the events that will be taking place on your wedding day, you should ask yourself the following questions.
What kind of wedding do you want?
This question may seem like an obvious one but this question is very important. You must always ask yourself about the kind of wedding you want and should also include your partner in this. Do you want to have an extravagant wedding party with more than 300 guests or planning to go for a wedding with only your family and friends; you should plan your wedding likewise. Consider the reachable percentage of the venue location, how late the party will go, and how long the traditions and speeches will take. What time should the dinner be served and when to open the cocktail party – all these details make the collective experience of your wedding day.Do you want to hire a photographer?
9 out of 10 people will give a big yes to this answer. I mean, who doesn't want their precious moments captured forever? And it is also very important to hire a photographer that has a good reputation and who knows how to capture moments as they occur. Having an organized timeline will give you better opportunities for gorgeously created photos and an unforgettable wedding day experience by large.Enjoyment - at what scale do you keep it?
We know that all the details and planning to make everything perfect is so much important to you –but where is all the fun? You should be enjoying your wedding day to the utmost. Remember, it only happens once and goes by just like that. So the basic cause of making a timeline should be optimizing your time to retrieve enjoyment from every minute of your day.The last thing you want would be your guests getting bored and yawning while waiting for it to be over. Of course, you want everyone happy on your big day. An amazing timeline can help your wedding to go with a good flow, allow your guests to have a good time, and get involved with the celebrations. It can help you achieve a wedding day that’ll be remembered by your guests for years.
Once you know the answers to these questions, it is time to construct a timeline for your wedding. Oh and don’t forget to keep your partner in while you plan.
Here is two awesome wedding timelines for the wedding that starts at 4 pm.
TIMELINE WITH FIRST LOOK
proven experience12:00 pm Photography Coverage Begins
12:15 Bride Gets Dressed
12:45 Bride’s First Look With Dad
1:00 Bridal Portraits & Bride And Bridesmaid Portraits
1:30 Groom Final Preparations Groom’s Details And Getting Ready Images
2:00 Groom + Groomsmen Portraits
2:30 The First Look Bride And Groom Portraits
3:15 Bridal Party Photos
3:45 Hide Bride Away
4:00 Ceremony
4:30 Family Photos | Cocktail Hour Begins
4:50 Bride & Groom Portraits
5:15 Photograph Reception Room Before Guests Enter
5:30 Reception Begins
5:40 Grand Entrance & First Dance
5:45 Dinner Is Served
6:25 Toasts
6:50 Special Dances
7:10 Open Dancing
7:20 Cake Cutting
7:35 Bouquet And Garter Toss
7:55 Night Portraits
8:00 pm Photography Coverage Concluded
TIMELINE WITHOUT FIRST LOOK
traditional1:00 pm Photography Coverage Begins
1:15 Bride Gets Dressed
1:45 Bride’s First Look With Dad
2:00 Bridal Portraits & Bride And Bridesmaid Portraits
2:30 Groom Final Preparations Groom’s Details And Getting Ready Images
3:00 Groom + Groomsmen Portraits
3:30 Bridal Party Photos
3:45 Family Photos
4:00 Ceremony
4:30 Family Photos | Cocktail Hour Begins
5:00 Bride & Groom Portraits
6:15 Photograph Reception Room Before Guests Enter
6:30 Reception Begins
6:40 Grand Entrance & First Dance
6:45 Dinner Is Served
7:25 Toasts
7:50 Special Dances
8:10 Open Dancing
8:20 Cake Cutting
8:35 Bouquet And Garter Toss
8:55 Night Portraits
9:00 pm Photography Coverage Concluded
SMOOTH DAY CHECKLIST
- Identify how you want to experience your wedding day.
- Clarify how you want your guests to experience your wedding day.
- Identify how important wedding photography is in comparison to everything else.
- Identify if you will be having a bridal party and how many are on each side.
- Figure out if you want to see each other before the ceremony.
- Remember multiple locations require more photography time.
- Consider a day after the session if the bride & groom portraits are they really important.
- Coordinate with your photographer's decisions.
- Look up what time the sun sets on your wedding day.
- Consult with your planner for your perfect wedding schedule.
- Consult with your photographer on the timeline.
- Consult with your venue coordinator.
- Send a shot list of any family groupings to your photographer.
- Choose a close friend to assist the photographer during formal groupings.
- Plan for Bride and Groom pictures to be taken after the ceremony.
- Communicate more with your vendors to prevent any conflicts.
- Send your timeline to all the vendors to get everything in time.
- Request vendor meals to be served as the guests receive their meals.
- Identify a start and end time for photography coverage.
- Don’t let your reception start too late. Keep a good flow for your guests and family.