Are you getting a ton of input from multiple directions for how you should plan and execute your wedding day?! If only everyone realized that it is YOUR wedding day, are we right?!

But just know, their hearts are in the right place (even if we sometimes want to go in another room and scream into our pillows), and your friends and family just want to make sure that your wedding day runs smoothly, and so do we! So, we are here with another piece of input for you to consider… we are sharing with you the different professionals you should converse with when planning your wedding day timelines. That’s right, we said timelines…as in plural! You have one overall wedding day timeline, but that timeline will be broken up into four sections…a Personal, Photography, Ceremony, and Reception Timeline! If you are anything like us and LOVE LISTS…this will make you take a deep breath of relief!

 

#1 Personal Timeline

Venue. Wedding Planner. Hair & Makeup.

 

When planning your wedding day, you want to carve out some me time and have your personal plan set so you have the most enjoyable stress-free time.

Your venue may have a special schedule they follow, depending on specific calendar dates or days of the week. Check in with them to be sure that you know exactly when you are able to arrive on your wedding day, and when you and your guests need to depart! These times are crucial for the rest of your wedding day since all other timelines will rely on the availability of your venue!

If you have a wedding planner, he/she will be a great resource for you! They often have a lot of experience with multiple venues and they can share with you what runs smoothly for most weddings! Once the availability is confirmed, you’ll be set to chart the course of your entire day. It’s at this starting point you will be able to arrange the necessary preparations and important events in a sequence that makes sense logically, while also allowing you to stay calm, cool, and collected throughout!

Hair and Makeup is another biggie. It is important to have a plan with your hair and makeup artist on site so that your timeline does not run over, and it is important to stick to that plan! Adding additional people in for hair and makeup can really push everything back and cause an uncomfortable situation. For our brides, we share an email template they can send to their hair and makeup team prior to their wedding day, sharing the specific details and absolute end times required to stay on schedule! With this, your artist can determine what time your hair and makeup services need to start! Easy Breezy.

 

#2 Your Photography Timeline

Your Photographers

As professional wedding photographers, we strongly believe in the First Look Timeline! Why? Here’s the nitty-gritty…less stress. more time. more laughter. more images of you and your partner. happier bridal party…

Want to find out more, head on over to our blog, “Should I Have a First Look on My Wedding Day?” and solve the debate!

OF COURSE, the entire creative team of vendors is important and should be considered when discussing your day, but you share a part of that investment with your photographers, and it is their (our) job to provide you with breathtaking images that catch all the emotion, joy, love, family, and fun on your wedding day! While the most beautiful wedding day photographs may look effortless, there is a great deal of time that goes into creating those amazing images. In order to do that as stress-free as possible, and allow for your photographers to be more than just the people behind the camera, it is important they have a say in your wedding day timeline. They are the professionals when it comes to lighting, finding the perfect location, and knowing exactly when you should have your portraits taken for the most elegant and magical photographs.

All weddings are different, and we respect the wishes of our brides and grooms, but it is our job to educate each of them on the most effective and enjoyable way to have the images they desire for their wedding day! Your photographer can plan your timeline for you from the moment you step out of your hair and make up chair until the beginning of your reception, something you can scratch off your wedding planning to-do list! So, before finalizing your wedding day timeline, check in with your photographer to see what they have to say! We provide a personalized timeline for each of our MaeWood couples, but you can check out an example of some in this post! A month before your wedding, we send out a detailed questionnaire to get all the information we need, but when it comes to creating the perfect wedding photography timeline. We just need to know when the ceremony starts and how many people will be in your family portraits, identify when sunset is on your wedding date, and we can take it from there!

With a first look timeline, your photographers will take bride and groom portraits earlier in the day so that you have your couple photographs taken care of prior to the ceremony and reception. This allows you to have more time to enjoy your wedding celebration! As the sun is setting, your photographers might steal you away for a quick 15-20 minute husband and wife portrait session with that beautiful golden hour glow. We know we do!! This way, our couples can also have the portraits they always dreamed of, without staying away from their guests and their cocktail hour!

 

#3 Your Ceremony Timeline

Officiant. Venue. Wedding Planner

The ceremony timeline is really just for your planning sanity. Again, if you are like us, you need to break down every part of your day! Check with your venue and wedding planner to see if there are any restrictions, plan with your Officiant so he/she knows when to arrive, and choose what you would like to happen during your ceremony! This timeline should be the easiest and shortest during the day, so take a sigh of relief! Some things you can think about when planning your ceremony include:

• Do you want traditional vows or would you both prefer to write your own?
• Do you want anyone to do a reading? (family member, friend, super cool childhood neighbor?!)
• Do you want to include a unity tradition? (handfasting, unity candle, sand pouring, etc.)

 

#4 Your Reception Timeline

Your DJ

We stressed so much about the reception timeline at our own wedding, and we’re not sure why. It is just supposed to be fun, right? Your DJ has a ton of experience with planning out receptions. Be sure to get a DJ that is fun, personable, and who can take control so you don’t have to worry one bit, you can just dance the night away! Think about what you want to include, and you can even ask your DJ for a list of common practices so you can just pick from them!