I think its great you had everything so detailed and it worked out for you. However, there have been several weddings I worked where they had a strict timeline, first dance at 8:14pm, cake cutting at 9:58pm, etc and not one of them stayed on schedule. It definitely helps to have a coordinator or someone to make sure you are on schedule, but allow some time for things to fall behind. Our ceremony was scheduled to start at 6:15 but we knew it wouldnt start until closer to 6:30pm so we werent upset when we started late. It seems like you built in a good time around each part of your wedding and reception to allow for extra time :)
That is a lot of detail. Anybody else have two different ceremony start times? (One that's on the invitation and the website; the other being the one that the pastor and DOC know is really when it's going to start?) :) Our venue is easy to accidentally drive past so we're building in a small buffer.
I wish we had built in a little bit later start time to the wedding. By 3 pm, we left the bridal suite to go around to the front of the church for the entrance, and about 4 couples were still arriving (out of 150 that isn't too bad). If we had just waited like 5 minutes that would have been better.
We didn't really follow the reception timeline at all. That was more for us to just figure out the spacing of how long we would last. Once we were there we let the DJ handle everything.
The biggest help in the timeline was the morning portion. There was no way my mom would let the ceremony start late, so I knew we had to be on time (and pictures prior were important to me). We didn't really have a DOC keeping us on time but I made sure everyone knew the timeline so they knew when and where they were supposed to be (including photographer, etc).
I built in A LOT of buffer time. Plan on Murphys laws. Expect that things will take a lot longer than you expect and if something can go wrong it will. Again, my hair took a lot longer than expected and when I got home I needed a few minutes to sit and relax before getting ready. That added up to about an extra 30-45 minutes.
Also, keep in mind that tasks like loading into the limo, doesn't instantly happen. You and your BMs have to move outside, one by one get on the bus, load the luggage/purses/drinks/etc, and then someone will forget something and have to run back to get it.
Oh this is awesome! We also have a 3 pm ceremony, and I've been trying to work on our timeline this week.
Thank you, and congratulations!
i'm working in a small buffer too. hopefully people aren't too late! i hope to start 15 minutes later than what is on the invites.
Wow good for you! I don't know if I will be able to follow a time line ALL day long- but I admire you for doing so!!!
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BRIDE AGENDA
Shower and have breakfast
1.5 hrs
7:00 AM
8:30 AM
Drive to Salon
15 mins
8:45 AM
9:00 AM
Brides Hair
1.5 hrs
9:00 AM
10:30 AM
Brides Make Up
1 hr
10:30 AM
11:30 AM
BMs 1 & 2 get hair done
40 mins
9:30 AM
10:10 AM
BM's 3 & 4 get hair done
40 mins
10:10 AM
10:50 AM
BM's 5 & 6 get hair done
40 mins
10:50 AM
11:30 AM
Depart Salon
15 mins
11:30 AM
11:45 AM
Drive to House
15 mins
11:45 AM
12:00 PM
Get Dressed
45 mins
12:00 PM
12:45 PM
Toast/Pictures
30 mins
12:45 PM
1:15 PM
Bride portraits around house
15 mins
1:15 PM
1:30 PM
Limo/Vehicle Arrives
0 mins
1:30 PM
1:30 PM
Drive to church
10 mins
1:30 PM
1:40 PM
Bride Photos at Church
50 min
1:40 PM
2:30 PM
Bride goes into church to hide
5 mins
2:30 PM
2:35 PM
Hair/Make Up touchups
10 mins
2:40 PM
2:50 PM
Prepare for Processional
10 mins
2:50 PM
3:00 PM
GROOMS AGENDA
Get Dressed
30 mins
10:15 AM
10:45 AM
Toast/Pictures
15 mins
10:45 AM
11:00 AM
Groomsmen load cars to leave
5 mins
11:15 AM
11:20 AM
Drive to church
40 mins
11:20 AM
12:00 PM
Arrive at Church / get ready for pictures
10 mins
12:10 PM
12:20 PM
Pictures with Groomsmen at church
20 mins
12:20 PM
12:40 PM
Prictures with Grooms Family at church
40 mins
12:40 PM
1:20 PM
Groom goes into church to hide
5 mins
1:20 PM
1:25 PM
Groomsmen help seat guests
30 mins
2:30 PM
3:00 PM
Prepare for entrance
5 mins
2:55 PM
3:00 PM
CEREMONY
Guests arrive and are seated
20 mins
2:40 PM
3:00 PM
Processional
5 mins
3:00 PM
3:05 PM
Ceremony
20 mins
3:05 PM
3:25 PM
Ceremony Exit
20 mins
3:25 PM
3:45 PM
Guests Drive to Reception Site
30 mins
4:00 PM
4:30 PM
Cocktail Hour
1 hr
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
Bride/Groom Pictures at church
30 mins
4:00 PM
4:30 PM
Wedding Party Drives to Reception Site
30 mins
4:30 PM
5:00 PM
Wedding Party Pictures
30 mins
5:00 PM
5:30 PM
Wedding party goes to cocktail hour
0 mins
5:30 PM
5:30 PM
Bride and Groom pictures at reception site
20 mins
5:30 PM
5:50 PM
Bride and Groom go to waiting room (wait to be announced)
5 mins
5:50 PM
5:55 PM
Wedding Party is gathered for annoucement
5 mins
5:55 PM
6:00 PM
Wedding Party Announced
5 mins
6:00 PM
6:05 PM
First Dance
3 mins
6:05 PM
6:08 PM
Father Daughter Dance
3 mins
6:08 PM
6:11 PM
Mother Son Dance
3 mins
6:11 PM
6:14 PM
Guests Inivted to be seated
1 min
6:14 PM
6:15 PM
Guests find seats and relax
15 mins
6:15 PM
6:30 PM
Dinner is served
1 hr
6:30 PM
7:30 PM
Guests get plates from buffet and eat
40 mins
7:30 PM
8:10 PM
Speeches
15 mins
8:10 PM
8:25 PM
Dancing
30 mins
8:25 PM
8:55 PM
Cake Cutting
15 mins
8:55 PM
9:10 PM
Cake Served, Guests Eat/Mingle
15 mins
9:10 PM
9:25 PM
Dancing
30 mins
9:25 PM
9:55 PM
Bartenders stop service alcohol (continue with Soda/Water)
5 mins
9:55 PM
10:00 PM
Last 2 fast Dances
5 mins
10:00 PM
10:05 PM
Last 2 slow dance songs
5 mins
10:05 PM
10:10 PM
DJ invites guests to join outside for send off
0 mins
10:10 PM
10:10 PM
Guests gather their belongings and move outside
10 mins
10:10 PM
10:20 PM
Send Off
5 mins
10:20 PM
10:25 PM
This is the agenda that I used on my wedding day. It worked out really well, except we were late from the salon (as I guess most people are). I had done a hair and make up trial, but it still took long on the day of (one piece of hair wasn't cooperating). It was ok though because we had allowed enough time after the salon to relax at the house.
I am SO glad I had extra time built in around lunch time because my nerves were getting to me and I needed to sit down and rest and take everything in for a while.
Getting ready seriously takes about 45 minutes. Your photographer should photograph a lot of this and it takes a few minutes to get everyone situated for the shot.
Don't be afraid to share this timeline with everyone involved in your wedding. Even the groomsmen kinda laughed at me for being so crazy but I think they really did appreciate knowing where they were supposed to be.