If you’re a big believer in spontaneity—or you’re struggling to stay on top of your planning—you may find yourself questioning the value of creating a detailed wedding timeline.

We can tell you from experience that in most cases, a good wedding timeline is a sanity saver for both you and everyone who will play a part in your wedding.

Think of all of the businesses that will have a role in your wedding, from your professional planner and florist to your venue and photographer. And what about your wedding party members, family, and friends? Unless you provide them with guidance, you have a recipe for confusion, frustration, and awkward moments. 

A timeline helps everyone know what to expect—and what’s expected of them. It allows your wedding professionals to plan effectively, and it helps ensure your wedding party members will be ready on time.

And even though a timeline is an investment in, well, time, it returns the hours you put into it with interest. Not only does it bring order to a potentially hectic and chaotic day, but it also can remind you of details you hadn’t thought of and spark creative ideas as you create it.

So, go ahead and start your timeline. You can use the tips and suggestions we’re sharing here to get you started.

Break Down Your Day

Start by listing the key activities and moments that will take place during your wedding day: from when you get up to the moment you and your partner make your grand exit as a married couple. This could include an early morning walk, meals, getting dressed, photo sessions, your first dance… everything that will take place.

These items will be the building blocks of your timeline.

After You Identify Your ‘What’ Consider Your ‘Who’

Don’t limit your planning to you and your partner. Identify the people who will have a role in your day, from your parents and bridal party to your vendors, and what they’ll be doing, so you can add them to your timeline.

Specify the times and locations each person will need, from the time you’d like your bridesmaids in your dressing room to have their hair and makeup done to when your father will need to be in place to walk you down the aisle.

You’ll need to do the same for your vendors, from your officiant to your caterer. Specify arrival times and windows of time they’ll have to complete specific tasks.

Seek Input

By now, you may be thinking, I have no idea when my ushers should start ushering or my videographer should arrive!

You don’t have to figure all of this out on your own. If you’re working with a planner, they can work with you to develop your timeline, or at least give you a feel for how much time to block off for key moments and activities.

You also can seek advice from your venue, which probably has seen a wedding or two in their time, and your vendors. Service providers like florists and make-up artists can help, too, by providing a feel for what they do on the day of the wedding and, roughly, how long they expect it to take to set up your flower arrangements, set up your food stations, or get you made up.

You also can ask friends and family for insights based on their recent weddings.

Schedule Extra Time Between Events

Be sure to allow some wiggle room in your timeline between key events. Trying to schedule things back-to-back leaves no room for even small delays.

Leave at least 15-30 minutes between the ceremony and reception start time. This prevents stress in case the ceremony runs long, and it allows time for your wedding party to relocate and for guests to drive to the reception venue.

A Timeline Is More Than a Schedule

The more detail you can build into your timeline, the better.

Your DJ, for example, not only will your deejay know when to bring their equipment to your venue, they’ll need to know where they should set up and who they’ll need to coordinate with at your venue. Later, because they’ll probably be your emcee, too, they’ll need to know when your reception starts, when people will eat, when the first dance will be, and the timing for the other key moments of the day.

So as you block off times for people and businesses, be specific. An example might be, 4 p.m.: The videographer arrives, loads their equipment through the side entrance, and checks in with the venue manager.

Include names, if you have them, and people’s contact information.

Consider Logistics

If you plan to have your ceremony and reception in different locations, don’t forget to block off time for people to travel, park, and freshen up before your cocktail hour or reception.

As you plan for vendors, be specific in your timeline, especially if they’ll have roles at both locations. Maybe your planner and florist, for example, will have to-dos before your ceremony and your reception.

Don’t expect everything to run on schedule

Your planning will help keep your day on track—to a point. Life happens. People run late. Technology fails to cooperate, and activities can stop aligning with the timeframe you had in mind. So, to prevent stress, and a chain reaction of delayed events, build buffers of five or 10 minutes into your timeline. And try to keep your sense of humor.

Plan with Photography in Mind

As you create the day’s itinerary, note the moments and activities you’d like your photographer (and possibly your videographer) to capture.

You’ll be able to use that information to make a shot list, complete with the people in want included. Working from your timeline will save you time and simplify your planning.

Plan With Children in Mind, Too

If you’d like children to attend, or participate in your wedding, you might want to block off times to make food, quiet time, and activities available to them. That will help prevent moments of “hangriness” and tantrums and ensure they have a better time.

Plan Activities to Keep Guests Engaged

Your guests will appreciate some guidance on how to spend their time, especially during long gaps between wedding events. If you have a few hours between your ceremony and reception, provide suggestions in your wedding program for local attractions or activities to keep guests occupied.

Or consider scheduling lawn games, providing lounge areas, or hiring roaming entertainers to amuse and engage your guests during downtime. You could also set up a hospitality table with snacks and non-alcoholic beverages for mingling and refreshment. Avoid leaving your guests wondering what to do by planning activities to fill the lulls in your wedding day timeline.

The Bell Tower on 34th, a Houston wedding venue near Conroe, TX, is the perfect setting for a fairy tale wedding. Our elegant venue, featuring a grand staircase and a beautiful garden setting, has spaces for both large and for small weddings.

Learn more about holding a wedding here.