Help!! Which Timeline Seems Better?

I like timeline 2 better, I would definitely have dinner first. One thing I would switch around is having the introduction of bride & groom before dinner (since you're going to have to enter the reception to eat lol). You don't have to do the first dance at that time, you could still wait until after dinner!

I'd also say that 8:30 might be a little late for sunset photos in May. Our date the sunset is supposed to be at 7:30, but the sun starts setting about half an hour before it actually sets (this is the time given for sunset if you're on a weather app or something). If you're not sure, start watching the sunset leading up to the wedding day. I've noticed the sun setting 20-30 minutes before the sun actually disappears. There's still daylight for about 30-45 minutes until it gets dark, but the "sunset" will be over. Just a thought!

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Thank you!! And I googled when the sun sets on 5/8/20 and it said 8:30, so thats why I put that in there.

I like timeline 2 better. It has a better flow for those wanting to get their party on.

I’d say somewhere in the middle. I think the first one has too much time before dinner, although what could work is to follow timeline 1 through the spotlight dances, then do dinner, and shift that first dancing block and bouquet toss to after dinner. ( I really don’t advise bouquet toss before dinner, I don’t think people are really in the mood’ yet).
In timeline 2 theres a bit of logistical confusion because being introduced after already cutting the cake together in front of everyone doesn’t make much sense to me....kind of a weird flow. Not that you need a big introduction to go into your first dance but I’d presume some sort of introduction into cake cutting first.



also quick thoughts — what’s happening between 9-10 am?

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What's happening between 9-10am is the preparation for getting ready, making sure everything we need is out an accessible, breakfast, coffee & mimosas. It says it right in there.

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And in your experience, when you do dinner first, don't people tend to leave before the night is over because they're fed and full? that's why I set it up that way..

Somewhere in the middle. I don’t think the bouquet and garter toss should come early in the evening. Toasts and dances make more sense to happen that early but not the “fun” stuff. People typically stay for that and usually the cake cutting is the “signal” that things are wrapping up. If you’re serving food at the cocktail hour, that should hold people over for at least another 45 minutes to an hour to allow to buffer certain things in before the opening of dinner.

I think timeline 2 flows better because cutting dances tends to kill the mood. Just a couple of comments on the timeline.
- Are you doing 3 hours pictures pre ceremony with just bridesmaids and family? Seems like a lot.
- If you’re having buffet I think there should be more time before toast start. 15 minutes just doesn’t seem enough as guest are still getting their food or are in the middle of shewing. Give it at least 30 minutes. Cake cutting doesn’t take more than 5 minutes so you have some room to giggle there.
- If you do the second timeline you can do intros before dinner is serve and just walk in to the room. Then after cake cutting you’ll do dances. Seems odd to be introduce as husband and wife when you’re already in the room with them.

The rest is great!

View Quoted Comment Gotcha— just wasn’t sure what “prep” entailed. We got ready at a salon so it was more of a show up and get started 😝, but hanging and breakfasting sounds nice !

Your question about dinner early and guests filling up and heading out is interesting cuz it got me thinking about recent weddings I attended. I feel like earlier eating is pretty common, and haven’t had the experience of people leaving after dinner— feels like after dinner is where the party really picks up! (Plus I gotta dance to work off that dinner haha)...but in the last couple years I can think of 2 where we had a round of dancing before dinner which in the moment I loved as it was all energizing and fun and was nice to give some space between feedings after cocktail hour. But at both weddings, I feel like the dancing didn’t really pick up the same way after dinner, at least not among the crowd I was with. It was definitely partly music-related , so that was all DJ or the couples’ specific choices — we didn’t leave! Just spent more time mingling than dancing after dinner ...though I would’ve danced if I was feeling the music! My wedding had early dinner and plenty of dancing the rest of the night — no one left right after dinner. But, may be a ‘know your crowd’ thing for sure. I have heard of people talking about doing cake cutting later with hopes that no one leaves before the cake is cut (lolol, we skipped cake altogether, maybe that’s why no one left early 🤣)

#2 is definitely better! You don't want people there for over 4 hours without food. Lol. I'd get cranky. The only suggestions I have are to give yourself some grace time getting ready. Life if you expect it to take 1 1/2 hours to get ready, give yourself 2 hours. I don't know if you already accounted for that, just wanted to suggest. I readjusted my getting ready time several times because I couldn't figure out how much time to give us. Lol. And the other suggestion is to shorten the amount of time between the ceremony and the receiving line if you are having the ceremony and reception at the same place. If they are at different places or it's a bit of a walk this is a mute point, but my ceremony and reception are at the same place and people would be bored wondering what they are supposed to do sitting there for 15 minutes lol.

I think having dinner 15 minutes after cocktail hour ends is a little soon. I know I wouldn't be ready for more food yet.

In this little section of timeline I would maybe change it to something more like:

5:00 p.m. -Cocktail Hour / Post Ceremony Photos

6:15 p.m. - Introduction of Bride & Groom/First Dance
6:30 p.m. -Toasts

6:45 p.m. - Buffet opens / Dinner served
7:30 p.m. - Father/Daughter & Mother/Son Dances

7:45 p.m. - Cake Cutting

7:55 p.m. -Bouquet/Garter Toss
8:10 p.m. -Dancing

I like the first one where the dancing starts right away. I just went to a wedding that had everyone come to the dance floor at the end of the couples first dance to join them and had everyone get up between courses to dance as well and I really really liked that we kept moving. It can get a little boring if you’re in your seat to long, good to keep people entertained.
My only concern for you is, is 2 hours enough times for hair and makeup?? Yours alone will probably take close to two hours. How many other people are getting it done? I would add some buffer time in their just to be safe

Definitely the 1st one!

View Quoted Comment Yeah I didn't even think of that! 2 hours may not be enough time to do hair/makeup and as you said, how many are getting done? Buffer time sounds fantastic! I agree..

After reading all the comments so far, I have to say my opinion is kind of in the middle. Yes, I think you may need more than 2 hours for everyone to get ready, especially if your BMs are getting pro hair and makeup. But then later, I think you have too much time slotted for pre-ceremony pics. If you aren't doing a first look, and are only getting the family photos and separate wedding party photos pre-ceremony, you won't need 3 hours. Maybe you can take an hour (or even two) from that part of the day, and add it to the getting ready in the morning part of the day.

As for later in the day, I think timeline #2 does it better. It's not cool to make your guests wait until close to 8pm for dinner, when they've attended a ceremony at 3:30pm. If you're in one location for ceremony and reception, you don't need 15 minutes in between ceremony and receiving line--that can start immediately after the recession. So, just little tweaks here and there to the timeline. Overall, I think #2 is a much better timeline, for guests and for you! I also agree with someone here who said that you should move the B&G intro to the reception up to earlier, right after cocktail hour/remaining photos end. You can either go into your first dance at that point (while guests get seated for dinner), or you can do the dance after you eat. After could actually make for a nice segue into the opening of the dance floor. I'm sure you'll figure out what's best. Good luck!!

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- i am not doing 3 hours of pictures, I just didn't include traveling times and possible emergencies. I left about an hour or so in case something happened to prevent a delayed ceremony.

- We're only expecting 100 people or so, so I assumed 15 minutes would be plenty as all we are having is pasta, salad and Texas Roadhouse rolls. But I will definitely do some more calculations on it.

- Thanks!

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I've never been to a wedding where the cake cutting was a signal that things are "wrapping up". Is that culture based? I'm not familiar with it

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The reason I put 15 minutes between the ceremony and receiving line is because I wanted to make sure everyone will get to where they're supposed to be and line up so guests can start forming a line themselves. But I've obviously never been married before and don't really know how things like that work, so I wanted to give enough time instead of not enough time. You know? lol

View Quoted Comment Totally understand! I am also completely clueless with this wedding stuff and flying by the seat of my pants!😂 I mean and really the timeline isn’t exact. So if you got line up sooner, the receiving line might over sooner so that wouldn’t be a bad thing.

View Quoted Comment Wrapping up as it’s dessert. People get coffee etc. and shortly after whether that’s an hour, half hour or 90 minutes later the wedding will be concluding. Not sure it’s cultural or just American but the weddings I’ve attended from different races all ended about a hour or 90 minutes or so after the cake cutting.