I'm having trouble figuring out my day of timeline

Do you have a hair and makeup artist and/or a photographer? They’re the ones who will set up your timeline because they’ll know how long they’ll need to get you ready and get through the list of photos you request. Depending on how quickly your hair and makeup person can work (or you if you’re doing that yourself) and how many people need services, starting at noon for a 4:30 ceremony especially with pics in between might be a really tight turnaround. But if they have assistants and can do multiple people at one time, that’s different. Just for reference, my getting ready pics start at 4:30, and my hair and makeup artist (solo, no assistant) is coming over to do me and two bridesmaids at 10:40. So definitely rely on the professionals to tell you what to do here!

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Thank you so much! this was really helpful. What should l do about the timeline for the rest of the day? like after ceremony starts?

View Quoted Comment For the ceremony, are you using a “professional” officiant or a family member who hasn’t officiated a wedding before? The ceremony timeline is really up to you and whether you’ll be adding readers, and unity ceremony, etc, so that you can just find plenty of lists online. But if you have a professional officiant, they’ll also be able to make suggestions. The ceremony goes so quickly, it’s really more of an order of events than a precise timeline.


Since you’re not doing a first look, I’m assuming you’ll want to take formal photos with FH in between the ceremony and reception. This usually lasts about an hour, so you’ll probably want to include a cocktail hour with drinks and appetizers for your guests while you’re doing the pictures.

And then for the reception, your venue/catering team should also be able to give you some idea of when food service is. Then from there you can look at schedules online (depending on how long your reception is) and tailor everything from there. Again, it’ll depend on optional events that not everyone does (garter toss, dollar dance, toasts) and any restrictions your venue has (like a cutoff time for the bar). There’s a general order of events, but really that comes down to what works for you and your venue.

I saw this posted below your thread...

A Wedding Day Timeline Template & Rules to Follow (weddingwire.com)

Have you talked to your vendors yet, because making timelines is part of their job description. Your day of coordinator, photographer, and beauty team can all help you out based on the time that your ceremony starts and when you are allowed to enter the venue.

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Wonderfull! thank you so much!

There's a really easy timeline maker that you can use... you enter in your details and then hit 'Create' and it makes you a custom-to-the-minute timeline for your wedding day. It's pretty easy! I don't know if I can link to it here but it's Best Wedding Timeline (dot com). Hope it helps.

View Quoted Comment Thank you so much!

Jordon, this was confusing for me as well. I received a timeline given to us from our wedding coordinator at the time we booked our venue. It isn't set in stone but is based on what works BEST for the Chefs and the Kitchen Staffing. It can be rearranged, though personally, I don't want to disrupt my vendors from what they are accustomed to and already know what works best.

As we get closer to the wedding date now, I have found that the timeline works best going backwards. Either from the Ceremony itself, OR if you are having a first look, then you would go backwards from THAT, and NOT the ceremony. This is solely for the time allotted for hair and makeup, if having that done. Hair and makeup also take into account how many ladies are getting services done. Here is my timeline (at least what is set in stone) Working backwards.

(Notes: Hair and makeup typically allow one hour for each lady getting services done, if getting BOTH hair and makeup)

My ceremony: 430pm.

My first look (With Fiancé, which is a longer amount of time given than if having first look with father, mother, cousin- etc.): 3pm.

I as the bride am to be fully makeup'd and hair did/done by 2pm. Stepping into my attire ideally between 2pm and 2:30pm. (Allotting some extra time for nerves, malfunctions, photos of gown and veil hanging, whatever, etc.)

I do not have a wedding party but have three special women who have opted to get their hair and makeup done for the day as well.

Working backwards-

One gets appointment at: 9:50am, One is at 10:50am, One is at 11:50am and I am the last done in small intervals up to that point if doable, or just starting around noon.

Our Photographers based their arrivals on this as well. (The ceremony start time, OR a first look if doing one and working backwards, and this too depends on if you have a wedding party, what your budget allows you, or if you even want tons of "getting ready" photos. I opted for less of those, more of the ceremony and reception. Easy as well, with no wedding party)

Photographers arrive - 2 pm. One will capture photos of father, fiancé, fil, etc. getting ready, the venue decor, the ceremony decor, etc.- while the other will capture photos of myself getting into my gown, accessories, hugs, cards, kisses, the rings, the invites, the gown hanging, etc.)

Videographer arrives at 2pm as well.

Someone mentioned a custom timeline link, that helps you to get a jest, for sure! I used it as well - months back to ease my mind.

Though the final decisions are based most typically on what YOU want and prefer first, (Tons of photos of girls getting ready? Less of that and more time spent at ceremony and reception. Hours you've hired photographer/ videographer for)- first looks, then.... the vendors should help you to decide.