Day Of Timeline

Talk to your photographer, caterer, and hair and makeup artist, they’ll be able to tell you how much time they need for things to happen. Our photographer made the bulk of our timeline based on how much time different types of photos would take and I just fill in when other vendors would arrive and talked to my hair and makeup artist for how much time they need to have us ready by the time the photographer needed to start.

Here to second what Liz said. My photographer made a general timeline schedule for me based on what time my ceremony is and the fact I want a first look done etc. based on the time he needs I told my hair/ makeup person what time I need to be ready and she’ll tell me based on what I want done/ how many people I need services for what time we’ll start. My caterer though I told what time cocktail hour/dinner is so he’ll just come the time he knows he’ll need to set up. Plus we hired a ray of coordinator and they tend to really be “month of” coordinators so she’ll be talking to our caterer, DJ etc month of to figure out what time they should be there

*day of coordinator. Typo lol

Here’s our tentative schedule, which was approved/looked at by our officiant, photographer, and caterer. We plan to take some photos before our 3:30pm ceremony, and, as we don’t have a day of coordinator or wedding planner, we’ve allotted time to set-up decor.

-Wedding Day Schedule-

9:00am

• Hair/makeup appointments begin at nearby salon

10:00am

• Flowers arrive at reception

11:00am

• Bride and bridesmaids go to the reception space to decorate, if not done during rehearsal the night before

• Brunch

1:00pm

• Bride and bridesmaids are hair/makeup ready

• Go to the nearby church

• Photographer arrives

1:10pm

• Decorate pews, if not done at the rehearsal the night before

1:30pm

• Photos of bride and bridesmaids’ champagne toast

• Photos of groom getting ready

• Bridesmaids get dressed

2:00pm

• Photos of accessories and bride getting ready

• Bride gets into dress

• Photos of bride inside the church

2:15pm

• Photos of bride and father (in lieu of first look)

• Photos of bride and bridesmaids and/or her family outside the church

2:40pm

• Bride tucked away to freshen up before guests arrive

2:45pm

• Photos of groom and groomsmen outside church

3:05pm

• Groom tucked away to freshen up while guests arrive

• Photographer captures ceremony details and/or guests arriving

3:30pm

• Ceremony starts

3:50pm

• Ceremony ends, photographer captures ribbon sendoff

• Bride, groom, wedding party, and immediate family wait, all other guests leave for cocktail hour

• Photos of bride and groom and/or wedding party in/outside the church

4:00pm

• Cocktail hour begins at nearby reception

• Photos of families with bride and groom at nearby gazebo/park

4:15pm

• Families leave for cocktail hour

• Photos of wedding party with bride and groom at nearby gazebo/park

4:30pm

• Wedding party leaves for cocktail hour

• Photos of bride and groom at nearby gazebo/park, clock tower, and/or area overlooking the Missouri River

5:00pm

• Bride, groom and photographer head to reception venue

• Bustle dress

5:10pm

• Bride and groom make grand entrance at reception

5:15pm

• First dance

• Father/daughter dance

• Mother/son dance

5:25pm

• Welcome toast

5:30pm

• First course, if available

• Toasts/speeches

• Main entrée

6:30pm

• Cake cutting

7:00pm

• Anniversary dance (in lieu of bouquet toss)

7:15

• Golden hour/sunset photos of bride and groom on the golf course

8:00pm

• Dancing

10:00pm?

• Reception ends