Wedding day timeline

This timeline sounds fine. For a reception starting at 6:00, I would have the end time between 10:00 and 11:00. As far as when to start getting ready, that is something you can ask your HMUA and photographer about. Our photographer provided us with a day of timeline. We had 7 girls getting hair and/or makeup and our HMUA arrived at 9:00 a.m. for our 5:30 p.m. wedding. However, we had to be done with HMU by 3:30 for our first look and pre-wedding photos.

I would start with your photographer- they can give you a timeline as you want to get the best photo ops for daylight. Ask your makeup artist how much time they’ll need. My makeup artist gave me a start time for each lady with the times my photographer gave me.

I agree about talking with your photographer -- they can help you understand what the natural light will most likely be in your location on your date (e.g., time of sunset, angle of the sun at various points in the afternoon, etc.). With that information you'll be able to make an informed decision about your preferred timing for the ceremony, reception, etc. Once you have a pretty good idea about those times, then talk with your HMUA about how early you'll need to begin services. You might also talk with your caterer about how your preferred timeline will work for them -- they might have suggestions regarding the timing of the cocktail hour and dinner service -- and your DJ, they should have good experience managing a timeline and may have suggestions for the timing of things like highlight dances, cake cutting, etc. With all the input/feedback, you should be in good shape to make a final detailed timeline.

FWIW -- for daughter's winter wedding in CA, the expected time of sunset was 5:15. Their ceremony began at 3:30, followed by cocktail hour from 4-5 (allowing them to take photos just before sunset). The wedding party lined up and entered the reception right around 5:15 -- at twilight. By the time the B&G finished their first dance and were seated, it was completely dark outside. Their reception ended at 10 pm. Good luck!

I'm planning on my timeline being pretty similar to what you said. Also a June outdoor wedding with the ceremony starting at 5pm (not quite sunset but it's a bit cooler) which probably won't actually start until 5:10-5:15. Cocktail hour from 5:45-6:45 and reception from 6:45 to 11. I'm having 7 girls getting hair and make up done and the HMUA suggested we start at 10am to finish around 2:30pm for getting ready photos and our first look.

As others have mentioned, I would ask your HMUA artist how long they will need and talk to your photographer about how much time they would need for getting ready photos. Then start with your ceremony time and work backwards.

We got married at a hotel and our ceremony was in the lobby, cocktail hour in a "pre-function" area, and the reception was in the ballroom. Our hair stylist and makeup artist arrived at our venue at 8 am. We had 9 people for hair including two flower girls and one person that just got a blow out and 5 for makeup including two flower girls. Hair and makeup were done by 2 pm and everyone was dressed by 2:30 pm. We did separate bridal party photos, then a first look with my dad, and then my husband and I's first look. I was "hidden" from our guests by 3:45 pm and our ceremony started at 4:30 pm and was about 30 minutes. Cocktail hour started at approximately 5:00 pm. At 6:00 pm cocktail hour ended and the ballroom opened so guests could get to their seats. Our grand entrance was at 6:15 pm. Our reception ended at 10 pm. We had help from our venue, photographer, hair stylist, and makeup artist with creating our timeline so I would recommend speaking with your vendors because they should be able to guide you.

If you're doing a first look before the ceremony you want to try and have your hair and makeup done at least an hour and a half before the ceremony, and you want to give yourself 15 minutes between photos and the ceremony start so you can do any make-up touches and just absorb that you're getting ready to be married.

I used to work as an event coordinator for a venue and did about 35 weddings a year. We had people start hair and make-up around 10a, do a 1st look around 2:30, ceremony at 4:30, and dinner start by 5:45/6. Dinner itself takes about 45 minutes for under 150 people, but takes closer to an hour and 15 for more than that, just due to getting people through buffet lines.

Most of our events ended by about 10p and everyone had usually started clearing out by then.

A lot of your people who aren't big dancers will head out after the cake's been cut, or after the ceremonial dances if you cut the cake before those.

Theres a lot of template online you can find to create a wedding day timeline. But like everyone else has mentioned I'd probably start with your photographer, usually they can help create a timeline to make sure you get all the pictures you want as well!