Wedding timeline

I recommend watching YouTube videos about it

My photographer made our timeline. Definitely helped because I was lost.

I made my timeline from multiple sites. I took ideas from each of the timelines I saw.


We started with when the wedding would start and when it will end, and filled in the rest from websites saying how long each task takes.
For example the ceremony takes from 20 to 30 minutes. We figured on 30 minutes because we are writing our own vows. Then cocktail hour is well and hour and then the reception follows after that.
I'd just look up how long each task will take and go from there.
I hope this helps.

Ask your vendors because they make timelines as part of the job description

I would recommend speaking with your vendors. They should be able to help guide you. Our venue coordinator, photographer, hair stylist and makeup artist helped us. Our venue coordinator scheduled when the ceremony would begin then based cocktail hour starting 30 minutes after that since most ceremony last approximately 30 minutes which gave us the time for the reception to begin since cocktail hour was 1 hour. She also was also able to help us decide when the dances would be, cake cutting, etc. based on a Word document she had us fill out. After we knew all of that, we spoke with our photographer and she was able to tell us when we needed to be ready prior to the ceremony for the photos we wanted in advance then I told our hair stylist and makeup artist and they were able to create a schedule for when each girl needed to arrive for hair and makeup in order to be ready by the time our photographer told us.

Ask your vendors. They may be able to make timelines for you. Our coordinator made ours

As others have recommend, ask your vendors! But also, know what you want to prioritize, also know what time your ceremony will start and what time you're expecting the reception to end.

Our ceremony is at 5p, and I honestly expect to be done by 10p because FH and I are early to bed kind of people.

With that in mind I plan on doing a first look to try and get as many pictures done before the ceremony as possible, and I'm hoping to do that around 2/3, so I have to be ready before that. After the ceremony we'll have an hour for cocktail hour and extended family pictures (plus some of us as just married )

Contact your photographer & see. Our photographer even gave us a start time so we wouldn’t miss the sunset pics.

I agree with the others--I would ask your vendors for sample timelines of weddings they've done in the past! The three most important vendors we had to consult with for our timeline were our band, caterer, and photographer.

Hey, i actually just readjusted my timeline. It’s gone through several edits in the last 13 months but I believe this is as close to the final result as I can get until I get closer to the date.

View Quoted Comment Thank you so much !!

View Quoted Comment You’re welcome!

We worked ours out with our photographer and officiant based on the times that cocktail hour and the reception would start. Your photographer is your best bet with planning out how much time things will take. They’ve seen a lot and know how much time they need for photos you want.