5 Items to Include In Your Wedding Timeline

Stacy Derek Married - Carissa Woo Photography-124.jpg

The biggest job we have as planners is to create a Wedding Day timeline for our couples. This includes everything from the beginning of the day when Brides typically get ready, all the way till the end of vendor’s break-down time after you’ve left the venue.

I honestly LOVE putting together timelines for my couples - just a knack I’ve had planning events for myself, friends and family over the years. But lots of times, couples don’t take into consideration what to add into the timeline, and for good reason - you’ve never been married before! Here are the 5 things you should consider adding to your wedding day timeline that you probably didn’t think of.

1. Getting Ready Photos

Mornings on the wedding day can be pretty hectic, but also fun! We love suggesting to our couples to have getting ready photos done so that you have these moments saved. You’ll be with your best friends and family getting ready on one of the biggest days of your life, so there’s bound to be some joy and laughter in the process. If you are planning on gifting your party some robes or gift boxes, this would be a great opportunity to capture it!

2. Personal Florals Delivered to your Getting Ready Location

This is one our couples often don’t consider, but that’s okay because that’s why we are here! We always suggest talking to your florist first before finalizing your order to make sure delivery to your hotel, home or Airbnb can be included on your wedding day. Some florists might charge extra for this depending on mileage and other factors, so it’s always better to be prepared beforehand than to find out later. You also definitely want photos with your Bouquets and Boutonnieres while getting ready, so this is one to think about!

3. Marriage License Signing

If you are planning on having your wedding day to be the same day as your legal married date, you’ll need to add this detail into the timeline. Because of COVID, we saw a lot of couples get legally married first (signing papers) and then celebrate on a separate date.

One way to figure out when to do this during the day is to decide whether or not you want to do a First Look. If you do opt to do a First Look, then we suggest signing the document before your ceremony. But if you prefer to first see each other during the ceremony (no First Look shoot) then we recommend signing the document after the ceremony.

4. Welcome Speech

Adding a welcome speech into your Reception Timeline is a great way to start off the dinner portion of your reception. We recommend asking a parent to help with this if you do not wish to do it yourselves. This way they can thank all the guests for attending and celebrating with you, and then finish off the speech with a toast as well as introduce dinner service.

5. Sunset Photos

This is probably one of our favorite things to suggest to our couples, again - because they might not be thinking of it. When putting together your timeline, we always find out what the estimated sunset time will be on the wedding day. If you choose to add getting photos done during this time, then we’ll add this block into your wedding day and make sure to fit it into your photographer’s scheduled service hours. They make for such great shots from the wedding day too!

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to your wedding day timeline. Talk to each other to figure out what is important to you for your wedding day, then consult with your planner or coordinator to figure out the best way to execute it. It’s your special day and we want to help make it happen!