The Ultimate Wedding Day Timeline: What Needs to Happen & When
Over the past 15+ years, I’ve planned hundreds of weddings and events, and if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s this: a solid timeline is the magic wand that makes wedding day chaos disappear (okay, mostly disappear—this isn’t Hogwarts).
What surprises most couples? It’s not just about the big stuff like ceremony and dinner times. The real secret? Including every little detail you can possibly think of. Trust me, your future self (and your vendors) will thank you.
Why a Detailed Timeline Matters
Some parts of your schedule—like the ceremony start time—are set in stone. That one decision will domino into cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. But outside of those fixed points, the rest? Totally customizable.
As a wedding planner, I create one master timeline, and then break it into custom mini timelines for the vendors who don’t need all of that information. Your hair and makeup team doesn’t need to know what time you’re cutting the cake. Your caterer, however, very much does.
How Vendor Contracts Affect Your Timeline
One of the biggest timeline mistakes I see? Couples not realizing how long vendors are actually booked for. Most venues, caterers, and DJs/bands stick to a 5-hour event contract, starting at the end of the ceremony.
Here's the usual breakdown:
30 minutes guest arrival, most guests will begin to arrive around 30 mins before ceremony
30 minutes for the ceremony (including guest arrival, processional & recessional)
1 hour for cocktail hour
4 hours for reception
Catering teams often include an extra 30 minutes before the ceremony for a welcome drink, giving them around 6 hours total. But that is usually more like a complementary bonus. If you choose not to have a pre-ceremony welcome drink, that doesn’t give you extra time to tack on to the end of the night.
PRO TIP: Want to extend the party? Most vendors charge extra for additional time—check your contracts and ask about overtime options!
Sample Wedding Day Timeline
Let’s say your ceremony starts at 4:30 PM. You can slide this timeline earlier or later based on your day, but the structure works for most weddings—just adjust based on your vendor agreements.
Morning Prep
7:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Hair & makeup (depends on bridal party size)
11:00 AM | Lunch will arrive for Wedding Party & Family
12:00 – 1:00 PM | Final touches for bride & VIPs
12:30 PM | All Boutonnieres to be pinned and personal flowers distributed
1:00 PM | Getting dressed (bride, groom, VIPs)
1:30 – 2:00 PM | First look (optional) + photo of bride and groom
2:00 – 2:45 PM | Wedding party photos
2:45 – 3:30 PM | Immediate Family photos
4:00 PM | Couple to go away out of sight
| Guests start arriving at ceremony - sign the marriage license
| Guests seated, wedding party lines up
4:30 PM | Ceremony begins
Post-Ceremony & Reception
5:00 PM | Ceremony ends, cocktail hour begins
5:00 – 5:15 PM | Couple sneaks away for private moment (or more photos)
| 2 Signature drinks, hors d’oeuvres and waters should be ready for them
5:20 PM | Any remaining family + group photos
5:45 PM | Photographer needs the reception space empty to take detail photos
6:00 PM | Guests invited to dinner
6:15 PM | Formal Introductions (include the vibe and wording you would like to Emcee to follow) + first dance (include the song) + couple says a few words (if doing this)
6:30 PM | Dinner service begins
7:30 PM | Speeches + toasts + parent dances (include names, songs, etc)
8:00 PM | Dance floor opens + bride changes into reception dress (if doing this)
9:30 PM | Intimate Cake cutting, just couple, parents and photographer (if doing one)
| Dessert and Coffee station to opens to guests
10:00 PM | Last call at the bar
10:30 PM | Last Song of the Night - Emcee to make several announcements for shuttles
11:00 PM | After-party begins
Key Considerations for a Smooth Schedule
1. Hair & Makeup Timing Is Everything
If you’ve got a big bridal party, talk to your beauty team about adding stylists. You do not want to start at 5 AM if you don’t have to.
Share these two times with your beauty team:
When you need to be 100% ready (before first look or pre-ceremony photos)
When your wedding party and family need to be ready (for group shots)
PRO TIP: our bridal party may still be able to do more hair/makeup after you leave for firt look - which contributes to a later start time in the morning
2. Don’t Forget to Eat
I know, it sounds obvious. But I’ve seen far too many couples go hangry on their own wedding day. Plan easy meals and snacks, especially for you and your crew. (You don’t want your maid of honor passing out mid-toast.)
3. Buffer Time Is Your Best Friend
Repeat after me: Something will run late. And that’s okay—if you’ve padded your schedule.
Where to add buffer time:
Getting dressed: Buttons always take longer than zippers.
Photos: Someone’s always MIA or crying (happy tears!).
Moving between spaces: Even walking from point A to B takes longer in formalwear.
Add 10–15 extra minutes into each key moment. Worst case? You get a breather. Best case? You get a mimosa and a moment to soak it all in.
4. Assign a Point Person (If You Don’t Have a Planner)
No planner? No problem—just don’t put your timeline in the hands of your MOH or mom. Choose someone not in the wedding party who can:
Check vendor arrivals
Keep things moving
Help herd your people where they need to be
A detailed wedding day timeline isn’t just for planners—it’s for your sanity. By mapping out every detail, building in wiggle room, and making sure all your vendors are on the same page, you’re giving yourself the best gift: a wedding day you can actually enjoy.
And have it printed in your getting ready spaces so everyone can reference it on the day of the wedding!