10 Stages for Planning Your Wedding Day Timings – A Complete Guide
Planning your wedding day timings can be overwhelming, especially when it’s your first time. Your wedding day will fly by, and having a clear timeline is essential to ensure everything runs smoothly. In this complete guide, I’ll share my expert tips on how to plan your wedding day timings, covering everything from the morning preparations to the evening celebrations.
Why Wedding Day Timings Matter
Your wedding day is a one-time event, and it’s crucial to think about it as a full-day experience. Proper timing ensures that you enjoy every moment, and nothing feels rushed. As a photographer, I often get asked about the best ways to allocate time throughout the day. In this guide, I’ll provide a detailed breakdown to help you plan everything seamlessly, based on my years of experience in wedding photography.
That might help a lot too: Wedding Timeline
Timeline Ballymagarvey Village wedding
1. Morning Preparation: Hair and Makeup
It’s common for brides to schedule themselves last for hair and makeup, but I don’t recommend this. If the bride is last, there’s a risk that the photographer and videographer might miss out on capturing her final look or even her dress moment. To avoid this, follow this order:
- Start with your mum or chief bridesmaid: If they’ll be helping you with your dress, have them ready first.
- The bride goes next: Aim to have your makeup done around 11 am. This way, you’re ready in time for photos, and there’s room to fix any last-minute issues without stress.
- Bridesmaids follow: This allows you to get dressed and ready before the photographers leave for the ceremony.
2. Travel Time to the Ceremony
If you’re getting married in a city, especially on a busy day (e.g., Christmas, Friday, or Saturday), allocate extra time for traffic. Plan to be no more than 5-10 minutes late—any longer, and you might cut into the precious time you have for photos and greeting guests. Always have a backup plan to stay on schedule!
3. The Wedding Ceremony
For a traditional Catholic full Mass, expect it to last 1 to 1.5 hours. If daylight is limited, consider skipping communion to save around 20 minutes. For civil ceremonies, plan for a duration of 30 to 40 minutes.
Pro Tip: For winter weddings, earlier ceremonies (around 12 pm or 1 pm) help maximize daylight for outdoor photos.
4. Greeting Guests
Greeting guests after the ceremony can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour. If you’re tight on daylight, consider waiting until you reach the venue to greet your guests, especially for winter weddings with limited daylight.
5. Family Photos
Family photos at wedding can be time-consuming, so keep the list concise. Here’s my recommended photo list:
Always keep your family photo list short!
Here is my recommended list to avoid to much movement:
- Bride & Groom – Bride Parents
- Bride & Groom – Bride Parents plus Brothers and Sisters
- Bride & Groom – Bride Parents plus Brothers and Sisters plus kids and Partners
- Bride & Groom – Bride Grandparents
- Bride & Groom – Groom Parents
- Bride & Groom – Groom Parents plus Brothers and Sisters
- Bride & Groom – Groom Parents plus Brothers and Sisters plus kids and Partners
- Bride & Groom – Groom Grandparents
- Bride + Bridesmaids
- Groom+ Groomsmen
- Bride & Groom + Bridal party (flower girls page boys)
Avoid adding too many extended family members, as it can take time to gather everyone. Assign a bridesmaid or groomsman to help coordinate family members for these photos since the wedding photographer may not know your relatives personally.
6. Bride and Groom Portraits
To avoid spending too much time on portraits, hire an experienced photographer who works efficiently. I aim to complete bride and groom photos within 10-20 minutes. This quick approach allows you to return to your guests sooner, so you can fully enjoy your day.
7. The Drinks Reception
Typically, the drinks reception starts around 4:30 pm if the ceremony is at 1 pm. Calculate the timings:
- Mass: 1 hour
- Guest greetings: 30 minutes
- Family photos: 30 minutes
- Travel to venue: 1 hour
- Bride and groom portraits: 30 minutes
This leaves around 1 hour to enjoy drinks and mingle with your guests. In winter, when daylight fades by 4 pm, ensure your ceremony is early enough to take advantage of natural light.
8. Dinner
Dinner typically lasts 2 hours. Consider timing dinner to start at 6 pm to maintain a smooth flow of events.
9. Speeches
Speeches can vary dramatically in length, from 5 minutes to 1.5 hours. To keep guests engaged, aim for speeches of around 5 minutes each. Longer speeches often result in guests losing interest, moving around, or stepping out of the room.
10. First Dance
First dances usually take place between 9:30 pm and 10:30 pm. If your speeches run long, this could delay the first dance. Ensure your photographer or videographer’s package covers this timeline or discuss any extra costs if the first dance extends beyond their contracted time.
Final Tips for Planning Your Wedding Day Timings
- Work with your wedding planner: They’ll help coordinate and keep everything on track.
- Hire experienced professionals: From your photographer to your videographer, seasoned experts ensure your day runs smoothly.
- Communicate the timeline: Make sure your bridal party and family are aware of the schedule to minimize delays.
By following these tips, you’ll be well-prepared to map out your wedding day timings and make the most of every moment. Enjoy the planning process, and may your wedding day be everything you’ve dreamed of!
Happy Planning!
How do I avoid losing half of my wedding day getting my wedding photographs taken?
Book a photographer with experience. If you book a cheap option you might regret that decision for the rest of your life. Your wedding day is only once in your life! The pressure is on to get it right!
I always work very fast. My photos with the Bride and Groom take around 10-20 minutes max.
