May 13, 20214 min read

How to Build a Wedding Timeline | Part 2

I decided to split this topic into two parts, so if you haven't read last weeks blog then make sure to read that one as well or watch the video here. In the last blog post I spoke about the forward motion of your wedding timeline from your ceremony, in this one we'll be going backwards from your ceremony.

You may be thinking well, before the ceremony i'll just be getting ready right? but there's actually a bit more to it then that. You need to get a grip with what's happening before your ceremony, you need to know what's going to happen and you need to know the logistics so as to not stress yourself out for the rest of the day! As trust me you'll want to know what's happening as your wedding day will feel like a bit of a whirlwind... in a good way!

So following on from where we left off...

'You need to know what's going to happen and you need to know the logistics'

The Preparation

Okay so going back to our imaginary wedding, remember our ceremony is starting at 2pm.

So if for example, you are getting ready at the wedding venue you ideally want to be ready in your dress, relaxing with a glass of bubbly, at least 30 minutes before your ceremony start time. Within these 30 minutes you'll need to have a quick chat with your registrar which both the bride and groom do separately.

1.30 - 2pm - Speak with Registrar

Which means you want to start getting ready 2-2.5 hours before then. Now you don't have to and it may not necessarily take you that long but, I would highly advise leaving that amount of time as you do not want to be stressed and running around right before you're about to leave! Your hair and make-up stylists (if you're having one) should be able to advise you on how long that should take and you can then build in some more time if needed.

Again there will be variables here as every wedding is different so just take those into consideration. You may be having a team of stylists or you may just have one person, you may be treating your all bridesmaids and/or your mums to get their hair and makeup done as well so just take this into consideration when planning how long it takes to get everyone ready.

11:30am - 1.30pm - Getting ready

If you are not getting ready at the venue you'll need to allow transportation time to get you from wherever you are to the church or wedding venue so don't forget to factor that in. Always leave a small buffer in case of traffic!

What Else is Happen Whilst I'm Getting Ready?

So the other things to consider when building your timeline is what's happening with your suppliers on the morning of the wedding at the venue, just so you have some idea of what's being done whilst you're getting ready.

This should include

What time is the florist coming?
What time are the caterers arrive? What are they doing in terms of set up for table styling? Are they laying stationary for you? Are they folding the napkins the way you want?
Who is placing favours, if you're having these? Is this the caterer or stylist or wedding planner?
What time are the lighting and AV suppliers arriving? Do they need access before any other suppliers arrive to install ceiling lights? How long do they need for set up?
What time is your photographer and videographer going to arrive? Where do they need to be? Is the groom or partner in a different location to you, if so how far away is he or she?

Once you have all this information from your suppliers you can put this into your timeline and send to each of them, so that they know exactly what time they're arriving but also when all the other suppliers are arriving. This way they'll be able to work around each other but also work together to bring your vision to life!

It's difficult for me to give you estimate timings on suppliers because it all depends on your choices, for example if you're having a marquee wedding your timeline will most likely start a couple of days before your wedding date, as the marquee needs to be built a few days in advance, but if you're having your wedding at a venue set up usually won't begin until the morning of.

Timings will also depend on your choices for example, the level of styling your having, the number of different spaces your using for different parts of the day and the amount of guests so it's best to speak with your suppliers to get more accurate timings on how long they'll take to set up.

It may feel like a lot of detail but trust me, all this hard work will give you the peace of mind that you want on your wedding day. You do not want to be all stressed and flustered the morning of your big day worrying that a supplier might not have turned up!

If you need any more help or guidance with your timeline, I offer 1:1 power hour consultancy sessions which are really helpful for couples that want or need some help but do not want a full planner, so get in touch here to book your session with me!

Happy Planning

Lauren xx