The Importance of Timelines

We may have OCD. Like seriously, maybe a mild form of it because we are so organized with our things and even more organized with things pertaining to our brides and the business. We have come to this conclusion because of the fact that we worry about timelines and being on schedule during every wedding we shoot. We send every one of our brides an initial timeline as an example and offer to help them with it! Maybe it is because we both love to be organized, but we believe that timelines are essential and are a huge factor in reducing stress on the wedding day!

Not sure how to organize the timeline for your wedding? Check out the link to our FREE Sample Timeline PDF download HERE!

There are some brides that are more laid back and go with the flow (which we love) but there does need to be order and an approximate time for all those special moments during a wedding. I don’t only say this due to my type-A personality, but because we’ve worked with brides without timelines and seen how it can turn into a disaster! Now, you don’t have to be a timeline stickler, but there needs to be at least a guideline to follow. This is very important for the vendors you’ve hired (especially photographers and videographers). The last thing you want to be doing on your wedding day is running around worrying if your cake arrived at the venue on time and if you’re going to be ready in time for your ceremony.

The few weeks leading up to the wedding day are the most stressful! Really, they are! But during all the chaos, you should take the time to sit with your groom and create a timeline of exactly what you want to happen during the wedding and when each event is going to happen. I would suggest consulting with your photographer, so they can give you an idea of what to expect and maybe help you plan what works best for you. We always offer our help to our brides because we feel the need to be organized and I LOVE to help in any way I can.

For those brides that are going to get married and you don’t know how to build a timeline, here’s a simple guide to the big events that should be happening during your special day…

1. Getting ready: Give yourself plenty of time to get beautiful for your big day. Also, remember to allow a slot for your bridesmaids to get ready also.

2. First Look: This is an optional, yet highly recommended event. This post explains all the benefits and why we love first looks so much! Most of our couples decide to do a first look and it is always an amazing experience!

3. Ceremony: Depending on your religious background this could take from 20 minutes to an hour. Speak to your pastor or officiant so you are all on the same page.

4. Formals: This is the time you take with your immediate family and photographers to take the formal posed photos. Remember to let the family members you want in your picture know about the formals before the ceremony and we usually suggest keeping it to just immediate family!

5. Portraits: One of our favorite parts of the wedding day where we get to steal the bride and groom away from all the noise and make magic happen with our cameras.

6. Reception: Now is when the party begins! You can decide what you want to do during your reception and at what times and you can organize the timeline in whichever order you’d like. Here’s an example of how it is normally organized…

a. Presentation of the bridal party, parents, and the bride and groom

b. First dance, followed by father/daughter and mother/son dances

c. Toasts (maid of honor and best man)

d. Food

e. Cake-cutting

f. Removal of the Garter

g. Bouquet toss

h. Garter toss

i. PARTY TIME!

The one piece of advice we give every bride is to enjoy every little moment of your wedding day because it will only happen once! There’s a lot of stress that comes with planning a wedding but at the end of the day you are celebrating your love and marrying the man of your dreams! And there’s nothing better than that!

Not sure how to organize the timeline for your wedding? Check out the link to our FREE Sample Timeline PDF download HERE!