Sometimes, clichés are so well-worn for a reason – namely, because sometimes they’re right! A prime example of this is ‘time flies when you’re having fun’, and nothing exemplifies this more than your wedding day – the day you’ve spent so long planning – or working on with me to plan – will go by in a flash. But to make it flow as easily as possible, and be as enjoyable as possible, you’ll need a workable wedding timeline for your suppliers to operate on the basis of.

This is something I can create with you as part of my coordination services, but to give you a headstart I thought I’d list some of my top tips for creating a workable wedding timeline, including the bits I see couples forget most often!

Start From Your Ceremony Time

If you’re getting legally married on the day, this time will be booked in and set in stone. This gives you an excellent starting point for your wedding timeline!

Getting Ready

You’ll need to factor in longer to get ready than you think, I promise. Your wedding attire will probably be one of, if not the, most expensive, outfit you’ve ever worn, so you’ll want to take your time! Plus, if it has lots of buttons or intricate details, it’ll take a while to get into it. Allow at least 20 minutes just to get into it, before you can do final details like putting your shoes on. You don’t want the big reveal to your wedding party marred by you rushing around sweating and panicking!

Moving Your Guests

Whether this is between different locations or within the same venue - just one space to another, this also always takes longer than you think. The more guests you have, the longer it’ll take – and the drunker they are, the longer it’ll take too! If you’re moving guests between locations, it’s not just travel time that needs to be factored in, but allowing extra time on either side for getting on and off coaches etc too. Factor in traffic in your wedding timeline too.

Speeches

Most wedding timelines you’ll find generally allow 30 minutes for speeches. This is based on the anticipated three speeches being Father of the Bride, Groom, and Best Man, which obviously may not be relevant to your wedding whatsoever or that of your proposed speakers. Plus if you’re having more or fewer speakers then this will impact the length of time speeches will take. And even if you’re having three speakers, with the best will in the world, speeches ALWAYS overrun. Plus this is often before the food comes out, which is arguably the bit of the day that requires the closest attention to time during the whole day! However, doing speeches before the meal is still better in my experience, as less alcohol has been consumed, helping them keep to time…spreading them out between courses can be tricky, as some guests peter out to smoke and chat, plus serving staff are weaving their way through your guests doing their thang. After food, well – people are in full party mode by then!

Share Your Plans With Your Suppliers

Make sure you share your plans in detail with your suppliers. Most weddings tend to follow a similar template, so if you’re doing things a bit differently it's crucial to engage with your team of suppliers so they know what to expect and can offer their advice and experience to ensure you get the best out of your day. If you’re working with a planner, this weight will be lifted off your shoulders - they will manage this for you ensuring all your suppliers are kept fully in the loop, and work with them to ensure they're supported in creating the wedding day you've imagined.

How To Create a Workable Wedding Timeline