Building your wedding day timeline can be a very intimidating part of the planning process. You’ve likely never done this before, you have no idea how much time you need for certain things. I get it! We love helping our couples build their timelines because after photographing so many weddings, we know exactly how much time is ideal for every part of the day. Ryan and I see what stresses couples out the most, what causes unexpected delays, and most importantly – what allows for the most relaxed, fun, stress-free timeline! We want to help you avoid some of the most common wedding day timeline mistakes we see!
To do that, I’ve put together a list of 10 wedding day timeline “mistakes” we see often that cause delays or add stress. These are easy mistakes to avoid, but most couples wouldn’t think of these ahead of time. That’s what I’m here for!
10 wedding day timeline mistakes, and how to avoid them:
1. Not having bouquets delivered to your getting ready location so you can take portraits before the ceremony.
You’ll want your bouquets if you plan to do photos with your bridesmaids or with your significant other before the ceremony.
2. Not having flowers delivered to your getting ready location for detail photos
If you want to include them in your detail photos, they generally need to be there early. Check with your photographer!
3. Not telling dad where and when he needs to be ready for a first look
Tell dad (or anyone involved in a first look) what a first look is, exactly where he needs to be, and when he needs to be there. Tell him to be there 20 minutes before he actually needs to be there!
4. Not having bridesmaid dresses steamed before the morning of the wedding.
I just think it’s a pain to have to do this the morning of!
5. Not timing out hair and makeup for the start of photography
Don’t just give them your ceremony time, give them your portrait time. Better yet, give them a hard end time that has a buffer between the end time and your portrait time.
6. Not starting hair and makeup early enough (see above)
7. Not allocating enough time for family photos
These take longer than you think! And always, always make a list. Check out my blog post on how to set your family photos up for success.
8. Making your family photo list too long (see above)
In addition to time, a long list that’s not set up well can cause a lot of stress. Again, check out my blog post on family photos. I go over all of this!
9. Not having the officiant make an announcement for family photos
Communication with your wedding guests, and your family members, is key!
10. Not building in time to relax alone before the reception, or join cocktail hour
This also serves as a good buffer time for photos.
