There is nothing we like more than assisting our brides with planning a good and realistic wedding day schedule. A good solid schedule can help your stress levels as well as the stress levels of those around you. While most weddings run late in our experience we have had a few that ran on time and had scheduled ample time for pictures and other events. I would like to share a little bit of information on what made those schedules unique:
- They allowed for transportation-to and from the church, reception hall, and salon
- They allowed for a large bridal party- the more people you have in your party the more likely it is that someone will run late or the group as a whole could take longer to get ready
- They allowed for ample get ready time. I know it sounds crazy but I have seen it take several brides almost a full hour to get dressed. A lace up dress will add a lot of time to the day.
- They took little kids into consideration. They knew that the little attendants in their wedding were not going to last from 7am hair appointments to 5:00 introductions at the reception with no nap, lunch, or play. They were realistic about when the kids were available and ready for pictures and when they were not.
- Pictures were important for them so they scheduled 1.5 hours for church formals which allowed us additional time for bridal portraits. After the ceremony, they had chosen a picture location close by and had scheduled an hour for transportation and additional photos at that location.
- They had someone in the bridal party designated to watch time while they were out celebrating and having a good time so that their guests were not waiting on them for dinner. They ate on time.
This kind of schedule can do wonders for allowing you to relax during the day. It is hard for people sometimes, especially people like me, to release responsibility and control to someone else but for one day sometimes you just have to delegate. You shouldn’t have to take care of others on your wedding day, relax and delegate. A good schedule considers the following time lines:
Professional Hair Style: Can take from 1-1.5 Hours Depending on hair. If your entire bridal party is taking up one salon it could take even longer if someone’s appointment runs over. If you have a trial hair run, time it for a good reference.
Professional Makeup: Can take 45 minutes-1hour. I know that sounds crazy but I’ve seen it take even longer.
Transportation/Food: Consider how much time you will need to drive from point A to point B. Also consider if you will be eating lunch, picking up lunch, or having to run by home to pick up your dress, etc.
Preparations: I have seen it take approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour for dressing. This includes dress lacing, jewelry, last minute makeup touch ups, and any other accessories.
Formal Portraits: Our suggestion is normally an hour for the following in the church:
Bride Individual
Groom Individual
Bride/Bridesmaids/Groomsmen (individuals with each if time allows)
Groom/Bridesmaids/Groomsmen (individuals with each if time allows)
Bride/Groom Together (multiple shots)
Bride/Groom Both Immediate Families (Parents, Siblings, Grandparents)
Bride/Groom/Pastor
Bride/Groom/Small Attendants
Bride/Groom/Full Bridal Party
*Note this list does not include extended family members. The larger the group the more time consuming it can be to gather and position all of those individuals*
Ceremony Time: Can be 10 minutes – Over an Hour. Depends on your location and planned events.
After-Ceremony Greeting Guests: if you plan on greeting your guests in a line or releasing church pews after your wedding this can add approximately 30-40 minutes to your day. Also take into account if you are doing any kind of bubbles, dove releasing, or formal exit from the church. Some couples choose to get in their “get away vehicle” to drive around the block after the wedding.
Bridal Party Portraits: This is when the fun outdoor pictures usually commence. I recommend an hour for these photos if time allows. The larger the bridal party the more time it takes to load vehicles, drive to the photo location, pose and position, and take the images. We recommend photo locations close to the reception site to decrease travel time.
Driving Around/Bar/ Stops: If you plan to make any stops (other than for pictures) between the ceremony and reception this is a good time to appoint a trusty friend to keep an eye on the time.
As a general pattern we have observed most weddings run approximately 45 minutes-1 hour later than the schedule they had planned out so we encourage to add some “cushion” time in your schedule and to be flexible. A large bridal party can mean more people could possibly run late. Bad weather could occur and wreak havoc on a schedule. Always be realistic and have a plan B. We can be as flexible as you need when it comes to photography however some churches have pretty strict rules about starting ceremonies on time. Plan your hair and makeup appointments accordingly so that you will have enough time.
An additional tip for brides: if you have long hair or hair that doesn’t curl well (like mine) you may want to consider scheduling your hair appointment for as close to the ceremony time as you can. Any weather elements such as wind, humidity, or rain can cause havoc on a “down” hairstyle. Have backup hairspray on hand 🙂
Another tip: communication is everything. Be sure you have phone numbers and contact information for vendors such as your florist and the person opening up the church or ceremony venue for you. If they run late, it can make you run late too. Nothing can drain a schedule like the bridal party standing at the front door of a locked church or waiting to start pictures because the flowers have not yet arrived.
Wanna save time and have your ceremony start on time? Have ushers. Ushers are invaluable. Commonly what derails the prompt start time of a wedding are late guests trickling into the main ceremony doors (i.e. where you, the bride, plan on making your grand entrance). Ushers are able to ferry people to the sides of church so that you can still walk down the aisle on time without having Uncle Bill photobomb you from behind while you have that great moment with your dad.
Obviously, even the best laid plans can be disrupted. Be flexible and go with the flow. Sometimes that’s all you can do.
-Kate
