While many wedding details may seem insignificant to plan, having a day-of timeline ensures everything goes smoothly and everyone involved wedding is where they should be. A wedding day timeline creates a schedule for the bride, the bridal party, vendors, the families, and guests.
Here are a few factors to consider when you are creating your wedding timeline:
1. Weather
Regardless of where you’re located, weather can impact the ceremony location, particularly if it’s outdoors. If your wedding day has rain in the forecast, consider relocating to an indoor venue or starting earlier to avoid the storm if you plan to be outside.
Keep your guests in mind when considering the weather, too. If they are traveling by car to the venue and the weather looks bad, encourage them to leave earlier to arrive safely and on time.
2. Parking and Other Accommodations
Parking and other transportation can vary by wedding venue. When creating a wedding day timeline, it’s important to take into account how your guests will be arriving at the venue, where they need to go when they arrive, and how long it takes to get there.
Maybe you’re organizing a shuttle bus to pick up guests from their hotel and drive them to the venue. Or maybe guests have to get on a shuttle once they arrive at the venue and be driven to the ceremony site.
Whatever your situation is, leaving a cushion of time for all guests to arrive is necessary when creating a timeline for a wedding.
Another note: It’s safe to assume that somebody will be running late for the ceremony. Perhaps they got lost on the way, traffic was bad, or something else came up. Leave a little bit of wiggle room at the ceremony start time to ensure nobody is walking up to find a seat while your bridesmaids are coming down the aisle.
3. Important Moments
When planning your big day, make a separate list of the important moments you want to leave plenty of time to experience. These can include extra time for your first dance, any special religious customs you’d like observed, dances with family members, speeches, and more.
Prioritizing these important moments will make your wedding day even more memorable, and you’ll be so glad you allotted extra time for them.
4. Sunset
Check your local weather to ensure you are where you want to be for the sunset. Maybe this is during your vows, or at the cocktail hour, or during your bridal photos. Our Florida sunsets are spectacular, so you’ll want to optimize the picturesque backdrop in whichever way you prefer.
5. Photography
Arguably the most important on this list (for brides, anyway!) is leaving enough time for photographs. These include bride and groom shots, the bridal party, and all the families. Taking photos can take up at least an hour of the day, if not more, so be sure to heed the advice of your photographer. They will have tips on how to save time between the ceremony and reception so you don’t keep guests waiting for too long.
You will want to have the ideal light for photos, so you may want to do a First Look before the ceremony to knock out the bride and groom shots. This way you won’t feel rushed to get them done and can enjoy each other’s company before the event begins.
Plan Your Wedding Day with Salero
The biggest day of your life takes planning and organization, and a timeline is vital to the day going off without a hitch. Make sure to consider these five things when you’re creating your day-of timeline, and lean on your vendors and wedding coordinator to ensure the perfect wedding day!
Looking for a dreamy wedding venue? Salero offers a gorgeous option in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Give us a call at 302-841-2229 to start planning your big day!
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