How to create a Wedding Day Timeline
Tips on pacing your big day to perfection…
Everyone says it, your wedding day will pass by in a flash. But with careful planning and a well-advised timeline, you can make time to ‘be in the moment’ and soak it all in, without worrying about what’s happening next.
Relaxed brides and grooms are a top priority for the team at Suffolk wedding venue, Butley Priory. That’s why our first planning meeting is spent establishing that all-important timeline - and here’s where you’ll tell us all your ideas.
We’ve helped couples bring all kinds of ideas to fruition. From ring-bearing pups to exchanging vows over Baby Guinness shots.
Every wedding is unique and each couple has different priorities, but most follow a similar format with four distinct parts:
1. Pre-ceremony
2. Ceremony
3. Drinks & dinner
4. Evening
Here’s how to plan your wedding day timeline
Set a time for your wedding ceremony
Let’s start things off with your ceremony time. From here, you can work backwards and then forwards to create a timeline for the rest of the day. When thinking about a time for your wedding ceremony you should consider things like good daylight for photos, restrictions within the venue, having enough time for the wedding party to get ready etc.
Allocate minutes to each part of the day
To do this, we need to be clear on how long each part of the wedding day takes. Creating a minute-by-minute schedule isn’t going to be helpful, but you’ll want to know approximately how long each part takes. The below timings give an idea, based on our experience.
3. For a church wedding, plan how to get from the ceremony to the reception venue
However long you think it will take, double it. Moving guests from A to B always takes longer than planned!
Talk to your photographer about allocating time for some formal photos at the church before setting off for the venue.
Let’s put it into practice, here is a sample timeline:
Let’s put it into practice, here is a sample timeline:
1:00pm - ceremony
1:30pm - confetti line
1:45pm - service of drinks & canapes
3:30pm - call for dinner
(Here, we include 15 mins for guests to move from A to B)
3:45pm - service of wedding breakfast
5:45pm - speeches
6:15pm - socialising
7:00pm - cutting the cake followed by the first dance
4. Plan your evening reception
For the evening reception, you’ll be pleased to know there aren’t too many timings to think about. This is part of the wedding day where you can truly let your hair down!
6:15pm - Socialising and cocktails
6:45pm - DJ/Band plays background music
7:00pm - Evening guests arrive
7:30pm - Cake cutting, straight into first dance & band plays first set
9:00pm - Evening food
10:00pm - Band second set
11:45pm - Sparkler exit
Midnight - Carriages
5. Tell everybody else the plan…
Now that you have your timings organised from the ceremony through to the end of the night, let other key members of your wedding party and suppliers know what’s happening and when. This will save endless questions on the day itself and it will help others to feel prepared and ready to celebrate your day!
Butley Priory is an enchanting wedding venue set in the Suffolk countryside, just two hours from London, UK. Hosting a varied style of wedding, from romantic elopements, to intimate weddings and lavish marquee weddings, our team will ensure your wedding day is fabulous from start to finish!
To find out more about hosting your wedding at Butley Priory, contact the team!
With thanks, Photography Credits:
Joasis Photography, Laura Williams Photography, McGivern Photography, Irene Yap Weddings, Images by Anna, Emily & Steve