This free template is for a wedding day timeline. It includes a variety of options, so pick and choose what applies to you and your partner(s).
Want to download this for free? Here’s the Google Doc. You might also get value from my book.
[date] — [number of] DAYS UNTIL THE WEDDING
This is the date when you can officially go get your license. It depends on the area where you’re getting married. In the two U.S. states where I typically do weddings, Oregon and Washington State, you can get your license starting 60 days before your wedding date.
Check the state where you’re getting married to see if:
there’s a required “waiting period” (a.k.a. a certain number of dates before the wedding date when you may need to have your license in hand. In Oregon and Washington State, the waiting period is three days. Learn more about Oregon’s process here.)
you need to get the license in the county where you’re getting married (probably not but it’s good to check)
One of the main resources I use to check all things license-related is the Universal Life Church. (I am, in fact, ordained.)
TWO WEEKS UNTIL THE WEDDING
This is when I send any client I work with the final timeline for their review. It’s a good deadline for you to set for yourself, if you’re creating your own timeline.
As soon as the client OKs the timeline, I send a customized version to each wedding vendor. My goal is to get timelines to vendors by the end of the week following the day I sent the client the final timeline.
WEEK OF THE WEDDING
Typically on the Monday before a Saturday wedding (or the Sunday before a Friday wedding or the Tuesday before a Sunday wedding, etc.), I send a customized timeline to every person the client identified as a “Wedding VIP.”
This is usually anyone who’s attending the rehearsal or who would attend a rehearsal if there is one: the wedding party (as applicable), biological or chosen family members, and anyone else involved in the ceremony (examples include ring bearers, flower people, ceremony readers, etc.)
DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING
This is typically the most popular day for a rehearsal and any post-rehearsal meal. As part of my work, I attend and run the rehearsal but I don’t typically coordinate any post-rehearsal meal.
Some clients also like to have a welcome meal or cocktail hour to greet guests. This is often open to more people than a post-rehearsal meal and usually happens two to three days before the wedding day.
Want a professional to gut check your timeline? Here’s what people have to say about renting my Virgo wedding planner brain for an hour.
THE WEDDING DAY
[time] — Hair and/or makeup appointments for [who’s going] at [location]
The two most important pieces of information that you need if you’re offering hair and/or makeup are 1) how many people are getting something done and 2) what they’re getting done. Once you have this information, ask the salon, stylist, etc. how long each treatment takes and work back from there.
A good rule of thumb is 45 minutes per treatment (so, 45 minutes for hair and 45 minutes for makeup for the same person).
For example, say we have one partner and five wedding party members. If each is getting hair and makeup, it’ll probably take five to six hours with two to three stylists. One way this looks: For a 2 p.m. first look, you’d start hair and makeup appointments at 8 a.m. for a six-hour window for hair, makeup, dressing, and buffer.Don’t forget any other members of your family or friends who want in on hair and/or makeup. They typically can get their hair and/or makeup done later in the day because they don’t need to be ready for photos as early as the client or any wedding party.
[time] — Venue rental begins at [location]
Most venue rental windows run eight to 12 hours. Always leave an hour at the end for clean-up (a.k.a. the time between when you and your guests leave and the time when your wedding vendors leave). Very few venues allow you to leave decorations, alcohol, etc. overnight either the night before or of the wedding. Keep this in mind as you figure out what’s getting to where by when.
[time] — Photographer(s) begin at [location]
Things to consider when you’re considering when your photographer should start:
When do you want to see your partner? Often, this is either a “first look” (a private meet-up between the client before the ceremony) or when one person proceeds down the aisle toward the other.
What type of photos do you want? The most common options are wedding party photos (usually 30 to 45 minutes) and family photos (usually 45 to 60 minutes).
Your photographer may also recommend getting-ready photos (usually 15 to 30 minutes soon after the photographer first arrives); detail shots (usually 15 to 30 minutes throughout the day of such items as the wedding dress on a hanger, the wedding bands on a flower, etc.); and/or sunset/Golden Hour photos (usually 60 minutes before the sun sets).When do you want to take photos?
If you have a first look: Often, clients will move from the first look right into wedding party photos and then family photos. Family photos can also easily happen right after the ceremony but remember, any post-ceremony photos add time between the end of the ceremony and when you and your partner(s) arrive at the reception.
If you first see each other proceeding down the aisle: All photos — wedding party, family, any additional client photos — will happen right after the ceremony. My only note of caution here: Try and keep the list of photos you want on the smaller end so you don’t get caught up in a two-hour photo sess and miss your own cocktail hour.
All of the above applies to a videographer, too, if you hire one.
[time] — Videographer(s) begin at [location]
[time] — Florist and/or flowers arrive at [location]
If you have any flowers that you’d want in photos such as bouquets or boutonnières, make sure those flowers are with you when photos start. In other words, if you opt for a first look and the first look isn’t at the same spot where you’re having the ceremony, consider how the flowers are getting to the first look spot. This also goes for any flowers you may be using to decorate yourself (i.e. hair flowers, flower crowns, etc.).
[time] — Ceremony music arrives at [location]
[time] — Reception music arrives at [location]
In many cases, ceremony and reception music are the same — a DJ hired to do the audio at the ceremony and at the reception or just at the reception.
However, sometimes a client will hire one type of music for the ceremony — a harpist or acoustic guitarist, for example — and another for the reception. That’s why I separate the ceremony and reception music on the timeline.
[time] — Caterer(s) arrives at [location]
Remember to include the arrival time for every caterer or food provider involved in your wedding, including for any dessert you may want.
[time] — Officiant(s) arrives at [location]
An officiant usually doesn’t need to be at the ceremony venue any more than 30 minutes before the ceremony starts but earlier is always better than later so that they can, as needed, find parking, get mic’d up, and be ready to get you married.
[time] — Partner #1 and partner #1’s party get ready at [location]
[time] — Partner #2 and partner #2’s party get ready at [location]
Often clients like to get ready with their respective parts of the wedding party, if they have a wedding party. If you do this, just make sure everyone knows where to meet and when.
[time] — Latest Partner #1 begins getting dressed
[time] — Latest Partner #2 begins getting dressed
Base these two timings off of when you want posed photos to begin (vs. any photos of you or your partner getting-ready). I usually allocate at least 30 minutes for someone to get dressed unless their attire is particularly complicated or they simply want more time. Work back from this time to decide when any hair and/or makeup or getting-ready arrival times need to start.
[time] — Partner #1 and partner #1’s party take [mode of transportation] to arrive at [location, typically wherever the ceremony is taking place but this might also be a special location specific to a first look, if applicable]
[time] — Partner #2 and partner #2’s party take [mode of transportation] to arrive at [location, typically wherever the ceremony is taking place but this might also be a special location specific to a first look, if applicable]
[time, 30 minutes before the ceremony] — Pre-ceremony photos and/or other programming ends
This 30-minute pre-ceremony buffer has saved my butt more than once. I highly recommend it so you all have time to use the restroom, hydrate, catch your breath before the main event.
[time] — Guests expected to start arriving at [location]
Usually, this is the same as when any pre-ceremony photos or programming ends so you all can hide from guests, as you want to.
[time] — Ceremony begins at [location]
This is the time to put on your invite. Yes, really. I find people are very afraid of being late to a wedding so they will tend to arrive early. This means there’s usually no need to put a fake time on the invite to trick them into arriving on time.
[time] — Couple signs license at [location] with [name of witness #1] and [name of witness #2] and officiant
This takes, at most, 15 minutes. I recommend you do it right after the ceremony (preferably in a private room away from guests) just so you don’t have to worry about it. Be sure and double-check the paperwork that comes with the license to see the deadline for when you need to return the final license to the county.
[time] — Reception begins at [location]
This time is often considered your cocktail hour between the ceremony and the main meal. If you elected to do photos after the ceremony, this is when that would happen.
[time] — Client introduced as [client’s preferred name(s) for an introduction]
Like so much on this timeline, being introduced at the reception is so not required (or you can go the other way and introduce more than just the two of you — say, the whole wedding party).
[time] — Sunset
I know this seems funny but believe me, it matters, particularly when it comes to any photos you might want to take at the wedding. Photos need light so it makes a difference when the sun goes down :)
[time] — Main meal begins
[time] — Toast(s)
Budget five minutes per toast. I typically cue these 45 minutes into the main meal, depending on how meal service is going.
[time] — First bite
Put this before any first dance(s) if you want your guests to see you do it. Put this after any first dance(s) if you want it to be more private or don’t care if your guests see you do it.
[time] — First dance(s)
Budget five minutes per dance.
[time] — Dance floor opens
A DJ once told me that the ideal length for a dance party is 90 minutes. I agree! I usually aim for 90 to 120 minutes of open dance floor/general mingling time. If that seems short, remember: This is a wedding; not a night at the club. You (and your guests!) will have had a very full day and might not have the energy to go until 2 a.m.
And hey, if you do, totally fair. I still recommend not going longer than four hours with open dance floor/general mingling time.
[time] — Bouquet and/or garter toss
[time] — Any additional wedding “traditions”
Remember: All of the above “traditions” are optional.
[time] — Last call
[time] — Client leaves via [mode of transportation] to [location]
[time] — Reception ends
[time] — Venue rental ends
Alcohol: goes with [name of person responsible for this item]
Decorations: goes with [name of person responsible for this item]
Leftover food: goes with [name of person responsible for this item]
Gifts: goes with [name of person responsible for this item]
Note: For clients I work with, I’m the person in charge of making sure all of the above is packed up and handed off to the designated person. If you don’t have a coordinator, this will likely be a family member or friend — just be sure to tell them ahead of time.