Your wedding timeline is an essential part of planning your big day. It’s that important sheet of paper that says who needs to be where and when, ensuring that the many moving parts of your wedding work together harmoniously. Avoid the following five timeline hiccups!

Love & Light Photographs

Not leaving enough time for hair and makeup.
The last thing you want is to feel rushed the morning of your wedding day. Schedule your glam team for about an hour a person–so if you have four bridesmaids, yourself, and your mom with hair appointments, plan for six hours. This leaves plenty of time to relax, drink a mimosa, and snag those getting ready pictures of you and your bridesmaids that you’ve been dreaming about.

Anna Roussos

Not considering a first look.
First looks are becoming more and more commonplace, and it’s easy to see why. With a first look between a bride and groom, you save a ton of time by taking photos beforehand. Your hair and makeup will still be flawless, you’ll be giddy with anticipation, and you won’t have to skip cocktail hour for snapshots.

First looks are becoming more and more commonplace, and it’s easy to see why. With a first look between a bride and groom, you save a ton of time by taking photos beforehand. Your hair and makeup will still be flawless, you’ll be giddy with anticipation, and you won’t have to skip cocktail hour for snapshots.

Having a receiving line.
Receiving lines might ensure that you give everyone a brief hug, but consider skipping the line and heading straight to the party. That way, you’ll be able to spend actual time with each guest without feeling like you need to keep the line moving. Receiving lines take up a large chunk of time, create congestion in the venue, and don’t allow for much of an interaction.

Receiving lines might ensure that you give everyone a brief hug, but consider skipping the line and heading straight to the party. That way, you’ll be able to spend actual time with each guest without feeling like you need to keep the line moving. Receiving lines take up a large chunk of time, create congestion in the venue, and don’t allow for much of an interaction.

Jose Villa Photography

Having too long of a cocktail hour.
Cocktail hour should only be 45 minutes to an hour–any longer and guests begin to get antsy. You also don’t want them overdoing it on the alcohol before they’ve put anything more substantial than appetizers in their stomachs. This is where a first look comes in handy–if you’re taking photos during cocktail hour, you’re going to feel way too rushed. If you absolutely must take pictures after the ceremony instead, have an early afternoon ceremony and provide guests with a fun list of local attractions or bars they could check out during the break.

Hello Love Photography

Not scheduling the “little things.”
Moments like your first dance with Dad or the toasts may seem like they’ll just spontaneously arise whenever your DJ decides, but not scheduling is a recipe for disaster. Of course, you can give yourself a small cushion on either end so you don’t feel like a stickler, but having a rough idea of when every planned event will go down is essential.

Style Me Pretty Contributor – Claire Swinarski is a writer and podcaster based in Wisconsin. When she isn’t writing, she can be found obsessing over football, eating a burrito bowl, or hanging out with her husband and son.

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Post tags: Schedule, Timeline
Post categories: Planning & Advice, The Blog