This week we are taking a little break from wedding fashion advice and talking about a topic more related to general wedding planning and logistics. Today, we are talking all about wedding day timelines and scheduling. We are going to share with you some insider tips that you may not even think of when making your initial wedding day schedule. There are a few things that we want all brides to consider and be aware of when planning your wedding day and ensuring that your wedding event runs on schedule. We want you to have a stress-free wedding day that is enjoyable and memorable!
A wedding day involves so many moving parts, from your wedding party and wedding guests to all the vendors you have hired to create your dream wedding day, such as your florist, caterer, cake designer, photographer, band or DJ, and so many more. It can be overwhelming to have to orchestrate so many people, especially if you are not accustomed to planning large events and gatherings. Without prior wedding planning experience, it can be easy to overlook some details.
We are going to share with you important things to consider when planning your wedding and things to think about to ensure that you, the bride, will be on time for your wedding.
VIDEO: How To Be On Time To Your Wedding
Are you worried that you'll be late on your wedding day? Are you scared that you'll be stressed out and overwhelmed on the day of your wedding and running behind schedule? Before we dive into all of this week's advice on wedding planning timelines, be sure to check out this video with all the tips on how to be on time to your wedding.
Hire A Wedding Planner
When it comes to creating your wedding day timeline and everything running according to plan on the wedding day, our number one tip is to hire an amazing wedding planner. Wedding planners can schedule your day flawlessly and even keep things in mind that you may not have thought to consider, including blocking out time for all of the necessary things to make sure that you're not late to your own wedding.
There are simple things, like putting on your wedding dress, that will take longer than you expect on your wedding day. If you need to travel from the location you are getting ready to the wedding ceremony venue, you need to factor in time to load up the bus or Ubers and drive to that location. A wedding planner will take all of these details into account when crafting your overall wedding day timeline so that everyone is where they need to be and on time for your wedding.
A wedding planner will, of course, need to be factored into your overall wedding budget, so decide if this is an item you would like to prioritize or not. Also be sure to check with your wedding venue, as they sometimes include an event coordinator as part of their package and they may help you create your wedding timeline as part of their services. If a wedding planner is not in your budget, there are a lot of helpful timeline planning tools available online that you should consider so that you create a realistic timeline for your wedding day.
It All Starts With Hair & Makeup
If you're worried about being late for your wedding, we're giving you our best tips for being on time to your own wedding. Even if you have hired the most phenomenal wedding planner who has every moment of your day accounted for, in the end, it comes down to the other wedding vendors that you hire for your wedding day.
The first vendor, and the most important for you, the bride, to be on time on your wedding day, is your beauty team - your hair and makeup artists. The first thing that you do on your wedding day is sit in the hair and makeup chair to get your makeup and your hair done. As the bride, you, of course, have to wake up on time, but from there your hair and makeup team is going to set the tone and schedule for your wedding day. If hair and makeup are running behind on your wedding day, that can cause you to run late for the rest of the day.
Be sure to talk with your hair and makeup artists for their input on how long each wedding day style and service will take and plan around that. The hair and make up schedule will, of course, depend on how many people in your wedding party need hair and makeup done on the wedding day.
Be sure to build in a little buffer time for getting ready on your wedding day. It will be so much better to enjoy a champagne toast with your bridesmaids before heading to the wedding ceremony than to be rushing around and running late.
Vendor Teams
Another tip for being on time for your own wedding involves the other professionals that you hire. When it comes to putting together your wedding vendor team, such as event rentals, lighting, and the band or DJ, trust the input of your wedding planner. If your planner is encouraging you to hire or not hire a particular vendor, we encourage you to trust their guidance. You want to make sure that your wedding vendor referrals and recommendations are coming from an extremely reputable source and someone who is very seasoned within the wedding industry.
The wedding industry is big, but it is a close-knit group. You will find that many of the wedding vendors, such as photographers, caters, and florists, in your area know each other and have a lot of experience working together as well. You want all of your vendors to know each other and get along really well so there's beautiful harmony on the wedding day.
It’s not just about having a smooth timeline and knowing when and where everything needs to happen and at what time. It comes down to the wedding vendors and professionals that you hire and who runs on time and who runs late. When you are hiring wedding vendors, we encourage you to interview each vendor to make sure that they are going to be able to stick to the schedule and really provide you with a beautiful day for your wedding.
If your wedding vendors mess up or they are late, that is out of your control. Even if you have an amazing wedding planner that made sure you hired great wedding vendors, they can’t control if your other vendors are running late. Be sure to thoroughly vet each vendor before signing a contract.
Know that when it comes to wedding services you get what you pay for, and if the pricing for a particular vendor is too good to be true, then you might want to steer clear. This is why it’s always good to interview at least three different vendors from each category to be sure you find the best match for your wedding day.
Start At The End Of The Night
One last tip for creating your wedding day timeline and making sure you don’t run late is to start at the end of the night. When you booked your wedding venue, your contract will state how many hours you have the space for and at what time the reception will end. We recommend starting at the end of the reception time and counting backward to determine what time you need to be ready before the wedding ceremony, and ultimately the time you need to have your hair and makeup started.
Just remember to build in some buffer time in case things run late, and at the end of the day, just enjoy yourself! Things are not always in your control, and your wedding guests are not even going to notice anything small that doesn’t go to plan.
More Wedding Planning Advice
For more helpful wedding planning advice, check out these past posts:
- Advice for When Wedding Planning Goes Wrong
- Wedding Dress Shopping Appointment Checklist
- The Do's and Don't's Of Bridal Dress Shopping
We know that wedding planning can seem like a daunting task, but we hope our tips will help give you some clarity and a good starting point to create your wedding day timeline.
About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
About Wedding Fashion Expert
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
