Wedding Day Schedules - MUST HAVE
Did you ever hear that blue collar comic, who says "I don't care who you are, that's funny."? That's how I feel about wedding day schedules - "I don't care who you are (or what kind of wedding you're having" it's required" - you have to have a wedding day schedule.
As you must know if you read this blog, I put on a Wedding Crash Course free seminar series to give some high level guidance to brides & grooms on wedding topics. I just finished my last of the season (getting into wedding season!) on Wedding Day Schedules. Unfortunately, you won't have the benefit of all my advice, guidance and tips in this blog that those that attended received (I could go on forever!), but I'm reprinting here the handout I provided. It's a great start for you to develop your wedding day schedule. I'm also available to build your wedding day schedule for a nominal fee OR even just review your schedule to give you tips and direction as needed.
Managing Chaos
Developing and Sticking to a Wedding Day Schedule
May 3, 2006
Melissa Titus Clymer
Building Your Wedding Day Schedule
1. Start your schedule with your ceremony venue & time.
2. Count backwards for the following:
a. Pre-ceremony pictures
b. Bout & corsage pinning and bouquets
c. Transportation to ceremony
d. Dressing
e. Hair & Makeup
f. Bridesmaid’s vanity
g. Eating time
h. Shower / Preparation
3. Verify florist/decorator & musicians for ceremony will have enough time to decorate/set up and take down within your schedule.
4. Make sure to allow time to sign marriage license with Officiant (I guarantee you'll also need to use the restroom and perhaps bustle your dress)
5. From the end of the ceremony, plug in when the wedding party (and bride & groom) will arrive at the reception
a. if taking pictures afterwards, at the ceremony venue, plug in photographer’s estimate for pictures and then add transportation time.
b. if taking pictures afterwards at the reception venue, plug in transportation time then add the photographer’s estimate for picture time needed. Add a little extra, it takes a bit extra time to re-group!
c. If not taking any portraits after (i.e took all the pictures before hand), plug in transportation time.
6. Estimate the start of cocktail hour to be at the ceremony end time + transportation time.
7. Once the wedding party arrives at the reception, determine the order of events and flow of events, keeping in mind the DJ and photographer end times
a. Introduction of Wedding Party
b. Introduction of Bride & Groom
c. Meal (lunch, dinner, apps)
d. First Dance
e. Parent’s Dance(s)
f. Other Dances (Wedding Party, Dollar, etc)
g. Cutting the Cake
h. Toasts
i. Bouquet / Garter
j. Other items (prayer, Bride & Groom welcome, receiving line, etc)
(Not in a specific order)
8. Once you’ve established the pre-ceremony timing thru the key reception events, apply your photographer’s contracted hours from the time they arrive through their departure time. All the activities you wish to capture, including portraitures, must be within this period.
9. Consider other items such as final & tip payments, departure times, etc.
10. Walk through the day in your mind, from your perspective, from your fiance’s perspective, from your Wedding Party’s perspective, from your family’s perspective and from your vendors' perspectives – is everything accounted for? Does the schedule make sense for all? What needs to be altered?
11. Make changes as needed, continue to walk through and fine tune. Make adjustments to contracts as needed (know it may require additional $$)
12. Provide a copy to all vendors; ensure they concur with the timeline.
13. Provide a condensed version to Wedding Party and Family members at least one week prior to the wedding. Notify all of any changes at the Rehearsal, or in the days before the wedding. Make sure everyone that needs to be in pictures KNOWS they are to be in pictures – and know when and where! THIS IS KEY. The more informed your wedding party, the better off you are, I promise.
Happy Planning!
-Melissa
www.MoonriverWeddings.com
As you must know if you read this blog, I put on a Wedding Crash Course free seminar series to give some high level guidance to brides & grooms on wedding topics. I just finished my last of the season (getting into wedding season!) on Wedding Day Schedules. Unfortunately, you won't have the benefit of all my advice, guidance and tips in this blog that those that attended received (I could go on forever!), but I'm reprinting here the handout I provided. It's a great start for you to develop your wedding day schedule. I'm also available to build your wedding day schedule for a nominal fee OR even just review your schedule to give you tips and direction as needed.
Managing Chaos
Developing and Sticking to a Wedding Day Schedule
May 3, 2006
Melissa Titus Clymer
Building Your Wedding Day Schedule
1. Start your schedule with your ceremony venue & time.
2. Count backwards for the following:
a. Pre-ceremony pictures
b. Bout & corsage pinning and bouquets
c. Transportation to ceremony
d. Dressing
e. Hair & Makeup
f. Bridesmaid’s vanity
g. Eating time
h. Shower / Preparation
3. Verify florist/decorator & musicians for ceremony will have enough time to decorate/set up and take down within your schedule.
4. Make sure to allow time to sign marriage license with Officiant (I guarantee you'll also need to use the restroom and perhaps bustle your dress)
5. From the end of the ceremony, plug in when the wedding party (and bride & groom) will arrive at the reception
a. if taking pictures afterwards, at the ceremony venue, plug in photographer’s estimate for pictures and then add transportation time.
b. if taking pictures afterwards at the reception venue, plug in transportation time then add the photographer’s estimate for picture time needed. Add a little extra, it takes a bit extra time to re-group!
c. If not taking any portraits after (i.e took all the pictures before hand), plug in transportation time.
6. Estimate the start of cocktail hour to be at the ceremony end time + transportation time.
7. Once the wedding party arrives at the reception, determine the order of events and flow of events, keeping in mind the DJ and photographer end times
a. Introduction of Wedding Party
b. Introduction of Bride & Groom
c. Meal (lunch, dinner, apps)
d. First Dance
e. Parent’s Dance(s)
f. Other Dances (Wedding Party, Dollar, etc)
g. Cutting the Cake
h. Toasts
i. Bouquet / Garter
j. Other items (prayer, Bride & Groom welcome, receiving line, etc)
(Not in a specific order)
8. Once you’ve established the pre-ceremony timing thru the key reception events, apply your photographer’s contracted hours from the time they arrive through their departure time. All the activities you wish to capture, including portraitures, must be within this period.
9. Consider other items such as final & tip payments, departure times, etc.
10. Walk through the day in your mind, from your perspective, from your fiance’s perspective, from your Wedding Party’s perspective, from your family’s perspective and from your vendors' perspectives – is everything accounted for? Does the schedule make sense for all? What needs to be altered?
11. Make changes as needed, continue to walk through and fine tune. Make adjustments to contracts as needed (know it may require additional $$)
12. Provide a copy to all vendors; ensure they concur with the timeline.
13. Provide a condensed version to Wedding Party and Family members at least one week prior to the wedding. Notify all of any changes at the Rehearsal, or in the days before the wedding. Make sure everyone that needs to be in pictures KNOWS they are to be in pictures – and know when and where! THIS IS KEY. The more informed your wedding party, the better off you are, I promise.
Happy Planning!
-Melissa
www.MoonriverWeddings.com
posted by Melissa | 9:21 PM
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