12 Wedding Day Timeline Mistakes You Need to Avoid

Your wedding day timeline is like the bible of your wedding day activities. It dictates what should happen, when each thing should happen, and who is in charge. It guides everyone on what will happen on your wedding day, so having a properly panned out wedding day timeline is just about THE most important thing for your special day. To help you plan an efficient wedding day, we put together some common mistakes couples make when planning they timeline. Take notes now and avoid having unnecessary delays on your Big Day!

 

(1) Not allotting enough time for hair and makeup (including retouches).

Getting you all glammed up for your wedding day takes time, so making sure you allot enough time for your hair and makeup team to prep you is crucial. Many times what is left out is setting aside ample time for retouching in between the ceremony and reception, and during the post-nuptial photoshoot. Don’t miss out on this detail.

 

[From: This Tropical Wedding Stands Out Because of Its Classic Cream Colors and Breathtaking View / Photo: Ken Tan]

 

(2) Spending too much time on the door games.

Yes, this part of the pre-wedding ceremonies is fun, but keep it within a strict time limit. Don’t get carried away so it doesn’t lead to a domino effect for the rest of the day. The same goes for the rest of the Chinese wedding customs that happen on your wedding day. Watch out for the time, always!

 

[From: This Timeless Wedding is Filled with Heartwarming Traditions / Photo: Sophia Kwan]

 

(3) Not planning enough time for travel.

With traffic these days at its worst, travel time should be dealt with carefully! Make sure you allow enough travel time to and from the church and reception venues for you, your entourage, your vendors, and your guests. You don’t want to stall if you or an important member is late, nor you do you want your guests inconvenienced with not having enough travel time.

 

[From: This Timeless Wedding is Filled with Heartwarming Traditions / Photo: Sophia Kwan]

 

(4) Not allotting enough time for the family and group photos.

Of course everyone will want a photo op with the newly-weds, and many times we’ve seen friends and family flock to the bride and groom at will to take photos. This causes excessive delays in the schedule, so having an organized photo session for family and friends makes a huge difference!

 

[From: Blush Rustic Wedding in Idyllic Phuket / Photo: Amee Cheung Photography]

 

(5) Having too long a cocktail session prior to the formal reception.

You don’t want to keep everyone waiting for too long. You cocktail session should last only about an hour (or even less). Anything longer will leave your guests antsy, or will have them drinking a little too much alcohol–either will not end very well for them and you.

 

[From: Romantic Wedding in Malta with Rustic and Minimalist Details / Photo: Julian Gyula Zacsflavi]

 

(6) Not sharing your wedding day timeline with your photographer and videographer.

This is very important! You need to share your wedding day timeline with your photo and video team so that they can adjust accordingly to your wedding day schedule. Otherwise, they will shoot at will and possibly, lose track of time. If they are aware of the wedding day schedule, they will be able to prepare and they can make the most of the time that is allotted for shooting.

 

[From: This Tropical Wedding Stands Out Because of Its Classic Cream Colors and Breathtaking View / Photo: Ken Tan]

 

(7) Not considering the time the photo and video team need to make the same day edit.

In relation to the previous point, sharing your wedding day timeline with your photo and video team will also allow them to align with you on the amount of time they need for the same day edit video. You do want to give them enough time to prepare your most-awaited videos, don’t you?

 

[From: The Pretty Pastel Color Palette Made This Outdoor Wedding Come to Life / Photo: Belle and Olive]

 

(8) Not clearing the shoot locations with the venue.

Some venues–especially those in the city–require permits for taking photos. Make sure you secure the necessary permits beforehand. It will also be good to alert the venue in advance of the locations where you want to shoot on your wedding day. They can help in keeping the place free of unnecessary spectators and they can also make sure the place is neat and tidy.

 

[From: This Timeless Wedding is Filled with Heartwarming Traditions / Photo: Sophia Kwan]

 

(9) Not aligning the time needed for food service.

When it comes to dinner time, the reality is that buffet lines can get extremely long, and plated meals can take a while, too. Knowing the amount of time needed for a buffet dinner or plated banquet will help ensure a smooth-sailing reception program.

 

[From: Blush Rustic Wedding in Idyllic Phuket / Photo: Amee Cheung Photography]

 

(10) Not including buffer for the toast speeches.

As much as you want people to keep their wedding speech concise, there’s always that chance it will go on forever. Make sure you add some extra buffer time for wedding speeches that might trail off longer than expected.

 

[From: Blush Rustic Wedding in Idyllic Phuket / Photo: Amee Cheung Photography]

 

(11) Adding too many activities to the reception.

Spreading things out too much will also lead to a very, very tight wedding day. So consider choosing also wisely when it comes to what do include and what not to include anymore. Or, if you really insist on having a lot of wedding day activities, plan properly and make sure everyone is aware of the time frames allotted for each activity on the day. Get the whole team in on making sure you don’t get delayed.

 

[From: This Timeless Wedding is Filled with Heartwarming Traditions / Photo: Sophia Kwan]

 

(12) Not leaving room for adjustments.

Finally, whether you like it or not, things don’t always go as planned. So keep and open mind and make room for any necessary adjustments that will be needed along the way!

 

[From: This Tropical Wedding Stands Out Because of Its Classic Cream Colors and Breathtaking View / Photo: Ken Tan]

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