Wedding day timeline
Put one time in.
Get the whole day back.
Every wedding schedule is built backwards and forwards from the ceremony. Enter that one time, tell us about travel and the parts you are keeping, and the rest of the day falls into place — ready to print for the venue, the party and whoever is running the morning.
What you're keeping
A working draft, not a rule — check it against your venue and photographer.
Our wedding day
Running order
- 08:00Hair and make-up begins
- 11:00Photographer arrives — details and prep
- 11:45Into the dress and suits
- 12:15Guests begin arriving
- 12:50Guests seated
- 13:00Ceremony begins
- 13:45Ceremony ends — confetti
- 13:50Receiving line
- 14:20Travel to the reception venue
- 15:05Drinks reception opens
- 15:15Group photographs
- 16:05Couple portraits
- 16:35Call guests to be seated
- 16:50Guests seated for the meal
- 17:05Entrance of the couple
- 17:15Meal served
- 19:00Speeches and toasts
- 19:55Sunset portraits — step outside
- 20:15Room turnaround, evening guests arrive
- 20:35Cutting the cake
- 20:45First dance
- 20:55Dance floor opens
- 23:00Evening food
- 01:00Last dance
Our wedding day
Running order
- 08:00Hair and make-up begins
- 11:00Photographer arrives — details and prep
- 11:45Into the dress and suits
- 12:15Guests begin arriving
- 12:50Guests seated
- 13:00Ceremony begins
- 13:45Ceremony ends — confetti
- 13:50Receiving line
- 14:20Travel to the reception venue
- 15:05Drinks reception opens
- 15:15Group photographs
- 16:05Couple portraits
- 16:35Call guests to be seated
- 16:50Guests seated for the meal
- 17:05Entrance of the couple
- 17:15Meal served
- 19:00Speeches and toasts
- 19:55Sunset portraits — step outside
- 20:15Room turnaround, evening guests arrive
- 20:35Cutting the cake
- 20:45First dance
- 20:55Dance floor opens
- 23:00Evening food
- 01:00Last dance
And afterwards
The gap in every timeline
tools.timeline.bridgeText
$60 per event — one payment, everything included, no subscription
Good questions
- What time should a wedding ceremony start?
- Early afternoon is the common shape: a ceremony between 1pm and 2pm leaves room for a drinks reception, a sitting meal in daylight and an evening that still has legs. Push past 3pm and the reception compresses, or the evening runs very late.
- How long does a wedding ceremony take?
- A civil ceremony usually runs 20 to 30 minutes; a religious service with readings and music runs 45 to 60, and a full nuptial mass longer. Set the length here and everything after it moves with it.
- How much time do you need between the ceremony and the meal?
- Around two hours at the same venue, and more if there is travel. Group photos, couple portraits and a drinks reception all live in that window, and it is the first thing to overrun when it is planned tight.
- When should speeches happen?
- After the main course is the traditional shape and the kindest to nervous speakers, who can then eat. Before the meal works too and gets it over with, but it delays food, and a hungry room is a tough audience.
- What is golden hour and should we plan for it?
- The last hour before sunset, when the light is warm and low — the best portraits of the day usually come from stepping out for ten minutes during it. Look up the sunset time for your date and venue, and tell your photographer you want that window.
- Can I change the timeline after printing?
- The tool is free and instant, so regenerate it as often as your plans change. Nothing is saved and nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.