3 tips for building an ironclad wedding timeline

In one of our recent Instagram polls, we asked our followers what part of the planning process was the most stressful to them. Participants overwhelmingly responded that the most difficult task was creating a perfect timeline. le wedding mill has your back! Today, I am sharing a few of our tips to building your wedding timeline.

1. PAD IT LIKE IT’S PRECIOUS CARGO

Even the most punctual people may still run late on their wedding day. Why? Because there are so many exterior factors involved in the timing of the day. For example, if you’re in Montreal, you know that summer = construction and road closures.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Here are a few key moments that get a little extra love in all of our timelines:

  • Glamming – If your makeup artist or hairstylist ask for 45 minutes per person, plan for at least ten minutes more than that. This leaves room for a hairstyle that took longer than expected or an eyelash emergency — and ensures that the last person getting glammed up won’t feel rushed.
  • Driving – If you’ve tested the drive and it takes you 25 minutes to get from your hotel to the ceremony, plan for 15 minutes more. Chances are, you’ll get to the ceremony right on time.
Photo: Emilie Olson Photography
2. SPEAK TO YOUR VENDORS

As a wedding planner, I consider myself the team captain of the vendors, emphasis on the word team.  I’m here to ensure that everyone has the right information and tools to achieve the common goal, creating a wonderful and happy experience for you, not to impose or dictate a schedule that doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. For that reason, I always make sure to run the timeline by the vendors involved in the wedding.

For instance, some photographers like to spend one hour with one soon-to-be-newlywed and an hour and a half with the other (to shoot details). Other photographers prefer to shoot details the day before. It’s best to work with them to ensure that everyone will be on the same page.

Another example is the caterer. The caterer is under an immense amount of pressure to ensure that the food will be served hot and quickly. I recommend that you run your timeline by them in advance so that they can suggest adjustments as needed, based on their expertise.

Photo: Dyade Photo
3. GO WITH THE FLOW

You’ve created a thorough timeline and it’s time to execute it! My last tip is to go with the flow. As counterintuitive as it may sound, it is very likely that the timing will shift and I’m here to tell you that that’s okay. The important thing is that all your vendors are kept in the loop so that they can adapt accordingly.

On that note

There is so much information out there on how to schedule your big day and if you don’t have a planner, this can feel overwhelming. I encourage you to create an order of events that works for you and that makes you happy. Not into reading your vows out loud? Really feeling a group dance-off? You do you.

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