time line

OsaOsa

I have a 4hour ceremony and wedding timeline 12pm to 4pm. I want to maximize my time but not sure of a good time line for everything. I am thinking the ceremony will be about 30 minutes that leaves me with 3 and a half hours to fit everything else in. Seems like such a short time how do I fit everything in. I also think I should put 1130 on the invites so I can start ant exactly 12...any timeline suggestions..

achiduck

It's misleading to put a fake start time on your invitations. Plus guests will be expecting to the wedding to start at 11:30 and will then think you're late and are keeping everyone waiting. Talk to your hair and makeup people and figure out how long they need. Are you planning to do any pictures before the ceremony? Talk to your photographer and see how long they need. Figure on about 30-45 minutes for getting dressed and work backwards from your ceremony start time.

For examply, if your ceremony starts at 12 pm and your photgrapher needs an hour, hair needs 45 minutes and makeup 30 minutes I'd go with this:

9 am - Hair
9:45 - Makeup
10:15- Get dressed
10:45 - Photography
11:45 - Travel to ceremony site (if not already there)/relax
12 pm - Ceremony starts.

OsaOsa

Thanks for your reply. Yourb/4 ceremony timeline is helpful. We are going to take the together pictures after the ceremony but my girls and I will get some done before. The photographer starts at 10. As for the invitation time I was going to put 1130 cause I wanted everyone there so I can start on time. I definitely see your point I fuses once all the key players are there we can start : even if other guest are late. Do you have any suggestions to maximizing the rest of the time...ie dinner, first dance, introductions etc. I know cocktail will be about 45 mins to an hour will we finish up pics, after that I am not sure...

mrshall1027

I agree that you shouldn't put a fake time on your invitations.  People will expect the ceremony to be at 11:30, and as achiduck said, they will think you are running late if you start it at noon.

If I had your time slot to work with, this is what I would do.

12:00 - ceremony

12:30 - 1:15 pictures

1:20 - announcement of bride and groom and bridal party

1:25 - first dance

1:30 - lunch begins

2:15 - cake cutting

2:30 - dancing/fun/whatever else

4:00 - reception ends

CFM102012

If you tell people that a wedding will be at a certain time they will make their best effort to be there before that time. Sometimes things get in the way causing a few to be a minute or two late. You can't plan for that. A vast majority of your guests will be there on time. Start on time for them or give the missing guests five extra minutes to arrive but no more.

cbear215

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_october-2012-weddings_time-line?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:56b9bcef-1e34-456e-81f5-cfaa107456b2Discussion:07001641-3142-4028-9d7e-7bfb8da80f35Post:0d207cf7-7109-4209-87db-005ea58ccff6">Re: time line</a>:
[QUOTE]If you tell people that a wedding will be at a certain time they will make their best effort to be there before that time. Sometimes things get in the way causing a few to be a minute or two late. You can't plan for that. A vast majority of your guests will be there on time. Start on time for them or give the missing guests five extra minutes to arrive but no more.
Posted by CFM102012[/QUOTE]

This!  I went to a wedding once where they put half an hour before start time on the invitations so we got there early and had to wait 45 mins-1 hour for the ceremony to start!  It was awful.
As for the before timeline, if your doing photos before, I would talk to photographer re: what time he wants to start, and work backwards.  Ask your hair/makeup people how long they expect to take and give yourself some extra time.

pengy16

i understand where your coming from about wanting to put an earlier time so everyone will get there on time, my FI family is always late. like this past weekend, we were told to come over around 5 so they could do a cook out (we were bringing the burgers) starting at 6, nobody showed up til 8.
I did put the actual start time on the invites, but im not waiting on his family to show up, if they miss it, its their problem. I know that sounds harsh but we are on a tight 4 hour timeline as well so if we wait 2 hours for everyone to show up there will be no time for the reception.
Our time line goes:
4pm ceremony
4:30 - 5:00 pictures
4:30 - 5:15 appetizers
5:15 annouce bride and groom
5:30 - 8pm dinner reception etc.

ivedonethisb4

I need to get started on a timeline soon! My wedding is at 4pm. I'm probably going to start getting ready at 9am with all the BP. I've decided everyone needs to be at the church at one to start getting dressed. And our photog will arrive at 2. I want everyone to be ready and waiting on her because were doing 90 percent of the pics before hand and the only ones to be done afterwards are some at our reception venue with the WP.

fishinflagrl

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_october-2012-weddings_time-line?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:56b9bcef-1e34-456e-81f5-cfaa107456b2Discussion:07001641-3142-4028-9d7e-7bfb8da80f35Post:d0c6c36f-6b1b-4e27-8a48-f2aa2608ad97">Re: time line</a>:
[QUOTE]I agree that you shouldn't put a fake time on your invitations.  People will expect the ceremony to be at 11:30, and as achiduck said, they will think you are running late if you start it at noon. If I had your time slot to work with, this is what I would do. 12:00 - ceremony 12:30 - 1:15 pictures 1:20 - announcement of bride and groom and bridal party 1:25 - first dance 1:30 - lunch begins 2:15 - cake cutting 2:30 - dancing/fun/whatever else 4:00 - reception ends
Posted by ystaalenburg[/QUOTE]

I agree with Yas. She did a good time line for you. :)

OsaOsa

Thank you all...your timeline example is very helpful.