this is the code for the render ad
Wedding Party

Day of Timeline

Hey ladies -
Working on the finishing touches for my vendors so I can order invites, etc.  Will you look over my timeline and make any suggestions?  I only get my venue for 8 hours, and I've allowed 1.5 hours for clean up time.

9:30 am - bride arrives at venue - hair and make up complete
10:00 am - photographer arrives - "getting ready" photos, bride dresses
10:30 am - 11:15 am - bride with bridal party, bride with family photos
11:15 am - Noon - groom with bridal party, groom with family photos
12:30 pm - ceremony
1:00 pm - lunch is served to guests (bride and groom photos with bridal party, family)
2:00 pm - bride and groom enter reception - first dance, cut the cake
4:00 pm - bride and groom leave reception

I'm stuck on where to put the father/daughter dance.
I'm not too keen on a bouquet toss (I would rather do the anniversary dance) and where I would put that. 
Since it's an afternoon reception, I'm not concerned with FI and I only being at the reception for two hours.  I figure most people will be ready to head out around then.
FI and I will eat before we come into the reception - we have a private room for that.  Photog will be eating with us. 
And the receiving line...  Always a point of debate.  Ceremony and reception are in the same room.  I would rather do a receiving line than table visits.  How would we work that?  Come back in after the recessional, have the DJ annouce it, and head back out to take photos when the line is through?  I don't want people to have to move around too much. 

Any advice is much appreciated!  Thank you!

Re: Day of Timeline

  • Couple things I noticed:

    1. What about set-up time?

    2. You're not eating lunch with your guests? I find that a little... bizarre. Since, you know, the reception is for the bride and groom to 'receive' their guests. You could always do a sweetheart table.
    image
  • edited December 2012
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_day-of-timeline-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:f40afade-05a1-4f9a-87d2-5513385150ddPost:bda448f2-d24f-44b6-9f02-2292f9c87275">Re: Day of Timeline</a>:
    [QUOTE]Couple things I noticed: 1. What about set-up time? 2. You're not eating lunch with your guests? I find that a little... bizarre. Since, you know, the reception is for the bride and groom to 'receive' their guests. You could always do a sweetheart table.
    Posted by artbyallie[/QUOTE]

    Since we are renting centerpieces, linens, and chair covers from our venue, they will set all of this up.  The florist will be taking care of her aspects.  FMIL and a friend have volunteered to do the other set up (programs, escort cards, favors).  The caterer will just have to have the cakes in the room by 12:15 - food will be in another room off the ceremony room.  Anything I'm missing as far as set up?

    Not eating..  We will have a sweetheart table for when we do come in the room.  I don't want to rush photos, nor do I want grumpy guests with hungry tummies.  Since I'm only allowing 2 hours for actual bride and groom reception time, I'm trying not to cut too much into that.  Also, a very important note.  FI is an EXTREMELY picky eater.  The caterer is making a special meal for him.  I don't want to be rude to our guests and have him eat something that was not available to everyone else. 

    I suppose we could come in a little earlier, dance while they are eating, cut the cake, then we eat.  Then we could do the father/daughter dance and open the floor for the rest of the dancing.  But I would feel weird if everyone else was done eating and we just started. 
  • When will the bridal party and family eat if they are taking pictures when everyone else eats?

    Perhaps you need to add a "cocktail hour" or something like that in between. you don't want to miss most of your reception taking pictures. You want to have time to enjoy it with your guests. If you spend no time with guests, why have a reception
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_day-of-timeline-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:f40afade-05a1-4f9a-87d2-5513385150ddPost:4d55e85b-4188-406d-9bc6-5ffbde171230">Re: Day of Timeline</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Day of Timeline : I also agree that it is strange not to be eating with your guests. If you have a sweatheart table no one will be seeing FI's plate of special food, so I wouldn't worry about that.
    Posted by Liatris2010[/QUOTE]

    Hey Liatris!
    I'm arriving at the venue half an hour early to have time to bring in my dress, whatever personal items I need, check that the tables are set up correctly before the florist arrives, etc.  We only have our photographer for 6 hours - so the getting ready photos will be slightly staged. 

    FI does not want to do a first look - and while I agree that it would cut down on a lot of time, it's not a hill I will die on with him.  FMIL is also very old fashioned and made quite a face when I told her about it. 

    My family is rather large - and tends to run a little late.  Which is why there is so much time scheduled.  My photographer has said that 45 minutes for bridal shots, bride with party, bride with family, etc is good.  Same for groom and his getting ready photos. 

    The only issue with doing a receiving line is the guests will not actually be leaving the ceremony area, except to go get their food.  Or if they need to go to the restroom, etc. 

    Our photographer has said that after the ceremony she can do the family and bridal party shots in 15 minutes, and the rest of the time would be for our photos. This is if everyone is organized and listening to her.  So they can go back inside to eat after that. 

    Given that we are on a small budget, having a dry wedding, and serving a full lunch to our guests, I was trying to avoid the cocktail hour. 

    Thanks for all of your input!
  • Oh, and the cake.  I didn't know if with trying to leave the venue at 4 if half an hour would be enough time to serve cake to 150 people, for them to eat it, and then go outside for the send off. 

    Trying to remember all of your points, and I failed miserably. 
  • Thanks for all of your advice and suggestions. I will chit chat with FI about what we can change!!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_day-of-timeline-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:f40afade-05a1-4f9a-87d2-5513385150ddPost:b686999a-1598-48f1-acf1-6f67bac3a493">Re: Day of Timeline</a>:
    [QUOTE]Just wanted to add one more thing. If you push your pictures with H to later in the day, you can probably get some nice sunset lighting, depending on when your wedding is.
    Posted by Liatris2010[/QUOTE]

    Hmmmm...  That's a really awesome idea.  It may even make me decide to postpone all post ceremony photos until then... 

    Which of course gets my wheels turning with other fun questions.  But then we could definitely eat with our guests, do the dances, and cut the cake in a "normal order".  I think booking the photographer for an extra hour for this would be well worth it. 
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards