For those of you who have planned weddings, either your own or someone else's, you know the importance of the all-encompassing wedding day timeline. I bolded, underlined and italicized this because I cannot stress enough to our students and/or anyone else involved in weddings how very essential they are to the actual day of. My assistant and I rely on it, it can be my lifeline on the day of, a crutch of sorts when I really need it. Here are a few tips for making your timeline the most effective.
1. No Two Timelines Are EVER The Same!
I truly mean this. You can have a wedding at the same venue, with the same vendors (well, mostly the same vendors) a week apart and the timeline still wouldn't be the same...I promise. Every wedding is different and the timeline must reflect those differences.
2. Details, Details, Details
You cannot have enough information in your timeline...ever. For an average size wedding with an average amount of setup, my day of timeline is typically 5-6 pages typed. I find that the more details I have on it the less looking through vendor contracts, my notes and printed emails from the bride I have to do. This way, when someone asks you a question...and they always will be asking you questions, you are the planner here!...you will have the answer at your fingertips. It's much more professional than digging through your folder for a scrap of paper that has a note about centerpiece setup.
3. Vendor Contact Information
Let me repeat this again...VENDOR CONTACT INFORMATION. This is essential! This is the best piece of advice that I can give to anyone who is preparing a day of timeline. When you contact the vendors in the week prior to the wedding to confirm everything one last time, please, please, please make sure you get their cell phone number. The photographer's office number will do you no good if he is driving to the venue and you need to get in touch with him.
In your timeline you should have the times for all vendor arrivals. It is here that I also put their name and cell phone number. Again, this will save you time and energy since you won't have to be digging through contracts and notes to find where you wrote down their cell phone number.
4. Padding The Timing
Now, let me preface this by saying, I'm not talking about padding the timing by 30 minutes but maybe by 5-15 minutes, especially if you know that your bride and/or groom tends to run late. I tend to do this regarding transportation mostly. I'd rather have the limo there and waiting (as long as it's not affecting the cost) then to have it arrive the second we need to leave. I also like to tell the bride and her bridesmaids that we have to be in the limo 15 minutes prior to when we actually do, it helps keep me sane. This will reflect on my timeline because as I mentioned earlier, you can't have too many details on your timeline.
5. Setup Notes
At the end of my timeline, I will have my setup notes section. I divide it into the following sections along with the time that I need to begin and be finished with each group.
- Pre-Ceremony
- Ceremony
- Cocktail Hour
- Reception
- Packing Up (**Note here who will be taking it home because it's probably not the bride and groom)
Sometimes the bride will give me their own list and I work accordingly, but it still goes into my timeline. There has been only one exception to this where I just worked directly off her list. I had a bride who gave me seven (yes, SEVEN) typed pages of detailed candle setup notes...literally. No mention of any other setup besides the candles. Each table had a different candle layout specific to the centerpiece. I thought I was going to pull my hair out. On one hand, it made my life very easy because she had done all of the leg work for me...on the other hand, it was insane.
5. Last Thoughts
Don't wait until the night before the wedding to make up your timeline. It will be stressful, I promise. You will miss some of the little details and then will be not as prepared on the day of the wedding. If there is some question about a details' importance, put it in the timeline anyway. Again, details, details, details! Lastly, add the addresses for the hotel, ceremony location and reception venue also. You may think you know them by heart, but better to have it in front of you when a vendor asks.
Have fun making the timeline. It's something that I enjoy...now it's that pesky wedding budget that drives me over the edge...
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For more information on Wedding and Event Planning, please visit our website at the Sheffield School.
Katie is the Wedding and Event Planning Student Advisor and owner of Sara Kate Events.
Katie Berger 
