Crafting the perfect wedding day timeline is an art form, and even the most carefully planned day can encounter hiccups. Here are the most common wedding day timeline mistakes to avoid.
According to wedding planners and experts, couples often fall into some wedding day timeline traps that can lead to stress, missed moments, and a feeling of being rushed. Understanding these snags ahead of time is key to ensuring your special day flows seamlessly and joyfully.
To help you avoid the common wedding day timeline mistakes, we reached out to leading wedding experts and planners. Here’s their best advice. Bookmark this guide for a smooth, stress-free wedding day!
Your Wedding Day Timeline Isn’t Detailed Enough
Every activity or event, no matter how minute, should be on your wedding day timeline. Including even the smallest details ensures that your day flows smoothly.
“The biggest mistake I see when creating a wedding day timeline is forgetting to put every single thing you want to do on it,” says Janice Carnevale, wedding planner and owner of Bellwether Events. “This could be anything from making a TikTok in your matching robes with your besties, to doing an outfit change or adjustment during the reception, to even scheduling biological breaks (yes, seriously!).”
Insufficient Travel Time Between Venues
It’s easy to misjudge the travel time between event locations, which could result in frustrating delays.
“Couples often don’t leave enough time for traveling from one location to another on a wedding day,” remarks Siobhan Healy, lead photographer and owner of Siobhan Stanton Photography. “If the group is traveling by bus, be aware that buses travel slower than cars, so you want to add a few minutes to the travel time.”
Moreover, it’s essential to consider more than just driving time, especially when large groups and local events are involved.
“One common mistake when creating a wedding timeline is overlooking local events that could potentially cause traffic delays or logistical issues,” adds Kawania Wooten, wedding planner and principal consultant at Howerton+Wooten Events. “Whoever is responsible for the timeline should contact the local convention and visitors bureau well in advance to find out if any large events (such as festivals, parades, races, or conventions) are scheduled nearby.”
Not Including Buffer Time Throughout The Day
Like any event, everything doesn’t always go as planned on a wedding day. Therefore, it’s crucial to include buffer time so you don’t feel rushed or stressed.
“Not adding buffer time is one of the biggest timeline mistakes couples make, because unless you’ve lived through a hundred wedding days, you don’t realize how often things run a few minutes behind,” states Loni Peterson, wedding planner and owner of LP Creative Events. “As pros, we build extra time into everything because we’ve seen bridesmaids suddenly decide on hair, moms need breathers between photos, and toasts that ‘just take 5 minutes’ magically stretch into 15.”
It’s also advisable to check with your wedding vendors about how long set up and clean up will take.
“Set up and clean up take a significant amount of time and should be discussed with your planner, vendors, and venue up front,” adds Nirjary Desai, event producer and founder of Kis(Cubed) Events. “Ideally, you should have an idea of how long prepping your event will take before you sign the contract for your venue so you can make sure you have allocated all the time you need. Remember: the more elaborate your decor, the longer it will take to set up!”
Forgetting Couple-Only Time
Undoubtedly, your wedding day will be a whirlwind. Add at least 10-15 minutes of couple-only alone time to connect with your partner and soak in the moment.
“Couples often don’t carve out any intentional alone time during the wedding day,” declares Martina Asgari-Majd, event planner and founder of Parisa Social Events. “Between getting ready, the ceremony, photos, and greeting guests, it’s surprisingly easy to go the entire day without a quiet moment together. Whether it’s enjoying a glass of champagne, reading private vows, or simply breathing together before the next part of the day begins, this pause is grounding and often one of the most emotionally memorable parts of the day for my clients.”
Scheduling Too Many Toasts Before Dinner
During the wedding reception, strategically plan the speeches around the meal service. You don’t want your guests to be waiting for dinner due to delayed toasts.
“One of the biggest timeline mistakes couples make is scheduling multiple toasts before dinner service, which can delay the meal and leave food sitting in the kitchen, risking it becoming cold or overcooked. To avoid this, instruct caterers to stick to the agreed-upon service timeline, even if toasts run long, as a few servers moving discreetly is less disruptive than a crowd of hungry guests,” mentions Meg Walker, exclusive caterer to La Venta Inn. “Also, choose forgiving menu items like braised short ribs that hold heat well and spread toasts throughout dinner if more than a couple are planned.”
Not Communicating Your Timeline With Everyone
A well-planned wedding day timeline is only effective if everyone involved is informed about it and clearly understands their role.
“Couples often allot a set amount of time for the ceremony and speeches, but then don’t actually confirm that the officiant and/or wedding party speakers are sticking to these guidelines, and that they’ve actually timed it,” mentions Brian Franklin, speechwriter and co-founder of Vows & Speeches. “As a result, these moments can go much longer than expected, killing the vibe of the wedding and interfering with the food service or dancing.”
Skimping on Photography and Videography Time
Rushing through photography and videography can result in missed moments and a less-than-perfect final product.
“Couples oftentimes don’t take time to do the first look, presuming they can do all their formal photos during the cocktail hour (couple, wedding party, family). That usually leaves them with a very limited and rushed set of photos and a lot of missed things,” declares Julian Ribinik, wedding photographer and creative director of Julian Ribinik Studios. “Plan for at least two hours to make sure you have everything, and not during cocktail hour when people want to go and eat, and details have to be photographed.”
Including a dedicated time for both photographs and videos will make sure all your memories are beautifully captured.
“It’s integral to allocate dedicated time for video-specific shots, especially cinematic and drone footage,” states Brian Press, cinematographer and founder of Impressive Creations Cinematography. “What many couples don’t realize is that videographers need intentional moments carved out to capture movement, emotion, and dynamic visuals. When we’re given just a few extra pockets of time, we’re able to capture those stunning, film-quality shots that elevate the entire wedding film.”
Cover photo by Anna Gianfrate
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