Plan the Perfect Big Day with Our Wedding Itinerary

• Wedding Itinerary & Timeline
• What is a Wedding Itinerary Template?
• Wedding Itinerary Example
• Traditional Wedding Ceremony Itinerary
• Processional
• Welcoming Words & Introduction
• Readings
• The Exchange of Vows
• The Exchange of Rings
• The Kiss!
• Recessional
• Wedding Reception Itinerary Outline
• Cocktail Hour
• Grand Entrance to Reception
• First Dance
• Welcome Speech & Meal Service
• Toasts
• Mother & Son, Father & Daughter Dances
• Cake Cutting
• Grand Exit
• Plan the Best Destination Wedding Itinerary
• Schedule in Travel Time
• Use a Wedding Website & Provide Simple Information
• Give Guests Vacation Freedom
• Wedding Day Itinerary for a 3pm Ceremony

Wedding Itinerary Example

To help you better understand how your wedding itinerary may look, we've put together a timeline example for a typical wedding day, with a 5pm ceremony time. Your ceremony start time may be different, and you'll likely want to add in various smaller activities to your schedule. But our itinerary example should give you a good place to start.

8/8:30am - Wash & Ready Yourself for Breakfast

On the morning of your wedding, you're unlikely to be hungry, but you've got to eat. Skipping breakfast may feel like the right thing to do there and then. But after a couple of hours of walking around in your dress, sipping Champagne, your energy will start to fade. Prepare a healthy breakfast in advance, something that you actually like, and your future self will thank you as you walk down the aisle!

9am - Planner & Vendors Arrive

Our rule is 'earlier the better' when it comes to preparing a wedding venue. Getting the appropriate vendors to arrive promptly, and having your planner or coordinator on-site to organize them, is a great way to ensure a smooth running celebration.

9/9:30am - Breakfast with Wedding Party

Whether you choose to have breakfast as a group, or would prefer to eat before your wedding party arrives, it's important to share a moment together - before the chaos commences! Plan this time thoughtfully by preparing outfits, music, and food especially for the occasion.

10/10:30am - Hair & Makeup

We always advise couples to give themselves as much time as possible with their hair and makeup team, especially if they have a large group. Makeup artists and hairdressers typically require time to set up too before they're even ready to work on a bridal party, so be sure to factor that into your timeline.

Unless you have a giant entourage, 3 hours should be sufficient, plus set-up time.

11:30/12pm - Photographer Arrives

Getting ready shots really help to tell the story of the day and stop wedding photography feeling too polished. If you want your photographer to shoot both yourself and your partner, be sure to schedule enough time for them to get to both locations.

1pm - Lunch

We know you're ready to get the party started, but it's a good idea to eat again before any of the big events of the day kickoff. The last thing you need is a rumbling tummy and a light head during your ceremony.

2:30pm - Wedding Party Finishes Getting Ready

Makeup done and hair looking fabulous, now it's time to slip on your wedding dress! Be sure to have your photographer on hand to capture the moment!

3pm - First Look and Portraits

We would suggest creating a separate itinerary just for wedding photos. In the heat of the moment, it's all too easy to dismiss a certain wedding party photo or family portrait because you're running out of time. Only to regret that lack of planning, years down the line. Organize an appropriate amount of time with your photographer, and always have someone responsible there on the day to keep an eye on the clock and shot list.

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4:30pm - Pre-Ceremony Preparations

In the movies it looks dramatic when a bride arrives just as the ceremony is about to start, but in reality that's a stressful way to kick things off! Side step that pressure and factor in enough time to prepare yourself and those around you before your grand entrance.

5pm - Ceremony

If you've ever attended a wedding before, you'll know that weddings rarely start on time. There will always be a handful of guests running late, or something holding everyone up. Which, nerves aside, is fine, as long as you've given yourself some buffer time within the itinerary.

6pm - Cocktail Hour

Our favorite part of a wedding! And not because there's a free bar, no, it's because cocktail hour is the time loved ones really get a chance to catch up. Unconstrained by a ceremony setting or a reception seating chart. If you're joining them, rather than shoot portraits, you'll get to bask in that warm, post-ceremony fuzzy feeling!

Our advice would be to take some golden hour photos with your photographer and then join your guests. You'll be amazed at how stunning you both look in the natural light during sunset. Trust us, it's worth missing 30 minutes of party time for!

7pm - Guests Called in for the Reception

Plan ahead and have one of your groomsmen, or a vendor, on hand to announce it's time for dinner.

7:15pm - Entrances, First Dance & Welcome Toasts

Try to keep this area of your reception timeline pretty tight, as by this point, guests will be pretty keen to start eating. Keep the energy high before the toasts by having some impactful songs prepared in advance by the DJ.

7:30/7:45pm - Dinner Service

Enjoy the fruits of your labor, and relax with loved ones.

9:30pm - Guests Invited to the Dance Floor

An opportunity for guests to really let loose while you circulate, catching up and thanking friends and family for attending.

11:30pm - The Perfect Day Comes to an End

Your grand exit should feel as dramatic as your entrance! Arrange for your DJ or band to play an epic song as you leave, and perhaps have someone gather guests for a sparkler exit. Create a moment that'll live long in the memory of your guests - no pressure!

Want to find out how to plan more than just the wedding day? Check out our multi-event guide and see how our builder can help you organize the wedding weekend of your dreams!

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Traditional Wedding Ceremony Itinerary

Now you've got an idea of how the itinerary of your entire day should feel, let's look at the ceremony in a little more detail. There are, of course, limitless different ways to have a wedding ceremony. But to keep this simple, we're going to outline the elements present in a traditional type of ceremony. Just so you can get a sense of how a conventional order of service looks.

Processional

The bride's mother traditionally leads the processional, followed by the groom, best man and the wedding party. At the end is the bride, who is taken down the aisle by her father, who gives her away at the end of the aisle.

Welcoming Words & Introduction

The officiant or whoever is presiding over the ceremony typically welcomes everyone present, and thanks all for attending. They will then introduce the ceremony by sharing a few words about marriage, the couples' personal love story and perhaps what to expect from the ceremony itself.

Readings

If you have tasked loved ones with delivering a reading during your ceremony, this would usually take place before the vows.

The Exchange of Vows

Following the readings, the officiant introduces the vows by explaining their importance, and stressing the responsibility the couple should feel towards each other. Assuming that they're happy to continue! The officiant will then go through the vows, asking the bride and groom to recite theirs in turn. Unless the vows have been written by the couple themselves.

The Exchange of Rings

The placing of rings on each other's fingers is considered the symbol of marriage, and this ritual is typically performed after the vows.

The Kiss!

When you're asked to seal the ceremony with a kiss, that's when you know you're officially married!

Recessional

The recessional is the same as the processional, but in the reverse and led by the now married couple. Who are (hopefully) applauded and cheered on by their gathered family and friends.

This is the itinerary for a traditional, nonreligious wedding ceremony. If you would like to include a unity ritual within your ceremony, this would typically be done after the vows and the kiss. But it's really up to you and your officiant. For pacing, they may suggest scheduling the ritual sooner, especially if you'd like to perform more than one.

Create the wedding ceremony of your dreams with our expert guide and free itinerary builder!

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Wedding Reception Itinerary Outline

Now we've got a sense of what to expect from the ceremony, let's look at the wedding reception timeline and see what is typically included. You're free to pick and choose the order in which these events go in. But your guests will expect most to be present.

Cocktail Hour

For us, the reception begins the moment you slip those rings on each other's fingers. Because cocktail hour is typically the first part of the evening celebrations. And if your ceremony is taking place in the same venue as your reception, your guests will likely have a drink in their hands in no time!

It's nice for guests to be welcomed to cocktail hour by the happy couple, if not with the photographer. Elect a member of the wedding party to say a few words if you're not going to be present.

Grand Entrance to Reception

The time it takes for your bridal party to be introduced will depend on its size, and how crazy their moves are! In our experience, the process usually takes around 5-10 minutes.

First Dance

The first dance traditionally comes after the grand entrance of the bridal party, and serves as a way for the bride and groom to make their own entrance. We prefer to schedule the first dance for later in the evening, following meal service. As it serves as a great way for guests to get up onto the dance floor. But it's your day, so do what feels right for you and your guests.

Welcome Speech & Meal Service

Following the dancing, guests should then be welcomed to the wedding reception by the parents of the happy couple. Religious celebrations may also include a prayer. The welcome speech, or prayer, is typically the cue for the catering team to begin meal service. And this should start promptly, as it may have been awhile since guests last ate.

Toasts

Toasts usually take place towards the end of meal service, depending on how many guests have chosen to speak. Be sure to go through timings with your loved ones beforehand to get an idea of how long they predict their speech will be. Keep in mind however that toasts often go over, so do add on a little extra time to each one.

Mother & Son, Father & Daughter Dances

If you did your first dance at the start of the reception, it's up to the parents to get guests up onto the dance floor.

Cake Cutting

Our favorite part of the evening, cake! And a great opportunity for guests to take a breather from dancing and celebrate the last traditional ceremony in the wedding itinerary.

Grand Exit

Fireworks, sparklers, and guests waving you off on your adventure together is a great way to officially finish the reception. And it looks great in wedding photography! Helping to conclude the story of the day.

Plan the perfect reception minus the drama, with our guide to the mistakes couples typically make when planning their celebration.

Create your own wedding itinerary

Plan the Best Destination Wedding Itinerary

In theory, a destination wedding itinerary should be the same as a wedding back home. But in reality, the schedule usually feels a little more relaxed and stretches over a couple of days. Which does mean more work during your wedding planning timeline. But on the flip side, more time spent with loved ones during the actual celebrations.

To help you plan your wedding date in the sun better, we've put together a few essential tips that should keep things running smoothly.

Schedule in Travel Time

Depending on where in the world you're tying the knot, your guests will likely be travelling at least some distance to attend your wedding. Even if jet-lag isn't a reality, you still need to give guests time to settle into their accommodation and relax a little before asking them to take part in events. On the other hand, it's also wise to schedule in optional drinks and get together's to ensure guests can join you straight away if they'd like to.

Use a Wedding Website & Provide Simple Information

A wedding website is a must when planning any modern celebration. As it allows you to instantly update guests with information as soon as it's confirmed, which can then be accessed whenever required. This is especially useful before and during destination weddings, as the itineraries are usually longer and more involved.

Use your wedding website to provide guests with step-by-step instructions on how to arrive at their hotel, and how to get to venues. Alongside a schedule for each day, along with local recommendations for food, drinks etc. Do this, and you'll find your journey to the aisle is a lot calmer, and relatively free from questions from bewildered guests.

Give Guests Vacation Freedom

Your loved ones have taken time out of their busy schedules to celebrate your nuptials. They've likely taken valuable vacation time, arranged childcare and moved their lives around to be with you. Pay back that love by leaving them alone once in a while!

It's important to create a destination wedding itinerary, as it provides structure and gives guests confidence in your planning. However, parts of that timetable should be dedicated to free time, away from the main group. A chance for guests to relax as they wish, with or without other invited guests, in a more informal manner. Do this, and they'll return home feeling like they've actually had a vacation. Plus, they'll have more energy for the planned activities on your wedding schedule.

Planning a destination wedding? Get our expert advice on marrying abroad and see how our free builder can help you plan the perfect sun-filled wedding timeline!

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Wedding Day Itinerary for a 3pm Ceremony

Not every wedding ceremony starts at 5pm. In fact, a growing number of celebrations are taking place earlier in the day, so guests can enjoy more time together after the ceremony. Which has meant that 3pm ceremonies are fast becoming the most popular time to tie the knot.

Bringing the ceremony forward does make the task of scheduling a little trickier. As finding a balance between relaxation and a flowing timetable, especially in the morning, can be harder to produce.

If you're planning a 3pm ceremony and are struggling to create an itinerary for the day. We thought we'd share a quick sample timeline to give you an idea of how yours might look.

• 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast with bridal⁣ party
• 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Hair and makeup
• 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Get dressed
• 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: First Look (if having)
• 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM: Bridal party photos and family shots
• 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Travel to ceremony venue (if separate)
• 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Pre-ceremony buffer, admin, and beauty touch-ups⁣
• 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM: Wedding ceremony
• 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Portraits and guest transition⁣ to drinks reception
• 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Cocktail hour⁣
• 5:00 PM - Reception

If you would like more of an in-depth look at wedding timelines, and find out the most forgotten itinerary details - check out our wedding day planning guide!