Creating a Groom’s Wedding Day Timeline can seem daunting at first, but it’s actually quite simple. By referencing your contracts, discussing with your vendors and figuring out your non-negotiable times, you can design your own timeline that fits your specific plans.
A great place to start is by talking with your wedding planner and venue event manager. They’ll be able to guide you through their experiences and best practices about the important matters like the tux, ring, music, and honeymoon.
1. The Ceremony
Depending on the time of year, many ceremonies are scheduled for 4 or 5 pm. That leaves lots of time for photos after the ceremony and then cocktail hour. If you’re planning to have your ceremony and reception at the same venue, this is especially important to keep in mind.
Your hair and makeup team will help you determine how much time it will take for everyone to get ready. Your photographer will let you know whether or not you’ll be doing a first look and when it might work best for family and bridal party portraits. They can also give you a good idea of how long it will take to transport all of your friends and family to the reception from the ceremony site.
Once you have a better idea of how things will flow on the day, make sure to share your schedule with all your suppliers, including your florist and caterer. This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page, so no one is surprised when they arrive to set up or serve food.
If your groomsmen are going to be helping you get dressed, make sure to give them a rough idea of how long it will take for them to put on their tuxedos and shirts. Most guys think it will take less than an hour, but then they’re usually surprised by how much longer it actually takes.
It’s a good idea to plan for at least 45 minutes before your ceremony starts for your groom, best man and ushers to get to the location of the ceremony. That way, they’ll be hidden from guests’ view for the pre-ceremony photos and will have plenty of time to get positioned and tucked in before the guests start arriving.
If you’re having the officiant and other wedding staff greet your guests, it’s a good idea to have your groom or best man hand out programs or welcome bags. This gives them a chance to introduce everyone and tell them what to expect during the ceremony, and will save you from having to make these announcements yourself after the ceremony.
2. The Rehearsal
It’s early morning, and you hit the snooze button at least a dozen times. You feel the hangover from last night’s rehearsal dinner starting to kick in, but you know that the day can’t start until you have breakfast.
You grab a few bucks and head out of the hotel to a local diner where you meet your groomsmen to eat. The group texts back and forth, and everyone’s getting ready for the day. You triple-check the garment bag that contains all of your groomsmen’s tuxes, shirts, and bow ties to make sure everything looks perfect. Once you’re done eating, it’s time to get dressed and head over to the groom’s room.
The rest of the day goes by fast as you help your groomsmen finish up their final details and get dressed. You’ve got to re-check those bow ties again to make sure they’re perfectly in place, and then it’s your turn. Once you’re fully suited up, it’s time to hop on the shuttle to get over to the venue.
During this time, you’ll want to make sure that any family members you’re including in your bridal party have the appropriate attire. This includes a dress or skirt and blouse for girls, and a suit or blazer for guys. It’s also a good idea to set aside some time for boys’ hair and makeup, which is often an overlooked detail for the big day.
Once you arrive at the venue, you’ll meet up with your photographer to take a few quick photos before heading over to your cocktail hour location. Then it’s time to mingle with your guests and enjoy some drinks!
While a first look may seem like a new-ish trend, it’s not uncommon for couples to choose to see each other before the ceremony so they have more time to get the pictures that they want. This is especially true for weddings that are held in the evening and require a lot of daylight to capture all of the beautiful moments. It’s important to talk this over with your photographer ahead of time to ensure that he or she can plan accordingly.
3. The Rehearsal Dinner
In some cases, a couple may want to have a dinner before the rehearsal. While this isn’t necessary for every wedding, it can be a fun opportunity for out-of-town guests to meet each other. The dinner can be hosted in the bride and groom’s home, a restaurant or even at the venue itself. This dinner can also be a good time to address any issues that need to be addressed before the big day.
Traditionally, this dinner is reserved for the immediate family and wedding party members who will be attending the ceremony. However, more and more couples are choosing to invite a mix of people to the dinner, including children who might not be able to attend the ceremony for parental reasons, as well as extended family, friends from out-of-town and anyone else you wish to celebrate with. The dinner is a great time to get everyone on the same page with respect to the timing of your wedding day timeline. It’s also the perfect place to provide any important information that might be needed for your wedding day, such as directions to the venue and the hotel, pick-up times and locations of transportation you’ve arranged or any other relevant details.
Once the dinner concludes, you can take a quick moment to go through any items you’ll need to bring with you on the wedding day. Depending on your budget, you might want to bring the unity candle or any other items that will be used during your ceremony, such as programs and copies of any readings.
After the rehearsal dinner, it’s usually time to head back to your hotel to change into your tuxedo and prep for the big day. It’s also the perfect time to write your thank you cards to those who are helping you celebrate and who have traveled far and wide to be with you on your special day. This should be done around four weeks out so that your guests have plenty of time to respond.
4. The Reception
After you and your bride say “I do,” it’s time to celebrate with all of your friends and family. But before the food, drinks, and dancing begin, you’ll need to give out your thank-you cards. Your groomsmen can help with this task so that you and your bride don’t have to worry about chasing down Great-Aunt Mildred or making sure that your college roommate actually sends in his RSVP.
When you have your thank-you cards in hand, you can also write out your own personal notes to your loved ones who will be attending the wedding. This is a special way to let them know how much you appreciate their support, especially if they are traveling from far away for your big day.
If you are having both a wedding ceremony and reception at the same venue, your guests will be able to enjoy cocktails and dinner right after the ceremony ends. If your reception will be held at a different location than the ceremony, make sure you allow enough time for guests to travel between locations without feeling rushed.
It is customary for the bride and groom to toast their guests during the cocktail hour. This is a wonderful opportunity to thank everyone for coming to your wedding, and to share any special details about your relationship or the day that led up to it. You may want to include any important information about your venue, too, if you’re not hosting your reception at your home or another private residence.
At the end of the evening, it’s time for you and your new spouse to take the stage for a couple of fun dance moves and your first kiss as husband and wife. Depending on your tastes, you may also want to include some speeches from other guests, a video message from your parents or grandparents, or even a toast from yourself.
If you’d like to say goodbye to your guests in style, consider a grand exit from the venue that includes sparklers, a photobooth, or noisemakers. This is a fun way to thank your friends and family for their support and send them off with a smile on their face.
