Today is the day. Hopefully you drank a lot of water last night and went to bed early to ensure that you are well-rested and all good to go for the unfolding events ahead, but in case you didn’t and you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed: below is a complete wedding day timeline to both help get you started and keep you on track leading up to your wedding ceremony. Depending on the time of day your wedding ceremony will begin (morning/early afternoon wedding before 1pm, afternoon wedding between 1pm-5pm, or evening wedding after 6pm) your wake up and appointment times may vary, but the length of time you allow yourself to comfortably progress through the day should remain roughly the same.
Four to Seven Hours Till the Ceremony – Wake Up Call
For brides who are more get-up-and-go than others, waking up or getting started four or five hours before the ceremony starts may be sufficient enough to help get you everywhere you need to be on time. However, for brides who tend to take a little longer getting ready for things or need the extra time to freak out due to excitement, a good six or seven hour head start should be more than enough time. This will give you time to get coffee, eat, shower, and whatever else you need to do to relax before you start your wedding day beautification routine.
Three to Five Hours Till the Ceremony – Glam it Up
Bridesmaids will need a total of an hour to an hour and a half each to get ready with hair and makeup, whereas a bride will need at least one hour for hair and one hour for makeup respectively. Make any last minute adjustments to your dress and veil during this time as well. PRO TIP: Have your photographer arrive at least an hour before you are ready and let your bridesmaids get all dolled up first to ensure you get a few beautiful shots of yourself with them as you’re getting ready for your ceremony.
Two Hours Till the Ceremony – Pre-ceremony Photo-shoot
Having your pre-ceremony photo-shoot at least two hours before the wedding gives you plenty of time to wrangle your wedding party, friends, family, and any little ones you want in on the action together long enough to capture those special moments before the main event. You want to be relaxed for your photos so that they come out amazing, and allowing yourself the necessary time to just be in the moment will go a long way in making that happen.
One Hour Till the Ceremony – Arrival
Typically, the groom and his band of brothers should arrive at the wedding venue an hour and a half before the ceremony begins to ensure that as you arrive with your bridesmaids you will not be seen, but this is all flexible. If you want to take pre-ceremony photos at your venue you might consider being slightly early to get in a few good shots, or perhaps your venue is small and you would rather arrive and make a grand entrance. Whatever works for you is fine, so long as you’re not bursting through the doors after the music has already started!
From start to finish, the most important to keep track of is your time. If you need a lot of it, create a timeline for yourself that allows you to get lost in your day. If you are an efficient and punctual person, you may be able to breeze through your entire morning in only a few hours. There is no right or wrong way to marry the love of your life. Just enjoy yourself and the rest will fall into place.
If you’re looking to plan a wedding, give one of our wedding event coordinators a call at 586.930.5400 to make an appointment to view Metro Detroit’s premier wedding chapel. Your dream wedding is just a phone call away.
