One of the most difficult steps in planning your big day is definitely your wedding schedule! You will need to organize events, arrange for all vendors’ deliveries and setup, etc.
Starting the whole process early on is always the right strategy. Therefore, planning the timing of your day in detail will allow a more fluid and streamlined performance not only for you, but also for your guests and obviously, for your team of suppliers.
A clear and effective roadmap will not only allow you to have everything under control, but will reduce the risk of not having enough time for photos, or for those moments that you so much want to fully enjoy that day. It is Your big day after all!
Based on my experience, below are my 4 top tips to best plan your wedding schedule.
1. Hire a wedding planner
The organization of a wedding is full of variable dynamics and is a long process that requires a lot of attention to detail. For this reason, I highly recommend investing in a wedding planner. After all, you have never organized a wedding and, unless you are a planner too, it is difficult for those not in the trade to anticipate problems and take care of every little detail of the organization. A professional wedding planner is trained in any situation and is prepared to prevent and avert the smallest issues.
If, for any reason, you are unable to hire a wedding planner for a complete organization service, I recommend retaining the services of a wedding day coordinator. In other words, a planner who is present to coordinate the work of your suppliers will be strategically decisive for the perfect and streamlined progress of the wedding, and will give you the opportunity to relax and enjoy the day in a carefree way.
2. Style the main moments of the day in advance
Start making decisions about your wedding day early on! Way early! The more you want to be spontaneous as D-day approaches, the more panic will set in. This is not the time to take tasks lightly. How long will the ceremony last? How long will it take for the banquet: buffet, reception and wedding cake cutting? What is the number of guests? Will there be speeches from relatives and friends during lunch or dinner? Until what time do you have the location at your disposal?
These are just some of the questions that, without a wedding planner, you will have to ask yourself because they will be essential to drawing up the timing of the day.
3. Listen to your suppliers
You will surely have hired the best suppliers on the market. Take the opportunity to talk to them about the timing aspect. For example, consult your photographer and ask him about the duration of shooting the family portraits, or the best times to take photos in locations with the best light.
For vendors that have deliveries to do on site – which will be most of them – such as the florist, the caterer in case the food is not included in the venue rental, banqueting supplier, etc, clearly communicate with them about arrival time, unloading, and set up. Juggling different tasks doesn’t have to be harrowing if the plan is well laid out!
4. Leave some breathing room
I have another crucial tip for you: always try not to be too rigid in drafting the schedule. Be realistic with your timing! Consider a buffer timeframe of 15 to 20-minutes before and after every task. This will give you and your logistics team some breathing room. Bear in mind that this is considered an internal communication between you and your suppliers. The guests, however, must always respect the official timing that you indicated on the invitation.
A clear timeline will ensure that your big day goes smoothly. And above all, it will act as a compass for all suppliers who will work together following the same common goal, which is making sure that one of the most important days of your life goes beautifully, without a single hitch!
If you enjoyed reading this article about how to plan your wedding schedule and would like to explore other practical tips, we recommend “How much does a destination wedding in Italy cost?”
