Mistakes to Avoid with Your Wedding Timeline

Read below to find out what not to do when planning your wedding timeline.

Poor Scheduling

It's important to schedule the most important day of your life to ensure it goes off without a hitch. "What’s the famous quote, 'Life is what happens when you are making plans?' That is so true for weddings and one thing people don’t think of when putting their wedding together," shares You Stay Classy Wedding People author Jason Drake. "They plan their schedule down to the minute and they don’t account for the little things that might throw it off: traffic, bad weather, people in the wedding party unable to tell time... You know, the little things. You make things worse by giving your day no wiggle room when things inevitably go off track. I've had bride and grooms miss their park photo shoots and their entire cocktail hour. When you are spending a small fortune for this one day, why would you want to miss a thing?"

No Buffer Time

Similar to the above, this is both the worst mistake to make and the easiest one to avoid. It also applies throughout the whole day. How long do you think it will take to get ready? Add more time to that. How long will pre-ceremony photos take? Add more time. How long will transporting everyone between various locations take? You guessed it, add more time! From traffic to late vendors to the best man forgetting the rings, there are many chances to be late. The last thing you want is for people to wonder where the bride is when it’s time to walk down the aisle!

Lack of Communication Between Vendors

Photographers, videographers, planners, the band, and more need to be on the same page. If the caterer is expecting to serve the cake at 8PM, but the DJ doesn’t cue up the song selected for that moment, you and your guests might end up waiting around, or forget about the cake entirely.

No Defined Schedule for Reception Highlights

On that note, it is important to have a specific time for things such as the cake cutting, bouquet toss, toasts, and more. Otherwise they might never happen!

Disrupted Momentum

That said, if you’re including all the traditional reception diversions, such as tossing the bouquet and garter, it may be a good idea to do them back-to-back with other breaks, such as when dessert is served. Too much starting and stopping may keep people from staying on the dance floor if that's your goal.

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