5 Tips to Help Your Wedding Day Run Smoothly

Five Hints for Your Wedding Day Timings

When it comes to planning your wedding day, it’s easy to get bogged down in wedding blogs, Pinterest boards, and influencers, so here are 5 quick tips to help your day run smoothly.

ONE – Give Yourself Time to Dress

If your wedding dress requires zipping, lacing, buttoning, strapping, or some other way of getting you secure in it, then it’s good to know how long this will take so that you can schedule your morning properly. Similarly, if you have an elaborate 3-piece suit, have a full run-through of getting into it, to make sure you know what you’re doing come the morning of the wedding. It’s nice to have someone by your side for this kind of thing, usually a parent, bridesmaid, or groomsman. 

TWO – Making Your Parents Proud

Whether you’re showing off your dress to your tearful dad, or giving your proud mum a look at you in your wedding suit, this can be a wonderfully emotional moment. And if it’s one that you’d like captured as it happens, it’s worth allowing some time for this in your morning schedule. It’s usually just a case of getting ready 15-20 minutes earlier so that I can be there to take photos of it before heading off to the next venue.

THREE – After the Ceremony

You did it! Your first walk as a married couple will sometimes be followed by confetti, but it will ALWAYS be followed by all of your guests wanting to hug you, kiss you, shake your hand and pinch your cheeks! So whatever happens next, allow up to 20 minutes for it all to unfold naturally without feeling like you’re having to rush the hugs. Allow a few more minutes if you have an Italian family like mine. They LOVE the cheek grabs!

FOUR – Drinks Reception

If you’re not sure, this is the bit between you getting married and sitting down with your guests for a bite to eat. It’s your first real chance to relax, take a breath, and spend time with your family & friends, so I’d definitely recommend allowing around 90 minutes for this, otherwise you’ll be getting ushered into the wedding breakfast before you know it!

Setting aside an hour and a half between the end of the ceremony and sitting down for food also gives you time for the formal group photos. These can take up to 3 or 4 minutes, depending on the groups (and how unruly your guests are), so don’t assume it’s a few seconds per photo.

FIVE – Cake Cutting & First Dance

Whether you’re having a huge tiered cake or a dessert table full of your favourite puds, if you’re planning on cutting a cake at some point, it’s often best to do it just before your first dance (if you’re having one). This means that after everyone’s gathered around to watch the cake cutting, they’re already in position for when you strut your stuff on the dance floor.

Feel free to drop me a message if you have any questions about timings.