Day of Schedule

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, not to mention one of the busiest.  After all the planning you've put into this special day, the mere thought of another schedule or checklist probably makes your head ache.  But your wedding day schedule is the most important one yet, so don't skimp now that you're down to the final days!

Getting Started

You should already have portions of your wedding day schedule mapped out.  Pull out your planner and get together copies of your ceremony program or the schedule given to your officiant and the list of reception events you've compiled for your DJ and caterer.  Next, fill in the times of your wedding day appointments - hair and makeup, photography sessions, vendor arrivals you should be present for, etc. 

What Else?

This should give you an excellent guide for your final day of schedule.  Now you'll just need to pencil in the rest of your day.  Plan your day hour by hour - or in half-hour increments if you really enjoy details!  Give yourself plenty of travel time if you're location isn't right down the road and consider small things like visiting the bathroom as you plan your day too.  Remember - most things will take you longer than planned so schedule things loosely to allow enough time.

The Day Of Schedule

This outline should help you create your own schedule for your big day.  Remember to give your groom a copy and include the date, time, and location of your ceremony and reception as well as details for the honeymoon.

• Wake up, take a shower
• Eat breakfast
• Pick up flowers
• Hairstylist appointment
• Makeup appointment
• Bride's attendants arrive
• Get dressed (about 2 hours before ceremony time)
• Photography sessions
• Leave for ceremony
• Vendor arrivals (florist, musicians, officiant, etc.)
• Groomsmen arrive (about an hour ahead of time)
• Groom and best man arrive (about half an hour early)
• Bridesmaids and bride arrive (about 10 minutes before the ceremony)
• Travel to reception site
• Leave for honeymoon

Add the detailed schedule of your ceremony and reception to the master schedule as well.  If you're wedding is in the evening, allow time for a light lunch.  Remember to make several copies of your day of schedule and make sure your all members of the bridal party know what time they should arrive.  A hard copy of your wedding day schedule will make your big day run much more smoothly.