When discussing timing, logistics and the overall flow of the wedding day itself with our clients, we are big encouragers of having a set schedule for the morning of your wedding, yet also building in some wiggle room so that it’s as stress free as possible.
So to help you prepare for the morning of your wedding, and make it as relaxing and fun as possible, we’ve put together a list of 3 things to take into consideration when determining the overall flow of your wedding morning.
01. Timing
Of course, we are all about creating timelines for your wedding day that make your day easier and less stressful. A few timing pieces to account for the morning of your wedding:
- Make sure all bridesmaids arrive to hair and makeup at the same time. This alleviates room for error if hair and makeup artists run ahead of schedule, or even if a bridesmaid were to be running late for one reason or another. Make sure everyone’s aware of the schedule so there’s no confusion about who goes first.
- If you have a large bridal party it is likely that your day will start fairly early that morning. The girls that get ready first might be sitting for several hours before everyone else is finished. Be sure to allow time for touch ups at the end.
- For the guys – always error on the side of early. If they need to be dressed by 11am tell them 10:30am. We even suggest having guys gather together at least an hour in advance to their getting dressed time so that your groom too can enjoy some relaxing one-on-one time with his guys before the rest of the day takes off. They won’t necessarily have someone in the group to keep them on a tight schedule so building in that flex time is beneficial.
- Make sure you allow for some contingency time in your timeline. Things come up unexpectedly and you don’t want to feel rushed. Because of this we always recommend aiming to be ready an hour before your ceremony begins so that you can relax, touch up and enjoy some time with your bridal party. Schedule in extra time if doing a first look with your dad, future husband, any bridal party photos desired ahead of the ceremony, or simply to enjoy a glass of bubbly before you say I do! And if you’re traveling to the ceremony, be sure to buffer a little extra time to allow for any traffic or issues along the way!
02. Details + Logistics
- Do a quick check of all things bridesmaids/groomsmen attire as soon as they arrive in the morning to be sure everything is accounted for (dress, shoes and jewelry for the ladies and suit, tie, socks and shoes for the gentlemen). The last thing you want to worry about is realizing something was forgotten at home across town just as they’re needing to be dressed and ready for photos.
- Additionally, make sure everyone knows how to put on the different pieces of their outfit. Groomsmen we are talking to you! Practice folding that pocket square and tying the bowtie before the wedding day.
- Coordinate and really think through your transportation. How much time will it take to get to each location, who is responsible for the food/beverages on the shuttle, where can anything you bring on the shuttle go once you arrive at your venue?
- Make sure all bridal party bouquets and boutonnieres are delivered to where you and your groom are getting ready. You will want these for all photos prior to the ceremony.
- We love to see all the hard work you put in to your day and appreciate that photographers do as well. So bring them all the details and have them organized and ready to go upon your photographer’s arrival. Think invitations, save the dates, special jewelry, perfume, all 3 rings and ring boxes, veil, shoes, a card from the groom, etc. Take it a step further and arrange for your florist to set a few extra blooms and greenery stems aside with your bouquets for your photographer to utilize when styling these items in photos.
03. Relax
This is hard to do as your excitement will be at an all-time high as soon as you wake up on your big day, but we always encourage the following:
- Consider taking some time to yourself in the morning or time to do something fun with your favorite people. Go to a cycling class with your bridesmaids, book breakfast at a favorite restaurant, or get a massage. More times than not, scheduling something fun the morning of the wedding is easier for groomsmen to do than bridesmaids – but if you have the time in your day, we say go for it!
- You need to eat! Whether food will be catered in to a suite or you are headed out for breakfast; this meal will be important as the remainder of the day moves quickly until you can sit down again for dinner. And be sure to have snacks and water available for the bridal party throughout the afternoon, whether it be on the shuttle as you travel around for photos or in a private cocktail hour upon your arrival at the venue.
