Partial or full DIY weddings are now a popular option as engaged couples are now wanting a unique experience.
Here’s a resource for people to get a feel for the timeline for their DIY weddings, I do recommend that you get at least one wedding professional in to make sure everything runs smoothly (whether its a “day-of” wedding planner, caterer or Entertainer (such as ourselves) who can run the timeline on the day.
(These are all VERY rough estimate times but should give you a good feel for things)
Before the wedding day
Wedding Marquee set up
Hire delivery to site made
Generators delivered
Wedding day
7am Hair and makeup
?am Buttonholes and bouquets delivered (usually at the grooms for button hole photos when getting dressed)
12:45am? Photographer gets to Brides’s location to take photos
1pm Makeup finished (depends on number of artists, number of bridal party and if theyre doing upstyles etc as to how long)
2pm-4pm Cake, centrepieces, musicians, DJs arrive to set up
3pm caterer arrives on reception site (self catered)
2:30pm Bridal party photos (if photos before ceremony)
3:30pm Family photos (if photos before ceremony)
4:15pm Groom and Groomsmen get to the Ceremony location, so do celebrant, musicians (acoustic, singers etc) and wedding coordinators
4:45pm Bride arrives and ceremony begins
5:15pm Ceremony concludes
5:25pm Group photo
5:30pm Bridal party photos (if photos after ceremony)
5:45pm guests leave the ceremony venue
6pm canapes start for guest at reception venue
6pm Bride and Groom Arrive at the ceremony reception (If photos before ceremony)
6pm DJ starts playing at reception
7pm Guest are seated for dinner and wedding party is introduced
7:15 Food service starts
7pm-12am Speeches, cutting of the cake, garter/bouquet and first dance can be done any time BUT make sure they dont conflict with food service periods (ie entree 7:15pm, dinner 8:30pm, dessert 9:30pm as a example)
???pm Sunset photos (time depends on season and location, its currently 7:40pm in Melbourne, Australia)
??? Photographer leaves (make sure you have all the formalities finished before they leave)
11:50pm Bar finishes
11:55pm Last song (big finale?)
12am Bride and Groom into wedding cars and big finish
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Post event: make sure you have someone that can clean up without you, let them know what needs to be done with everything after you leave (ie where does the cake, flowers, hired gear go?). Most venues require everything loaded out the night of your event, some do not.