A Sample Traditional Wedding Day Timeline

The “traditional wedding” is sometimes lost amongst the noise of “what’s trending this year”. This traditional wedding day timeline example includes some classic details such as: religious ceremony, traveling to a separate reception location, bouquet toss & more.

Wedding couple standing in front of a window, with overlay text reading "Traditional Wedding Day Timeline"

Note: This “Sample Traditional Wedding Day Timeline” is only an example of how a wedding day can proceed. All pieces of this timeline are editable. Terms such as “bride” and “groom” are used here generically, however this timeline welcomes couples of all genders to take inspiration from this sample and make it their own. The word “church” will be used in place of “religious institution” when describing the ceremony location.

Refer to my “Sample Modern Wedding Day Timeline” for a less traditional outline.

Please see the Index at the end of this post to help explain any unfamiliar terms used throughout.

Two hands, fingers intertwined, showing off a diamond ring.

Flower bouquet with peach, pink, dusty rose, and white flowers with copper fabric draping from the base being held by a woman in a white dress.

Sample Traditional Wedding Day Timeline

– Day Before Wedding Timeline –

Rentals: All rental items & signage set-up at venues
Catering: Set-up kitchen at reception location (if necessary)
Rehearsal: Time determined by the church as they may have other events that day
Rehearsal Dinner: Wedding Party + Immediate Family (5:00 PM @ Location: ________)

– Wedding Day: Preparations Timeline –

7:45 AM
Bride: Eat breakfast
Hair & Makeup: Arrival & set-up

8:00 AM
Bride: Hair & Makeup
Hair & Makeup: Bride, bridesmaids, mothers, etc. (4 hours)
Wedding Planner: Arrival – checks in with Wedding Party & assists vendors with set-up

Woman in a white tank top and lace robe getting her makeup done by a woman in an orange kimono.

Woman in a white tank top and lace robe getting her hair curled.

8:30 AM
Florist: Arrival & set-up at church/ceremony location (1.5 hours)

10:00 AM
Florist: Delivers personals (bouquets, boutonnières, etc.) to wedding party, then travels to wedding reception location (45 min)

10:45 AM
Florist: Arrival & set-up at reception location (1.75 hours)

12:00 PM (noon)
Groom: Eat lunch then begin getting dressed – groom, groomsmen, fathers, etc. (1.25 hours)
Bride: Eat lunch then begin getting dressed – bride, bridesmaids, mothers, etc. (1.25 hours)
Hair & Makeup: Touch-ups after lunch, then Done (4.5+ hours)
Photographer: Arrival – captures “getting ready” photos with wedding party (45 min)

Group of five women drinking champagne with four wearing orange robes and one in the middle wearing white.

12:30 PM
Cake: Dropped off at reception location
Florist: Adds florals to cake, the Done (Total: 4.25 hours)

12:45 PM
Photo: Ceremony Details (30 min)

1:15 PM
Bride: Dress reveal to Father of the Bride (FOB), Mother of the Bride (MOB) & bridesmaids
Photo: Captures Dress Reveal (15 min)

Bride pinning a boutonniere on her father.

1:30 PM
Bride & Groom: Separate Family Portraits
Photo: Immediate Family Portraits & Candids (30 min)
Catering: Arrival at reception location – set all tables & begin food preparations
Wedding Planner: Assistant arrives at reception location to assist with design details

2:00 PM
Bride & Groom: Separate Wedding Party Photos
Photo: Separate Wedding Party Group Photos, Portraits & Candids (40 min)
Church Audio: Final music, mic & sound check
DJ: Arrival – begins set-up at wedding reception (3 hours)
Ushers: Arrival at church/ceremony location

Man in a black suit stands next to a little girl in a white dress staring in awe at a woman in a white gown and veil.

Woman in a white dress and tiara escorted by a man in black pants, a white button down and grey tie.

– Wedding Day: Ceremony Timeline –

2:30 PM – Guest Arrival
Church Audio: Music for guest arrival at ceremony location
Ushers: Welcomes guests, provides a wedding program & assists guests in finding a seat
Photo: Candids

2:40 PM …10 min buffer
Bride & Groom: Last minute touch-ups
(its great to build in extra time for gathering people, late guests, surprises, etc.)

2:50 PM
Bride & Groom: Line up Wedding Party in preparation for ceremony
Ushers: “Guests please be seated and please turn-off all cell phones during the ceremony. Thank you.”

3:00 PM – Ceremony Begins (1 hour)
Church Audio: Processional Music (Wedding Party Song: ________ & Bridal Walk Song: ________)
Processional Order:
– Officiant (if not already standing at front)
– Groom & Mother of the Groom (MOG)
– Father of the Groom (FOG) & MOB
– Groomsman & Bridesmaid (add more rows of these as needed)
– Best Man & Maid of Honor (MOH)
– Flower Girl & Ring Bearer
– Bride & FOB

A man and a woman grabbing pieces of bread with a wine glass on the table filled with red wine.

– Ceremony Ends
Church Audio: Recessional Music (Song: ________)
Recessional Order:
– Bride & Groom
– Best Man & MOH
– Groomsman & Bridesmaid
– FOB & MOB
– FOG & MOG
(Flower Girl & Ring Bearer can remain with their family members)

4:00 PM
Bride & Groom: Receiving Line outside Church
Guests: Travel to Cocktail Hour

4:20 PM
Bride & Groom: Photos at the Church
Wedding Party & Family: Photos at the Church
Photo: Immediate Family & Wedding Party Portraits at the Church (15 min)
Bride & Groom with…
– Both Immediate Families
– Groom’s Immediate Family
– Bride’s Immediate Family
– Wedding Party
– MOH & Best Man
– Other: ______________________

A wedding couple embrace in front of wood doors while holding a bouquet of pink roses.

Bride and groom kiss in front of a log building and wood door, surround by their wedding party celebrating the moment.

4:35 PM
Wedding Party & Family: Travel to Cocktail Hour
Photo 2: Travel to reception location & capture Reception Details
Wedding Planner: Provide snack to Bride, Groom & Photographers – travel to Cocktail Hour
Bride & Groom: Stay with Photographers
Photo 1: Couples Portraits & Candids – Location: ___________ (30 min)
Bride, Groom & Photo: Travel to Reception

Travel Time: 30-45 min

Outdoor wood bar with leather embossed bar menu, fully adorned with flowers of pink, red and purple. — Photo courtesy of Teague Events

– Wedding Day: Cocktail Hour Timeline –

4:45 PM – Cocktail Hour (1.25 hours)
Catering: Passed hors d’oeuvres
Bar: Open

5:30 PM
Catering: Fill waters at each table

5:45 PM
DJ: Ask guests to please begin finding their seats for dinner
Catering: Drop bread baskets at each table
Bar: Soft Close – encourage guests to be seated

5:50 PM
Bride & Groom: Arrive at Reception Venue
Photo 1: Arrive at Reception Venue
Bride: Bustle wedding dress
Wedding Party: Line up for Grand Entrance

Table setting with a pink linen, silver flatware with dark hammered handles, wood charger, ivory dinner and salad plates with a scalloped edge, red cloth napkin inside a wood napkin ring centered on the plates, clear ribbed glassware, pink floral centerpiece and red taper candles. — Photo courtesy of Teague Events

– Wedding Day: Dinner Reception Timeline –

6:00 PM – Dinner Reception (1 hour)
DJ: Wedding Party Grand Entrance (Song: ________)
Wedding Party: Grand Entrance
Bride & Groom: Welcome Speech & Thank You
Catering: Drop plated salads & pour wine table side

6:15 PM
Catering: Drop plated dinner
Catering: Vendor Meals Served

6:20 PM
Catering: Pour champagne table side for toasts

6:30 PM – Toasts
MOH: Toast
Best Man: Toast
FOB: Toast
FOG: Toast
DJ: Open Mic for Toasts
Bar: Open (if not already)

7:00 PM – Cake Cutting
DJ: Invite guests to please gather around Wedding Cake
Bride & Groom: Cake Cutting
Catering: Clear dinner plates & place sliced cake at each place setting

7:05 PM – Dancing (2.75 hours)
Bride & Groom: First Dance (Song: ________)
Bride & FOB: Father of the Bride Dance (Song: ________)
Groom & MOG: Mother of the Groom Dance (Song: ________)
Bride, Groom & Married Couples: Anniversary Dance (Song: ________)
DJ: Open Dancing & announce Cake Served
Photo: Misc. Portraits & Reception Candids

Woman in white holding a bouquet over her head with her back to group of ladies.

Woman in white looking over her shoulder as a bouquet flies aloft towards two ladies rushing toward it on a beach.

7:30 PM
Bride: Bouquet Toss (Song: ________)
Groom: Garter Toss (Song: ________)
Catering: Coffee & Non-Alcoholic Drink Service

9:30 PM
Bar: Last Call

9:45 PM
DJ: Last Dance (Song: ________)

9:50 PM
Bride & Groom: Send-Off (Groom carries Bride over the threshold)
Bar: Closed
Photo: Done (Total: 10 hours)

A bride and groom running beneath an arch of hands while holding hands.

10:00 PM – End
All Vendors: Strike Reception Set
Catering: Done (Total: 8.5+ hours)
DJ: Done (Total: 8+ hours)
Wedding Planner: Delivers gifts, cards, toasting flutes, cake knife/server, cake top, etc. to Bridal Suite, then Done (Total: 14+ hours)

– Index –

Anniversary Dance: Invite all married couples to the dance floor with the newlyweds. DJ announces various anniversary marks, such as “If you have been married for 5 years or more, please remain on the dance floor with our couple.” This continues until there is only one married couple, along with our newlyweds, on the dance floor. This “winning couple” provides a piece of marriage advice to the newlyweds.
Bouquet Toss: Being a symbol of fertility and good luck, tradition states that whichever unmarried person should catch the bouquet they would be the next in line to wed. Typically the bride has her back to a group of unmarried persons and proceeds to toss the bouquet over her shoulder to the group.
Carrying Over the Threshold: Groom carries his bride through a doorway and “over the threshold”. A wedding tradition typically performed while entering the married couple’s new home. The tradition is said to bring good luck and symbolize the couple’s new life together.
FOB: Father of the Bride
FOG: Father of the Groom
Garter Toss: Here again is a tradition stating that whichever unmarried person should catch the garter they would be the next in line to wed. Typically the groom has his back to a group of unmarried persons and proceeds to sling-shot the garter over his shoulder to the group. To acquire the garter, the bride sits before the kneeling groom as he removes the garter from his bride’s leg with his hands or teeth.
MOB: Mother of the Bride
MOG: Mother of the Groom
MOH: Maid of Honor
Personals (Florals): Bouquets are typically provided for the Bride, MOH & Bridesmaid(s). Boutonnières are typically pinned on the Groom, Best Man, Groomsmen, Fathers & Ring Bearer. Corsages are typically provided for Mothers & Flower Girl, along with her petals for tossing. Additional personals can be provided for other special persons not already included in the Wedding Party, such as Grandparents or Siblings. Ushers should also receive personals, either a boutonnière or corsage.
Ushers: Close family or friends who are not already included in your Wedding Party, such as siblings, cousins or other extended family members.

Conclusion

I hope there is something you were able to take away from this Sample Traditional Wedding Day Timeline. Remember to Pin this post for when you are ready for next steps.

Wedding couple standing inside a church, with overlay text reading "Traditional Wedding Day Timeline"

Wedding couple walking down the aisle inside a church with overlay text reading "Traditional Wedding Day Timeline"

I am looking for couples ready to share their wedding day story. Please email me at jenni@anexcitingday.com, to be featured in my next REAL WEDDING post!

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