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Hi, friends!
This week's planning tip of the week is - make your wedding day timeline personal. Make it unique, make it you, make it memorable. Don't get me wrong, there's value in having some traditional elements woven into your timeline, but don't be afraid to add something in that would be memorable for you as a couple, special to your families, and leave your guests raving about the event for months and years to come. Have FUN with it and put you and your spouse at the forefront when having timeline discussions with your wedding planner.
So many clients ask me what the "typical" flow of the evening should look like. It hurts me to answer this question sometimes, because as we've seen in our ever-changing world as of lately, there are always "new normals" that evolve and come to be over time. Especially in the wedding and events industry, the old days of traditional wedding day timeline's are over. So the answer is, the flow of the evening should look however YOU want it to look. I know, not the answer most people are looking for. Hear me out though - because you know yourselves best, you are able to determine how comfortable you are with following or straying from tradition, your people you want to celebrate on wedding day, and any fun additions you know you want to include in the evening. Lucky for you this is not our first rodeo, and we have a few ideas that can help get your brain juices flowing!
Some unique timeline items to consider for wedding day are as follows:
A fun "group" first dance to get everyone up on their feet - this sets the tone for the night if you're all about the party time!
A first look with your grandparents
A last dance with your now husband/wife before heading out from the best night EVER!
A fun late-night snack or food truck
A surprise outfit change (groom's can participate, too!)
A unique MOH/Best Man Speech - Empower your wedding party to do something big, memorable, & unique vs. a traditional speech if that's your jam.
A mother of the bride dance - the momma's out there need some love & appreciation, too!
A private dinner or cocktail hour meal of h'ors d'oeuvres for you and your spouse to soak in some newly married moments of bliss together
A sunset photo session
A bride & groom thank you speech - don't be afraid to grab the mic and thank all of your people!
Some timeline items that we do not love or recommend adding into your timeline are as follows:
Too many timeline items. This kills the vibe on the dance floor 4/5 times.
Traditional garter toss - this is weird for guests, and outdated at this point. The only time it's ok in my opinion is when you know your wedding party snd guests will hype you up rather than sit there and awkwardly watch.
Wedding party announcements / receiving line into the reception space - UNLESS your group is here to bring the party. Otherwise, these can get awkward.
A down-the-aisle first look. This typically adds more stress and anxiety onto the modern-day bride than anything else. If it's something you know you want, plan to spend the entire cocktail hour taking photos, and/or for your ceremony to take place at least one hour prior to sunset time.
Omitting the Grand Exit - to be honest, if you already have a sound cut-off time at your venue, you may as well just get guests lined up to send you off in a fun, photo-worthy way. Plus, this makes it a whole lot easier for guests to be sent off via. transportation or personal vehicle as they are already out of the event space.
At the end of the day, the wedding is about you two, your families, and your love. You shouldn't feel as if their is an outdated "wedding traditions" rulebook that you have to abide by for one of the best days of your life. Take control of the day and do it your way!
With love,
Ash
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