YAY for timelines:) Let me preface this by saying that I am in no way an expert on timelines. Yes, I love them & yes, I’ve written quite a few; but I know there are other planners out there with AMAZING systems that are different than mine!! I’m constantly growing & figuring out the best way for me to walk brides through this process… and if you do it different, I would LOVE to learn from you so comment below or email me!!!

…….

The last few weeks I’ve been writing drafts and finalizing day-of timelines for my May brides. SO MANY things go in to your day-of timeline, so if you’re sitting down trying to figure it out on your own it can get a bit overwhelming …

You’ve got 16 people total in your wedding party plus 2 flower girls, 1 ring bearer, 3 sets of grandparents, 2 set of parents, 4 ushers, an officiant, 3 ceremony musicians, a DJ for cocktail hour & the reception, a bakery delivering the dessert bar, fresh flowers in both the ceremony & the reception, 2 photographer, 2 videographers, 2 hair & makeup stylist coming on-site, a limo for the bridal party & a shuttle for the guests, the catering staff, all of your amazing décor to set-up, AND we haven’t even gotten to your guests yet.  Tired? I bet!!

When a DSE bride hires me, ALL of my packages include my expertise & guidance with your timeline & all of the logistics involved. I am responsible for your writing your day-of timeline, usually going through various drafts as things change, and then sending that timeline out to all of the vendors involved on your wedding day. I sit down with you to go over all of the pesky details, and then I write a draft based on your venue, your vendors & my own expertise. I also write a Mini-Timeline that is given to guests of the rehearsal (immediate family, special friends & your wedding party), so that everyone has an idea of where they need to be & when they need to be there.

But what if you don’t have a wedding planner to help you along? My first response would be – Hey, email me! Let’s chat about working together! – but I know that doesn’t work for everyone:) So, I thought I’d give you a bit of advice…

Brides, the Day-Of Timeline is SO important!!! It is not something you want to skimp on making. Because there are SO MANY parts to your wedding day, it’s kinda like putting a puzzle together! You need to make sure you have everything accounted for … from the first centerpiece being delivered, all the way to who is cleaning up at the end of the night.

It helps to break down the crazy day into smaller, more manageable pieces. Don’t think about it all at once… you’ll just get stressed! Following a basic questionnaire will help you answer all of the questions you need to know – who’s arriving at what time, where are they going, etc..

Here’s a Questionnaire all of my brides receive; I received a very similar one from my day-of coordinator, Anna! (For Wedding Planners: I’ve found that it helps for Brides to see all the Day-Of logistics in the very beginning stages of planning, so I include this in their Welcome Packet. It can be overwhelming to be handed all of this just a few months before the big day; I like for them to know way ahead of time everything that’s going to happen on Wedding Day, so that they can process it & feel in control.)

I like to get this from my brides about 2-3 months before the Wedding Day. Then, I take all that info & make something that looks like this:

It’s organized, easy to read, full of all the necessary details I need to know AND I color-code it to match the brides wedding colors! I send this out to all the vendors who are staying long periods of time on the wedding day… usually that includes the: Officiant, Photographer, Videographer, DJ and Venue/Caterer. Normally I send a shorter version to the Hair/Makeup, Florist, Baker and Rental Company, but if they’d prefer the detailed one, I can send that, too. (Note: Most of the Photographers I work with will send the couple a questionnaire, too. Photographers and I work VERY closely together on the day-of, so naturally I try to work with them BEFORE the day-of so that we’ve develop a timeline that fits both of our needs & gives the couple the best experience possible!) And, like I said before, I create a Mini-Timeline for guests of the rehearsal. It shows basic information: when pictures begin, where they need to be, ceremony info, etc. and it has my cell phone number so everyone leaves the bride alone, and reaches out to me.

Timelines are definitely a tricky thing & they do take some time to create … but I promise you, it is WORTH IT to have a plan in place for your Wedding Day. With so many different people involved, it’s important to make sure they all know what they’re doing. This is another reason why I think it’s so, SO important to include a Wedding Planner in your budget. My role is to not only create this for you, but to execute it flawlessly on your day-of!! You shouldn’t have to worry about whether the cake has been delivered or the reception room is set-up the way you’ve envisioned. That’s my role!! You should ONLY be focusing on the FUN … getting your hair done, relaxing with a mimosa, sending your groom a sweet text & practicing those personal vows before your ceremony. Let DSE do the rest:)

xo! kat