{"id":6874,"date":"2019-06-01T13:10:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-01T12:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chris-morse.co.uk\/blog\/?page_id=6874"},"modified":"2021-08-18T15:17:58","modified_gmt":"2021-08-18T14:17:58","slug":"plan-your-wedding-day-timeline","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.chris-morse.co.uk\/blog\/plan-your-wedding-day-timeline\/","title":{"rendered":"Wedding Day Timeline"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Plan Your Wedding Day Timeline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most weddings follow a similar kind of flow, so I’ve broken each part of the day down into sections below. However, you’ll notice that I haven’t given any times as this guide is about making your wedding day unique to you. If you’d like to mix it up or do something different – please do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What you do in the morning depends on your plans and how many people are getting ready together. I like the hustle and bustle of everyone getting ready together, popping the prosecco or having a couple of beers is all part of getting ready.

If you’ve got a lot of people who are having hair & make-up done, then speak to your hair & makeup team to see how long it’s going to take them. This is important because depending on your ceremony time it could mean a really early wake-up call.

If you plan on swapping presents, then I’d recommend doing this before you start getting ready, or at least before you start your make-up. The last thing you want is for your partner to write something totes emosh in your card and smudge your make-up. \ud83d\ude33

It’s also a good idea to open cards \/ presents early, because that’s when you have the most time and when you’re likely to be most relaxed. If you can, make sure you’re photographer is there for this! As I’m sure your partner will want to see the look on your face when you open their present.

If you can, spend the night before at your wedding venue to avoid travelling on the morning of your wedding. Alternatively, see if your venue has a room you could finish getting ready in. That way you can arrive early, travel in normal clothes and finish getting ready at the venue. Unless of course you’re planning on making a grand entrance!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Look<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A “first look” is when the couple get ready separately but arrange to see each other before the ceremony. I’ve photographed a couple of these now and think it’s a really nice idea.

It’s a very intimate moment between you and your partner. You’ve actually got the time to tell them how good they look, show them some affection and have a conversation! If you’re nervous about all those eyes on you, then this is a nice way to help relive some of that pressure.

I think it also gives you chance to get rid of some of that nervous energy so you can relax and enjoy the ceremony. It’s a cliche, but weddings really do fly by, so anything you can do to slow down and extend your day is a good idea in my book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ceremony<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What you’re allowed to do or not do during your ceremony will be determined by the type of ceremony you’re having. Generally though with all ceremony types you’ll be able to decide who walks down the aisle and in what order.

Personally I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t make your entrance however you want to.

The vast majority of opposite-sex weddings I photograph, the bridesmaids walk down the aisle first, followed by the Bride. It’s obviously traditional for the Father of the Bride to walk with the Bride. But that isn’t always possible or appropriate, so walk with whoever you like – or no one at all.

I generally prefer the bride to follow the bridesmaids as that seems like the logical order to me. Having the bride come last builds the suspense and excitement too. Also, I think it works better from a photography point of view.

I always make a point of chatting through the plans for walking down the aisle with the couple so we’re all on the same page. That way, I can make sure I’m in the right place at the right time. I also remind people to slow down, adrenaline kicks in and it’s all too easy to leg it down the aisle and not see anyone or remember anything!

If you’d like to do something that strays from tradition, then I say go for it. I’ve had couples walk in together, some have got ready together and some have get ready separately and had a first-look before the ceremony. Some couples have a first look, and then still walk down the aisle separetly. One couple walked down two aisles without having seen each other at all. I’ve even had a couple wait in the ceremony room to surprise and welcome their guests as they arrive – completely flipping tradition on it’s head!

So if you’re wanting to do something a little different don’t let tradition stand in your way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Readings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Readings are a good way to involve other important people in your life in the ceremony. Traditional readings are generally about love, or marriage. Google wedding readings and you’ll see lists and lists of the same readings over and over again.

I’d like to encourage you to try and find something that isn’t on one of those lists!

If you’re having a alternative wedding, then you can have anything you’d like as a reading. If you’re having a registrar, it cannot be religious in anyway, and they’ll need to approve it first.

Of course your reading could be a peom, or perhaps an extract from a novel. It could be inspired by one of your favourite films or TV shows.

Generally it’s you, the couple who choose the readings. But what if you asked one of your best mates, to choose something that sums you up as a couple (with your approval obviously), and explain why they chose that. All of a sudden you end up with something deeply personal and that is very unlikely to be on a “top 30 wedding readings” list.

One couple asked their friend (who is a screen writer) to write something specifically for them. It was a amazing and completely unlike anything else I’d heard at a wedding.

Alternatively, why not skip the reading all together and have a sing song instead. Spend a bit of time and find the perfect songs to sing along to. I’d recommend something that everyone knows, that’s easy enough to sing along to and that fits with your vibe.

You could even go for something completely different and ask someone close to you to make a mini speech, or share a few funny stories about your past or how you met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confetti<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Confetti always makes for a good photo. Although some venues have restrictions on where you can throw it and some even charge a clean up fee.

The traditional time to throw the confetti is straight after the ceremony. Depending on how you’re going to make your exit, this could be as you walk down the aisle. You might have to sneak into a side room while your guests gather outside, or it might make more sense to do it after the reception on your way back into your venue.

I think the trick is to try and keep it as natural as possible. If you’d like it as you’re walking down the aisle, I’d get an usher or bridesmaid to hand it out while you’re signing the register.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congratulations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Immediately after the ceremony is all about congratulations! I don’t think there’s any need to do much more than give people drinks and possibly some canap\u00e9s. Drink, celebrate and relax!

Live music is always a great choice instead of plugging your phone into a speaker. Alternative bands such as Funk, Soul, Brass or Jazz Bands add to the atmosphere and can provide great entertainment too.

A Singer \/ Pianist is a great option for elegant background music. Also, quite a few bands offer acoustic, singer songwriter style options for the daytime which can be cost effective.

As a documentary wedding photographer, I’m always trying to tell your story and capture the atmosphere. This part of the day is perfect for that, because there’s so much happening. It’s the first time your friends & family will get to congratulate you! It’s quite possibly the first time friends & family have seen each other for some time.

Once the congratulations have calmed down, I use this time for family photos, if you’d like them. As it’s also (most likely) the first time you’ll have a minute to talk to your partner since you got married! I normally suggest you two sneak off and have a catch up just the two of you. I’ll tag along and get some beautiful photos of the two of you, being you. No awkward poses, no fake smiles, just genuine moments full of personality.

It’s totally flexible though, if you’re having fun and would rather keep doing that then that’s absolutely fine with me. I’ll always keep an eye on the weather and time, and let you know if I think we’re going to miss an opportunity so you can make the final call. It’s your wedding after all, not a photoshoot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should we have Formal Family Photos?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I think most couples should have some formal family photos of some sort. I’m being deliberately vague because every family is different and what works for one family, won’t work for another.

Most photographers hate them and say that you need to keep your list to less around 8. And while that’s plenty for most families, if you’d like more that’s cool with me.

I actually think they are relatively important. Because as times goes by and people are no longer with us, those family photos take on a different meaning. Obviously I aim to capture important moments naturally, but sometimes a whole family isn’t in the same place at the same time.

I keep the group photos nice and relaxed. I’ll get a Best Man \/ Bridesmaid \/ Someone-Who-Likes-Bossing-People-Around to help me gather people up. And we’ll smash through them in 15-20 minutes. Personally, I’m a fan of people bringing their drinks, standing wherever they feel comfortable and having a bit of banter between each other. If you’d prefer something a bit more formal, that’s cool – I’ll let you tell people the rules. By taking a step back and not having a stranger boss people around keeps things relaxed and stress free – although I’m happy to step in if required!

As a basic list, I’d suggest something along these lines:

Couple + Everyone
Couple + Extended Family
Couple + Immediate Family
Couple + Parents
Couple + Grandparents
Couple + Wedding Party<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wedding Breakfast, aka Dinner, aka Tea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It’s called the wedding breakfast because it’s the first meal you have after your married. Little bit of trivia for you there – you’re welcome.

There’s nothing to say that you have to have a 3 course, sit down meal. The food and style of “wedding breakfast” you choose is completely up to you. Go for something that fits in with the feel and style of your day.

When we were getting married someone told us “no-one remembers good food at weddings, it’s only if it’s bad they’ll remember it.” Their advice was to go middle of the road and stay safe with the menu. And do you know what, it worked. We had decent food, but I don’t really remember what it was.

However, having been to a lot of weddings since then, it’s an absolute lie. I totally remember good food!! I have dreams about The Pantry’s sharing ham hock starter and Kalm Kitchen’s beautiful trio of pork. Plus a load of other’s that I’m not going to list, but feel free to get in touch – I’m happy to talk food anytime!<\/p>\n\n\n\n