Throughout the wedding planning process, there is so much time and energy put into the cocktail hour and reception. We’re talking high tops, low tops, linens, centerpieces, floral arrangements, glassware, chairs, all the personalized details and more. We plan and plan on guest flow from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception. We work on overall theme, song selection, bridal party announcements, and speeches. The reception is really where you get to play with the space and bring your vision to life, but the ceremony is arguably the most critical part of the day. 

Beyond the ceremony being the actual marriage, it’s one of the harder parts of the day to coordinate. It’s the first part of the wedding your guests will see, and therefore needs to be the first area set up by vendors. Florals need to be in before guests arrive, but not too soon that flowers start wilting. The photographer needs enough time between the first look and the ceremony to get detail shots. And the wedding coordinator needs to be there to make sure guests know where to go, when to sit, and also make sure the bridal party is there on time and ready to rock.

Here is my general timelines for key members in the wedding party:

Always build in extra time it takes to get from where the bridal party is getting ready to where the venue is . If it’s all onsite – great! If not, you’ll want to build in extra time with the transportation vendor to make sure everyone is onsite at the right time.

• • 45 minutes before: Groom and Groomsmen arrive so they’re ready to usher guests to their seats. 
  • 30 minutes before: Parents, grandparents, and flower girls/ring bearers arrive on site
  • 30 minutes before: Photographer gets details shots, and then guests are allowed to enter
  • 20 minutes before: Bride and bridesmaids arrive and wait in a private room 
  • 15 minutes before: Start encouraging guests to take their seats if they haven’t yet