Planning a seamless wedding day timeline is one of the most important (and underrated) parts of your entire planning experience. When done with intention, it allows you to be fully present – not checking the clock or rushing through moments you’ve been dreaming of for years.

This wedding day timeline guide is here to help you understand how your day can flow in a way that feels natural, calm, and true to your vision. At Lila Lane Events, we carefully design timelines that honor your priorities while creating space for beauty, joy, and connection.

Here’s what you need to know about how your wedding day will likely unfold…from getting ready to your final send-off.

A Wedding Day Timeline Guide Rooted in Intention and Ease

Getting Ready: Beauty Time & Buffering In Calm

For hair and makeup, we typically see beauty services lasting around 5 hours. This can vary depending on how many people are receiving services and how many stylists you’ve booked, but a longer window ensures there’s plenty of time for touch-ups, food, and relaxation. Trust us, you don’t want to start the day behind schedule.

Photography by: Sam York, Hannah Charis, Taylor Pettigrew, Kaylee James

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Pre-Ceremony Photos: The 2-Hour Sweet Spot

We typically recommend budgeting 2 full hours for pre-ceremony portraits. This usually includes:

• A few “getting dressed” moments
• Bride’s first look with a loved one (like dad, sibling, uncle, etc.)
• Bride with bridesmaids
• Bride with immediate family
• Groom and groomsmen portraits
• Groom with his immediate family

✨ All photos should wrap 30 minutes before the ceremony begins, giving your guests a buffer to arrive and settle in while you freshen up.

There are a few behind-the-scenes factors we always plan for:

• Moving large groups – like family or the entire wedding party – from a dressing room to a photo location (and then back again) can take more time than you’d think.
• Tracking down missing people – whether it’s a parent finishing hair and makeup or a sibling momentarily MIA – adds a layer of unpredictability.
• If you’re getting ready somewhere separate from the ceremony venue, we’ll need to allocate travel time to and from each location. Even just a short drive can impact your timeline more than expected.
  

That’s why we build in cushions you may not notice – but they’re there, keeping things calm and on time.

Photography by: Caitlin Rose, Britni Dean, Hannah Charis, Taylor Pettigrew

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Ceremony Start Time: A Strategic Anchor Point

If you’re planning an outdoor wedding (or want golden hour portraits), we suggest starting your ceremony 1.5 to 2 hours before sunset. For example, if the sun sets at 7:30 PM, a 5:30 PM ceremony time is perfect. From this anchor, we’ll work backward to finalize your photo timing and beauty schedule, and forward to plan your reception flow.

Photography by Sam York

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Cocktail Hour + Reception: Pacing for Joy, Not Drag

We recommend keeping your ceremony to reception window to 5 hours, with 6 hours max. Around hour six, your guests will start to feel restless – and let’s be real, so will you. This doesn’t mean you have to rush through anything, it just means creating a timeline that prioritizes momentum and leaves space for the most important moments.

Photography by: Caitlin Rose, Britni Dean, Taylor Pettigrew

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Common Timeline Mistakes We Help Couples Avoid

One of the biggest misconceptions we see? Couples underestimating how long photos take before the ceremony- especially when wrangling family members or switching locations. We build extra time into your timeline behind the scenes to account for this (and a million other things). No need to worry about every detail. That’s our job. 😁

Photography by Kaylee James

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What If Something Runs Late?

Delays happen. It’s okay. We intentionally build small buffers into your timeline that you won’t even notice, but they make a big difference. Whether it’s a family member running behind or makeup taking a bit longer than expected, you’ll still be on time (and calm) without even realizing how close it got.

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Final Tips for a Smooth, Joyful Wedding Day

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of planning weddings, it’s that flexibility is key. Especially pre-ceremony. If things don’t run minute by minute, that’s okay. Your photographer and your planner are professionals, and we work together behind the scenes to get everything back on track, without making you feel rushed or stressed.

Here’s my best advice to keep your day flowing effortlessly:

• Be flexible with timing, especially before the ceremony.
• Trust your vendors. You hired them for a reason – trust them do their jobs so you can enjoy the day.
• Don’t try to micro-manage. If something is really important to you (like attending cocktail hour, how you want dinner to flow, or a specific photo), talk to your planner about this in advance so we can make it happen.
• Don’t assume vendors know your vision. Have those conversations early so we’re all on the same page.
• Expect the unexpected. Someone might run late. A boutonniere might go missing. We’ve built in buffer time you won’t even notice, so you don’t have to panic.

With the right team in place and a thoughtful plan, your wedding day really can feel as magical and relaxed as you’ve imagined. If you’re in the early stages of planning, I hope this wedding day timeline guide helps you visualize the flow of the day, and gives you confidence knowing that every detail can be managed with intention and ease

✨ You deserve a wedding day that feels effortless, and a timeline that lets you soak it all in.

Photography by Britni Dean

✨ Wondering what it’s like to work with Lila Lane Events? Read kind words from our couples and see how we bring calm to the chaos.

Planning a wedding in San Antonio, Austin, or the Texas Hill Country? Let’s design a wedding day timeline that reflects your priorities and flows with ease. Reach out here to start the conversation – we’d love to hear your vision.

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