The Perfect Day: How to Create Your Wedding Timeline

We guide you through all phases of the day – from the relaxed 'Getting Ready' in the morning to the solemn ceremony and the exuberant party at night. We tell you where the most common time wasters lurk, how much buffer you really need, and how to ensure that your service providers also always know exactly what happens when. Put an end to the rush and look forward to a day that simply flows.

The most effective way to create a wedding plan is backward planning. Set fixed points: When should the party end? When should dinner be served? When does the ceremony begin? From these fixed times, you work your way back.

A classic mistake is to plan too little time for the path between locations. If the ceremony starts at 2:00 PM, you should be at the church or the registry office by 1:30 PM at the latest. This means that departure from home or from the hotel must take place correspondingly earlier. Always plan a buffer of 15-20 minutes extra for travel times – traffic jams, searching for parking, or a forgotten bridal bouquet can otherwise throw the entire plan off balance. Realism is more important than optimism here.

The morning of the wedding sets the tone for the rest of the day. Plan generously here. Hair and makeup often take longer than expected, especially if bridesmaids or the mother of the bride are also being styled.

Plan at least 45-60 minutes per person. The bride should be styled second to last – so the makeup is fresh, but there is still enough time for dressing and the first photos. Also plan time for a shared breakfast or a small snack. Nothing is worse than standing at the altar with a growling stomach. The 'Getting Ready' is also a wonderful time for first detail photos of rings, clothing, and stationery. If the photographer is already there, he should arrive about 60-90 minutes before departure.

A church wedding usually lasts 45-60 minutes, a civil ceremony about 20-30 minutes. Don't forget the time *after* the ceremony. The exit, the congratulations, and any surprises at the door (sawing a tree trunk, cutting out a heart) often take up a lot of time.

With 100 guests, you should plan at least 30-45 minutes for the congratulations. This is often the most time-consuming part of the afternoon. If you then plan a champagne reception, it should last about 1.5 to 2 hours. This gives enough time for conversations, group photos, and a small snack without boredom arising. Make sure the transition to the evening location is fluid.

Dinner is the central part of the evening. Whether menu or buffet, plan about 2 to 2.5 hours for a 3-course meal. This is where most delays occur due to speeches and contributions.

Pro Tip: Place speeches *between* the courses. A speech should never last longer than 5-7 minutes. Inform your speakers about the time limit in advance. Too many games or long slideshows can dampen the mood and unnecessarily delay the start of dancing. A good guideline is: maximum 2-3 program items spread over the evening. At SavePaper.work, we recommend also making the timeline available digitally to the best man and the DJ/band leader so they can take over the direction in the background.

When should the dance floor be opened? A good time is usually directly after dessert, around 9:00 PM or 9:30 PM. The opening dance breaks the ice and marks the starting signal for the party.

Consider when the midnight snack should be served – often 11:30 PM or 12:00 AM is ideal to give the guests new energy for the rest of the night. Also think about the 'Last Call' at the bar and the planned end of the music. A well-planned conclusion ensures that the party ends on its highlight and doesn't slowly fizzle out. Keep this plan flexible enough to respond to the dynamics of the guests, but firm enough to serve as a guide. You can also take the opportunity to configure your wedding homepage according to your wishes.