Wedding day timeline maker

How to use it

A wedding day timeline tells everyone where to be and when: you two, the wedding party, and every vendor. Most couples write one from scratch in the last few weeks. This tool gives you a complete first draft from one number, the time your ceremony starts, so you spend your time adjusting it instead of building it.

1. Enter your ceremony time. Type the time the ceremony starts, such as 4:00 PM or 16:00. Add how long the ceremony runs and how long the cocktail hour is if you know; the defaults are 30 and 60 minutes.
2. Build the timeline. Press Build my timeline. You get a full day from hair and makeup to the send-off, with a column for each of you, the wedding party and your vendors. Set a reception end time if your venue has a hard stop.
3. Make it yours. Edit any cell, add the events only your day has, delete what doesn't apply, and use Move up or Move down to swap two events' places. Add your first names and the columns use them.
4. Shift everything after a change. If the ceremony moves or hair runs long, use Shift on that row to move it and every event after it by the same number of minutes, earlier or later.
5. Print it or keep it. Print a landscape copy for the wedding party and vendors, or save it to a free account, where it becomes your wedding's Wedding Day timeline.

How the timeline is built

The ceremony time picks one of three templates. A morning ceremony, before noon, starts getting ready about three hours ahead and is followed by a brunch or lunch reception. An afternoon ceremony, from noon until 4:59 PM, starts getting ready about five hours ahead and leads into a dinner reception. An evening ceremony, from 5 PM, puts the first look and family photos before the ceremony while there's still daylight, and lets the reception run past midnight.

Every row hangs off four moments: when the ceremony starts, when it ends, when the reception starts and when it ends. Change the ceremony length or the cocktail hour and whole blocks move together, so the toasts stay the same distance after the grand entrance. Set a reception end time and the last dance and send-off move to fit it; extras such as cake cutting are left out when there isn't room for them before the last dance.

Each row has a column for each of you, one for the wedding party and one for vendors, plus notes. Rows stay in time order. Move up and Move down swap two events' places and keep the times where they were, and Shift moves one event and everything after it by the same number of minutes. Times show in 12- or 24-hour form, following your device until you pick one.

What happens when you save

Your timeline is kept in this browser, so it's still here when you come back on the same device. Nothing is sent anywhere until you choose to keep it. When you create a free account, the events become your wedding's Wedding Day timeline, with the same times, columns and notes, and the names you typed fill in the partner names on the new wedding. In Linenfold the columns follow your names, anyone you invite to plan with you sees the same timeline, and it sits beside your task list and seating chart. See pricing for what Complete adds.

Questions couples ask

When should hair and makeup start?

For an afternoon or evening ceremony, about five hours before, which leaves room for photos and a buffer. For a morning ceremony, about three hours. The timeline starts you there; move it earlier if several people are getting ready with one stylist.

How long should the cocktail hour be?

Usually an hour. It covers family photos and gives the room time to turn over. Make it 0 and the cocktail-hour rows drop out, so the grand entrance follows the ceremony.

What if the reception goes past midnight?

Rows after midnight are marked next day, and the timeline stays in order across midnight. Tick After midnight on a row to put it on the next day.

How do I fix the timeline when something runs late?

Use Shift on the row that runs late. It moves that event and everything after it by the minutes you choose, so the gaps between events stay the same.

Is my timeline private?

Yes. It's kept in your own browser and isn't sent to us or anyone else unless you save it to an account.

What's in the free account?

The budget, guest list, task list, seating chart and this Wedding Day timeline, free forever. Complete is US$99 once, not monthly, and adds a Rehearsal Dinner timeline among other things; the pricing page lists them.

Want the rest of the toolkit? Browse the free wedding planning tools.