The Big Wedding Planning Podcast

#18 Wedding Day Timeline Part 2 of 3


Listen Later

Big Takeaways

Special dances, toasts, thoughtfully selected song choices… Do you want to toss a bouquet? Should that be done before or after the cake cutting? Let’s figure this out!

In Part 1, it was the frame and now, in this episode, we start to add some color - some fun - some personality - to the timeline. We dive into what we refer to as the MICRO EVENTS - the part of the wedding that make your day all about you.

Here is the list of MICRO EVENTS that we review and dissect:

  • Receiving Line
  • First Dance
  • Toasts (Check out our Toasts episode!)
  • Cake Cutting
  • some guests will leave right after you serve the cake
  • you will need to allot about 30 minutes from when you cut the cake until it’s served
  • coffee service is usually set up during this time as well
  • Father Daughter Dance / Mother Son Dance
  • Sometimes these two are combined into one
  • we suggest cutting the song to about 2 minutes long!
  • Money Dance
  • never seen one that was less than 15 minutes
  • review the logistics of the money dance with your planner and/or dj
  • Anniversary Dance
  • Horah!
  • Choreographed Dance
  • Bouquet Toss
  • Garter Toss
  • Last Dance
  • Last Dance - private
  • Farewell
  • How long do each of these micro events typically take? What is the order of these events? Remember - there are no rules for weddings anymore - it’s all a suggestion. Enlist the advice of the professionals you hire as your vendor team.

    Think about other weddings you have been to as a guest. What did you like? What did you think was boring, or didn’t work logistically? Think about what is important to you and your partner and do your thing!

    Announcements help guide the party - the DJ or Emcee facilitates the order of events. You are the one that gives your DJ the order of events and he/she should work from your timeline. Confirm this with him (or her) the week before the wedding!

    Don’t forget to keep some buffer time in your timeline - allot 5 minutes per toast, and 5 minutes for each special dance, even if you don’t think they will take this long.

    Click HERE to become a premium subscriber and unlock all of the amazingness: 

    •      Ad-free, full length episodes 
    •     The TBWPP Wedding Planning Resource Center with 
    • Access to 6 mini courses of The Big Wedding Planning Master Class 
    • Wedding Planning Templates and Tools
    • Links we referenced

      none

      Quotes

      “A good timeline will inform your vendor team, and your wedding party, and your parents, and anybody that asks you a random-ass question the week of the wedding...like your cousin who just can’t figure out when the shuttle arrives at the hotel.” - Christy, on the virtues of a good f-ing timeline

      “I love wedding dancing. As we get older, weddings are the only place we can dance in a crowd of people. I don’t go out to ‘da clubs’ anymore.” - Christy

      “I do! I went to the Castro last weekend and danced.” - Michelle

      “Good for you.” - Christy

      Get In Touch

      The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is…

      Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez 

      • Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics 
      • On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
      • Easy to get in touch with. Email us at [email protected] or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
      • Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store

        The Big Wedding Planning PodcastBy Michelle Martinez & Shaun Gray

        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8

        4.8

        559 ratings


        More shows like The Big Wedding Planning Podcast

        View all
        How to Buy a Home: The #1 First Time Home Buyer Podcast by David Sidoni

        How to Buy a Home: The #1 First Time Home Buyer Podcast

        880 Listeners