Tools you might need next
Calculate wedding budget breakdown by category with vendor cost estimates by guest count, region, and priority tiers for venue, food, and attire.
Calculate how much alcohol to buy for a wedding reception from guest count, reception length, drink preferences, and bar service style.
Calculate number of tables, chairs, and room layout for event seating from guest count, table size, aisle width, and dance floor space needs.
Start at ceremony time and work backward: travel buffer (15–30 min), getting-ready photos (30–60 min), hair and makeup (2–3 hours per person for bridesmaids, 1.5–2 hours for bride).
Vendor arrival = Ceremony time − Setup duration − Travel bufferStandard flow: ceremony (30 min) → receiving line or immediate cocktail hour (15 min transition) → cocktail hour (60 min) → grand entrance → dinner (60–90 min) → dancing.
Cocktail hour start = Ceremony end + 15 min transitionSchedule couple portraits 1–2 hours before sunset for golden hour light. Build 30–45 minutes of couple photos between ceremony and reception.
Photo session start = Sunset time − 90 min (includes travel between locations)Updated: July 2026
Hair/makeup starts 9 AM. First look photos 2:30 PM. Ceremony 4–4:30 PM. Cocktail hour 4:45–5:45 PM. Grand entrance 6 PM. Dinner 6:15–7:30 PM. Toasts 7:30 PM. Dancing 8 PM–11 PM.
Hair/makeup 6:30 AM. Ceremony 11–11:30 AM. Brunch reception 12–2 PM. No cocktail hour — straight to seated brunch. Send-off by 3 PM. Compressed timeline requires tight vendor coordination.
Sunset at 7 PM. Couple photos 5–5:30 PM (first look before ceremony). Post-ceremony family photos 6–6:30 PM. Golden hour couple session 6:30–7 PM. Cocktail hour overlaps with photos.
Ceremony and reception at different venues need 20–30 minutes travel plus 10 minutes guest loading. Build travel time explicitly — do not assume instant transitions.
Sunset in December may be 4:30 PM. An evening ceremony loses daylight for portraits. Schedule a first look and couple photos before the ceremony, or plan for golden hour before a 5 PM winter ceremony.
A detailed wedding day timeline keeps vendors, wedding party, and guests aligned. This calculator builds a minute-by-minute schedule from ceremony time backward and forward — covering hair and makeup, photos, cocktail hour, dinner service, toasts, and send-off.