How to Build the Perfect Wedding Timeline

0:00:00 Welcome to We Love That For You, a wedding podcast with personality, perspective, and plenty of heart. We are Chris and Jackie from Lime Line Entertainment and we’re here to help you plan your best day ever without the stress.

0:00:14 Alright, so welcome back to another episode of We Love That For You. Today we are talking about wedding day timelines.

0:00:20 Um, one of the biggest mistakes we see couples make isn’t necessarily choosing, um, the wrong venue or the wrong songs.

0:00:29 It’s building a timeline that doesn’t give them any room to actually enjoy their wedding day. So today, we’re gonna walk through and talk through an entire wedding day timeline and explain why every part of the timeline matters.

0:00:42 So guys, all ready to talk about timeline? Yeah, all right, let’s talk, let’s talk. So I would imagine that during the planning process, the timing of designing the timeline is important.

0:00:54 So why does timeline and planning need to be, Why doesn’t it need to happen months before the wedding? So I think that planning months before the wedding is important.

0:01:06 You want to give yourself some time, you know, where you’re not compacted with all these last minute things to do.

0:01:15 So you start worrying about the timeline as early on as possible when you’re relaxed. You’re calm. You’re thinking things through.

0:01:23 So, and plus on top of that, there are certain vendors that you need to be planning out months before the wedding, regardless, that also impact your wedding day timeline, like hair and makeup and things like that.

0:01:35 So, you know, that is why you want to start talking about timeline months before the wedding. So, how many months before the wedding do you suggest designing the timeline?

0:01:44 I mean, to each their own, I prefer, I prefer the five-month mark. I feel like that is the sweet spot for starting to think about it.

0:01:54 Okay. Not everyone has their details finalized enough at five months, so it really just depends on where you’re at and you’re planning.

0:02:03 But of course, the earlier the better, so that’s what you really want to think about. Gotcha. You mentioned details, so what details do you need in line before you start planning your timeline.

0:02:15 Things like, things like where you’re planning to get ready. If you’re staying somewhere nearby, hair and makeup needs to be booked in advance.

0:02:25 These things, different things, ceremony start time. Different actual hard events that are happening that day. Those are the things that they really should have finalized before we start putting together a detailed timeline.

0:02:42 But I also like to put together a rough draft timeline. So sometimes when they book, even when they book with us they already know what time their ceremony is going to be.

0:02:51 They already know if they’re going to do a first look or not. They already know a lot of different things that can assist me in at least designing a rough draft timeline.

0:03:02 So you kind of have a good idea even before talking to hair and makeup. So So, you know, but when you’re planning a wedding with anything, the more you can plan ahead of time, the earlier you can plan it, the better.

0:03:16 I feel like it’s just the better experience. Who do you plan with first? Is it always going to be the venue that you’re doing that with first or are you, of course, connecting with the vendors first?

0:03:24 Like, who is it more important to do that timeline with first? For the couple? Yeah. With that question, I feel like definitely venue first because that’s who you are deciding on your time stamps with, like what time is ceremony going to be?

0:03:38 What time is your cocktail hour going to take place? What time is reception? So I think, I would also imagine like what time can you get on the property, right?

0:03:47 What time can you get on the property? That’s probably the most important. Yeah, so that’s your first step is to finalize those details.

0:03:54 So we can’t start really designing any rough draft, final draft, any draft of a timeline without knowing what time you can get on the property, what time your ceremony is gonna take place, what time your cocktail hour is, and what time your reception is.

0:04:09 I take a ceremony time and I work backwards, so it’s kind of like mathing backwards when it comes to the entire first part of the day.

0:04:19 So, but I think that answers that question, right? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. How much time do you prefer to have at a venue You know, prior to the ceremony.

0:04:30 Well, and what are you accomplishing in that? For photography? Yeah. Well, we’re kind of jumping ahead and I do want to walk through the day from the beginning to the end.

0:04:41 Oh, okay, gotcha. You know, like, like I said, your question is how much time should someone have on the property?

0:04:49 Yeah, it’s just popped in my head like, you know, oh, okay, if you’re taking a couple’s portraits and family formals and all that, you know.

0:04:55 Yeah, well, we’re talking about the whole day, not just for photography. And that’s what I want to talk about today is the whole day.

0:05:02 Okay. And all the vendors is you want to be on that property as long as possible. So we have a lot of great venues in New Jersey where you can be on property as early as eight o’clock in the morning starting your hair and makeup that early.

0:05:17 And if that’s an option for you, I think that’s your best best option. There’s no logistics of transportation, especially if you’re getting married on site.

0:05:27 It’s a whole different timeline when you’re talking about a church ceremony. Sure. And some of this, the some of this episode today will help you if you are planning a church wedding, but we are going to be focusing today on if you are planning an on site ceremony.

0:05:44 So you’re getting married at your venue. Right. If that’s the case and you are allowed there early in the morning.

0:05:51 Be there early in the morning. Get your hair make up done there. Don’t worry about transportation. Don’t worry about moving people around.

0:05:59 There’s a lot less logistics in that situation. Yeah, that’s going to save you so much time. At least at 20 minutes, probably 25 minutes.

0:06:05 Yeah, and it gives you a, it gives you a more consistent gallery as well. So when you’re getting ready at your property, your photos from the very start of the day until the very end of the day are just consistent in the visual, in the aesthetic, because that property has an aesthetic to it, and it just

0:06:29 makes sense. So, you know, we will start sometimes at a hotel, and some hotels are beautiful. It doesn’t mean that it matches the aesthetic of the venue, even if it’s beautiful.

0:06:41 And then some hotels need a serious update, and I don’t want to take pictures in there anymore. Because they’re not so beautiful.

0:06:47 I’m like, update your purple velvet couches. Oh, no purple velvet love. No, not anymore. Not 2026. But anyway, what I want to do is I want to start from the beginning of the day.

0:07:01 I don’t want to really help everyone out. So your beginning of the day means that you are booking Harry and makeup to come to your venue to get started.

0:07:10 And you want to make sure that you are booking hair and makeup artists that have experience, doing weddings, you want to make sure that you are booking hair and makeup artists that know how to write a schedule and don’t necessarily leave you as the bride as the last person to be completed.

0:07:32 Does that happen a lot? Not anymore, not recently. It happened in the beginning stages of my career as a wedding photographer I saw it all the time.

0:07:41 And then I was the one telling the bride, like, you don’t want to be the last person. If you are the last person and they happen to be running late for whatever reason because people are human, your whole day is going to get pushed back.

0:07:54 You are holding your photography timeline from then on back. So if you are the last person, ask to be the second to last person, like, I know not wanting to get your makeup done first thing in the morning, it doesn’t make any sense.

0:08:08 you want to be fresh for photos. However, you don’t want to be the last person. So, and then just making sure that you have enough artists for your services.

0:08:19 So, that’s another thing that I guide our couples, you know, through sometimes, is they’ll ask me, do you feel like I need an extra makeup artist?

0:08:28 Like, if your makeup artist is telling you you need an extra makeup artist, you need an extra makeup artist. So, what’s the threshold with that?

0:08:37 I don’t know the technicalities, and I don’t know how many people one artist can service in a certain amount of time.

0:08:47 This depends on the individual. You’re going to ask your professional, ask your professional. And I have a lot of recommended vendors in this area that are wedding professionals, and they have it down to a science.

0:08:58 That’s who you want to book. You want to book those professionals who have it down to a science. they can write that schedule like the back of their hand and they know exactly how many artists they need for how many girls.

0:09:09 Yeah, it’s like anything else we can only do in a certain period of time, you know, like that’s it, that’s it.

0:09:15 If it takes an hour per service and you have seven girls, and you want it to be good. That’s seven hours.

0:09:22 Yeah, yes. And if you can’t get to your property to 8 a.m., what’s seven hours plus 8 a.m., two o’clock in the afternoon?

0:09:30 It’s just not happening. It’s just not happening. It doesn’t take that long. Usually it’s about a 45 minute to an hour per hair.

0:09:38 I didn’t know that. Did you know that? That’s a long time. Yeah, sometimes they could do it quick, but you don’t want them rushing your hair and makeup.

0:09:46 Wow, especially as the bride. The bride can probably be a two and a half to three hour or a deal.

0:09:51 What? I work with some wedding professionals who have gotten themselves to a point in their career where they just walk in and they do the bride and they go home.

0:10:02 Wow. But they give them self enough time to walk in and do the bride and go home with plenty of time left before photography needs them.

0:10:12 Right, right, right. So these are the things that you have to think about when you’re booking your hair and makeup and it’s just really important to make sure you have enough artists that can service all of the bridesmaids, the moms, the bride, everyone getting their hair and makeup done.

0:10:27 you want to make sure that you have enough people on your team and then ask your photographer what time they need you hair and makeup ready.

0:10:38 That is a very common question at least from my standpoint, I get that question a lot like my hair and makeup artist wants to know when you need me ready.

0:10:47 So have a photographer who knows that knows that time and have a hair and makeup artist who asks. That makes sense.

0:10:54 Right. Because then you could get started with everything that you need to accomplish at that point, you’re not waiting around.

0:10:59 Yeah. But in the meantime, you’re capturing details and all that, right? Yeah, so what we’ll do is, like, you know, let’s say the day’s rolling, you have plenty of hair and makeup artists and everybody is staying pretty close to unschedule.

0:11:12 What we will do is we will come in about an hour to an hour and a half before we have you plan to get in your dress, start capturing those last minute details.

0:11:20 So we just need to capture like some hair and makeup like finishing touches and then we do your detail shots, candidates around the room and then we start prepping for forgetting the bride in the dress, which is also another another misconception is a lot of times, you know, I do hear this a lot is it

0:11:44 only take me like five minutes to get in the dress. And I like to set aside at least 30 to 45 minutes for getting in the dress.

0:11:52 That’s just my preference. Interesting. That seems like a lot. But I guess that’s what it is. Let’s say you’re like, okay, it only takes me five, 10 minutes to get in my dress.

0:12:01 Yeah. Then you start, they start zipping up that dress and let’s say the hook pops. I’ve seen that countless times.

0:12:09 Now we’re sitting here having a sew address together. It happens. Wow. It takes me a half hour to put this on.

0:12:16 I know. I know. Kind of makes sense, actually. Yeah. Takes me about 45 seconds to get dressed in the morning.

0:12:24 But it does. You know, you never know what’s going to happen. You want to plan for everything and you don’t want that, uh-oh, or that hiccup to happen.

0:12:34 And then you’re pressured now for time because you’re like, it’s only going to take me five minutes. Mm-hmm. Well, now it’s going to take you five minutes plus 30 minutes to sew that thing back together.

0:12:45 Or, you know, we have dresses with lots of buttons and there are dresses with corsets and a lot of lacing.

0:12:53 It really just depends. But there’s no, you’re never gonna be mad that you have extra time. You’re never gonna be mad that you’re running ahead of time.

0:13:04 Right. So why would you put that pressure on yourself? Okay, because then there’s just more time to just relax and enjoy the day and enjoy the moment.

0:13:12 I cushion these things for a reason so so what other Mistakes to you see other than purple velvet couches at hotels What’s like what’s like the mistake in the the morning timeline like that people make Yeah, the morning to getting ready timeline mistakes that that I see happen We’ve already discussed

0:13:35 hair make-up hair make-up can run behind um a lot of the times I see people being so busy that they’re not eating.

0:13:45 I walk into a room and there will be catering across every counter space in there and no one’s eating. So eating is important.

0:13:55 You want to make sure you don’t pass out. I know you’re trying to fit in dresses but nibble and snack and drink water.

0:14:02 Having too many people in the room, so this doesn’t really happen very often at venues that have getting ready spaces.

0:14:10 Those spaces are usually large enough to accommodate large wedding parties, but hotel rooms can get very crowded very fast. Yeah, I’m sure.

0:14:19 Hotel rooms can get very crowded very fast, and then they get messy. So having a pep talk with your bridesmaids the night before or at some point before the wedding and saying, listen, keep your belongings in a corner, keep everything you can in like one big tote bag, help the photographer clean up little

0:14:40 corners. That is more helpful than you think it is on a lot of it. It’s overwhelming for everybody in the room too.

0:14:46 Like especially for you guys like I have to like coordinate everything. Like to have too many people in the space.

0:14:49 It’s probably just overwhelming. When there’s a lot of people in the space and they’ve kind of taken over every space in the room.

0:14:58 Yeah. And I don’t have a corner to take photos without stuffing it. It can be very hectic so and I don’t I don’t ever want that to be stressful for my bride So I’ll usually commission my photo assistant myself and other bridesmaids to help move things around But if it’s already done and cleaned up and

0:15:20 tidied up you know when we’re arriving Or you should know if you have a photographer who planned your timeline with you You should know exactly what time they are arriving.

0:15:31 My tip is 30 minutes, 20 minutes before that arrival time. Ask your girls, ask everybody in that room with you.

0:15:39 Hey, can we get this place straightened up? Put your stuff in a corner, pick a corner that’s less than ideal.

0:15:46 It’s not in pretty light. And you know, and just throw, it’s the purple couch, throw all of your stuff on the purple couch.

0:15:53 We’re not going to photograph the purple couch. That’s right. But yeah, so that is a mistake I see it happen a lot.

0:16:01 It’s just a lot of stuff everywhere and a lot of chaos. Right, right, yeah. So it sounds like there’s a lot going on early on in the day, just making sure that everything is captured right.

0:16:12 So what is a calm morning look like? Like how do you, how do these girls just enjoy the day and accomplish everything.

0:16:24 Yeah, a calm morning is the bridesmaids. They put on a fun playlist. They’re all helpful. They’re all attentive to the bride, to each other, to the photography team.

0:16:39 They’re just enjoying the day and their calm energy brings calm energy for everyone. So that, I think, is what a calm morning looks like.

0:16:52 It’s just taking little moments. And honestly, I don’t want to go back to a messy room, but think about how you feel when you walk into a messy room.

0:17:03 You feel chaotic. So if you were to have everyone straighten up that room, it’s going to bring us a level of calm for everyone.

0:17:14 And just when everyone’s helping each other, Everyone’s helping each other. Everyone’s helping the bride. They’re attentive to the bride. Like, I’ve even had myself a wedding where we did run behind for hair and makeup for the bride.

0:17:27 But we were able to catch up because I had a maid of honor who was just like, what do you need?

0:17:33 And I was like, I think this is gonna be my plan. So just have, I think I just need to her to gather bridesmaids and move them to another room.

0:17:43 I’m like, we’re gonna do the pajama photo in this room. and then I’m gonna send them all to get the dress, so just make sure they all get dressed immediately after the pajama photo and that everybody’s ready to get on that trolley before we leave.

0:17:54 And she did, she was there for, she was very supportive. So support, calm music, a clean, getting ready space, snacking on breakfast, getting yourself fueled up for the day, writing vows to each other in like a nice calm environment.

0:18:11 Those are all ways that it could be like a nice calm morning. Yeah, touch it and we definitely feel I mean when it’s not You know when people are already stressed by the time that we see them.

0:18:21 Yeah, like for the ceremony You can feel it and it’s stressful. It’s stressful for everybody. You know, but not for us necessarily But you just hate to see it hate to see on there.

0:18:29 Yeah, you want them to be enjoying their day Yeah, you know rather than like yeah, you know I’ve just been on the go go go go go go Yeah, and you can see them when they’re like yeah going into the ceremony and it feels sweating and it’s yeah Yeah, you know, I mean, that’s the, it’s a really special moment

0:18:42 , you know? Yeah, I think that you set the tone at the start of the day, and it just kind of rolls from there.

0:18:49 Right, right, right. You mentioned that it puts, it takes a long time to put on the dress. It takes like 40 minutes, usually, to like, to do that.

0:18:55 So who do you need to have around? What do you need? Like, how do we best help the bride in that moment?

0:19:01 Like, what do they need to do that? Yeah, like, what will make this ghost mood there? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, a couple of things that will make that go smoother is, once I know that we’re going to start getting the bride and the dress, usually about 15 minutes before that, I call for anyone who’s helping

0:19:19 her in her dress, get in their dresses, or their formal wear. At that point, that’s a great time for makeup touch-ups.

0:19:26 If makeup is still there, you want the makeup touch-ups done before getting in the dress, not after, so we don’t want makeup touch-ups over the dress.

0:19:35 if we can avoid it, but you know, then at that point we just want to make sure that anyone helping her in her dress is fully ready.

0:19:43 So that is, and that goes back to here being hair and makeup ready. The timeline should tell you when you need everyone in your wedding party hair and makeup ready.

0:19:54 So what we want is someone, if it’s whether it’s mom or or you’re made of honor or someone’s super special helping you in your dress, they should be dressed.

0:20:04 Yeah, yeah. So we aim for that to happen. And then the room should be cleaned. So I keep touching on that, but the room should be cleaned.

0:20:13 And they normally, like, that’s all people normally, like the brides will normally say, like, I need you, you, and you to help me, right?

0:20:19 Like, it’s not like everybody raising their hand at the same time saying, like, I’m going to go in the room and help her out, right?

0:20:24 Good question. Yeah, the bride usually knows who’s going to help get in the dress. So when I review timelines with couples, I even mention it.

0:20:34 I’m like, I’m assuming that might be mom or that might be made of honor. I mean, that’s a good point right there to make, you know, the brides should have someone selected to help them.

0:20:48 Yeah, it should be a given in this moment. And a lot of the times it is, I’d say most of the time, it’s a given.

0:20:53 Those are the ones that usually go to the final fittings. So a bride will have her final fitting in her dress, and that’s where the seamstress is going to show someone how to bustle it, and they’re going to put her in it.

0:21:08 And that’s a great point. I mean, we’re jumping far off topic for wedding day timelines, but if I can make a suggestion to you out there is take someone with you for that final fitting and have them watch the dress seamstress put you in that dress.

0:21:27 So, they’ve at least seen it once, low pressure. You guys aren’t going anywhere, just the last fitting, low pressure, have that person that’s going to help you on wedding day go with you and watch you get into that dress and then also watch how to bustle it.

0:21:44 I mean, most of the time are the venue, a lot of the venues we work with have bridal attendants that bustle the bride, but it’s always great to have another person very well aware of how to bustle that dress, so but yeah, just having these things leading up until the moment of getting in the dress and

0:22:07 then and then you’ve got these moments with either your mom or your grandma or your godmother or your maid of honor or your best friend or sister.

0:22:17 These moments meeting the photographs that you’ll take or Yeah, while they’re getting in the dress, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you want it to be meaningful.

0:22:23 Of course, yeah You don’t want you getting in your dress all by yourself I mean you can if you want to, but so what are some moments brides should consider Like they don’t realize that they’re gonna treasure them later These moments exactly like mom or grandma zipping up the dress Mm-hmm or the best 

0:22:43 friend like putting putting the jewelry on And I like, I love getting a photo of someone fluffing the veil over her shoulders, someone meaning fall.

0:22:53 So just these little moments are definitely treasure later. Yeah, that really adds to kind of just telling the story of the day throughout the gallery I guess, right?

0:23:02 Yeah. Right. Cool. So once everyone’s done getting ready, the next moment usually is there’s some portraits take in. I like once hair and makeups complete, you’re fully dressed and ready.

0:23:18 And you’re ready for first look if that’s your choice. We’ll take some portraits of you in like your bridal suite before you see your person.

0:23:28 But that’s usually what we’ll do right before first look. And we’re talking very heavily about bride getting ready, groom getting ready follows a very similar structure.

0:23:42 So when we arrive, we’re doing details, we’re doing candidates around the room, we’re then guiding the groom into getting dressed, but we’re making sure anyone stepping in to help him get dressed is also dressed and ready.

0:23:56 And then, you know, and then he’s getting dressed and getting ready for first look as well. So it just really depends to like grooms.

0:24:04 I feel like they grooms and groomsmen. They really kind of have a good flow. I think it’s the hair and makeup factor that really provides that rigid structure to a wedding day timeline for the bride side.

0:24:18 Right. Right. If that makes any sense. Does the the first look save time? First look definitely saves time. So when designing your timeline you want to think about if you’re doing a first look or not, we have a plan for if you choose not to do a first look, but doing a first look does save you time.

0:24:38 I mean, I don’t necessarily think that it saves you, you’re going to have the same amount of time structured for a non first look and a first look.

0:24:48 But by doing a first look, you are getting more time with your person. So you see your significant other, you’re with them, you’re taking photos, And what I think it does in saving time is it saves you time during cocktail hour.

0:25:08 If you don’t do a first look, you can probably guarantee you’re not going to most of your cocktail hour. We will always aim to get you to 10, 15 minutes of it, but there’s never promises or guarantees for that because you never know what’s going to happen.

0:25:22 And you can be ready as a couple for photos, but if you don’t do a first look, we have to do.

0:25:28 Family and wedding party and all that during cocktail hour. So that’s where I think it saves you time. It saves you time because you can get your portraits done.

0:25:38 You can get your wedding portraits, your wedding party photos done. You can get your family formals done and then you can still go to cocktail hour and enjoy cocktail hour with your friends and family.

0:25:49 Something that we did and first looks were a thing when we got married. They You were kind of a newer thing.

0:25:56 It was like, I don’t know how new it was. I mean, yeah, I had heard about it. Yeah, I’d heard about them.

0:26:03 Yeah, I don’t know how new it was, but it was, you know. But what we wanted was we wanted to fully immerse ourselves into the reception.

0:26:13 And we didn’t want to have to say thank you. Hello, chit chat with every table during the reception. So our goal during cocktail or was to talk to, It was like it was like speed dating at cocktail.

0:26:27 Talked to everybody during the cocktail hours. Talked to everyone we possibly could, especially the people we don’t see on a regular basis during cocktail hour, because then once that dance floor opened up, that’s where you were finding us.

0:26:41 Yes. We were not wandering table to table. Right. So we needed that cocktail hour for that time, and that’s why we wanted to do a first look.

0:26:50 Also, you’re paying for cocktail or you’re planning it. you’re picking all this food for it, like enjoy it. Go enjoy it.

0:26:57 Right. Go enjoy it. Or like in a previous episode about wedding day presents, sit down and have cocktail or privately, the two of you for that emotional alone time.

0:27:11 Yeah, but if they don’t want to do the first look, does it ruin all that, like does it? If they don’t want to do the first look.

0:27:19 Like if they want to do the traditional thing, and if they want to do the traditional thing, we have a plan.

0:27:23 We take as many photos as possible before the ceremony where they don’t see each other. We do all the bride side, bride family, bride wedding party.

0:27:33 We do the groom side, groom family, groom wedding party, all separate so that after the ceremony we are fixated on anything we needed to do with them together.

0:27:44 It doesn’t necessarily ruin anything but it also makes things feel a little bit more rushed and you get a lot, my thing is you get a lot less time together on your wedding day.

0:27:57 So let’s say your ceremony is at 5.30. You’re going all day, not seeing each other till 5.30. And then your reception is over at 11.

0:28:07 What’s that? Six hours? Not even. It’s not even six hours together on your wedding day. So, at least with us, like we got to hang out, we were on the beach, taking our photos, with friends and family, and there was more time spent together.

0:28:23 What do you typically see now? I mean, what is like the, what’s the more popular one? I’d say it’s like 80, 20, yeah, it might be like 85, 15 of people doing first look, but I’m seeing, you know, I think this year I saw a couple more than usual not doing first luck.

0:28:40 Sure, right, right. It’s okay. We’ll make it work. We’re there to work. That’s right. We’re there to work. Um, so let’s talk about, um, all right.

0:28:50 So, you know, we talked about first look. So what’s next? It’s couples portraits, family, formals. Um, so how much time should you put aside for those photos?

0:29:02 Okay. So I have a structure to this. So we do about 15 minutes for first look. 30 minutes for couples portraits, 30 minutes for a wedding party, for an average sized wedding party, and 30 minutes for a family formalist, depending on how many groupings we’re doing.

0:29:21 And that usually gives us plenty of buffer time. So I usually say about 90 minutes to about two hours is what we want for first look up up until completing those photos and getting ready to settle in and prepare for a ceremony to start.

0:29:41 So just a quick question for like couples that are two, for couples that opt out of the first look. How do you break that up?

0:29:50 Look, like I just said, like before the ceremony, we’re breaking it down. We’re breaking them into two groups. so bride or client one and their family, client one and their wedding party, client two and their family, client two and their wedding party.

0:30:09 So it’s the same amount of time. Got it, got it. It’s just a lot more shuffling because we can’t take, we can’t take these, I’m talking with my hands.

0:30:20 We can’t take these photos at the same time on the property, so for fear of them seeing each other. Yeah, right.

0:30:28 So let’s say we’re at like one of the venues we work at regularly We’re going to pull one out of there getting ready sweet and do their side and then tuck them away and hide them Then pull the other one out of there getting ready sweet do their side tuck them away and hide them so It’s the same amount

0:30:46 of time Just remember that you’re taking Half of that time out of your cocktail hour. Got it got it. Okay.

0:30:52 Yeah, let’s say 45 minutes 45 minutes and 45 minutes makes 90 minutes, it’s still 45 minutes to an hour before the ceremony and then about 45 minutes to 50 minutes after the ceremony during cocktail.

0:31:07 Got you. Now again, we are talking about on-site ceremony. If we were talking about a church ceremony where you have normally you have an earlier ceremony because it’s a church, and you usually have about two hours of time in between the end of your ceremony and the start of cocktail hour, that’s a whole

0:31:29 different story and that’s a whole different timeline. There’s a lot more room for a traditional, non-first look, first look down the aisle, because you have two hours after the ceremony before you even have to be the venue property where you can take photos, or you can take photos on the venue property

0:31:48 . but you don’t have that tradition that you’re trying to wiggle around and trying not to let them see each other.

0:32:00 I hope that makes sense. Gotcha, gotcha. Cool. Yeah, that makes total sense. Since we’re on the topic of couples portraits, you know, one concern that I hear sometimes is like, oh, you know, we’re not the best in front of the camera.

0:32:14 sometimes we’re a little awkward, like how do you help couples with that and just help them feel like, you know, confident and natural in front of the camera?

0:32:25 Yeah, well, first things first is the photographer’s confidence. So a photographer with confidence and who’s able to confidently pose and prompt and give direction is going to make them feel confident and less awkward immediately.

0:32:44 And then on top of that, breathing room in the timeline allows that too. So think about like, if you’re running late, how do you feel?

0:32:50 Yeah. You feel stressed, you feel anxious, you feel like, oh God, are we gonna get this done in time? Yeah, but also we have to do.

0:32:57 Now you’re in your head and that’s the last place I want you or any professional photographer’s gonna want you to be is in your head while you’re taking these once in a lifetime photos.

0:33:09 So, you know, having that breathing room, having a solid timeline, creating that presence throughout the day, not feeling rushed, giving them the space to talk, to laugh, to enjoy each other, knowing some prompts as well that will give them the space to laugh and talk and be them together.

0:33:29 I love walking and movement and just constantly guiding them and encouraging them. I mean, I don’t want you to count how many times I say perfect or beautiful while I’m taking photos, but it’s an obscene amount.

0:33:46 I’m sure it’s a lot, but it’s because I’m being honest and at the same time, just being encouraging, too, because that helps.

0:33:54 I don’t want them to ever get, I don’t want them there to ever be an awkward silence. what a awkward silence is, give you more awkwardness.

0:34:03 So I want, I want, I would like to encourage them as they’re taking photos, that they’re doing exactly what I need them to do.

0:34:11 And then something else, I feel like I’ve really settled into a lot over the last few seasons and it could be just my experience as I have figured out how to prompt people or give direction based on like what side of the body it is.

0:34:26 so I’ll be like, so and so, can you take your left hand and grab so and so by the chin, pull her in and give her a kiss.

0:34:33 That gives people so much more confidence in knowing what they’re doing. Because if I just said pull her in by the chin, make her a kiss.

0:34:41 Yeah, yeah, yeah. So like, well with what hand? So I have been able to just look at somebody’s body and know even though I’m opposite of them, know exactly if that’s the right hand or the left hand.

0:34:55 And I just give very direct, very clear direction. Yeah, it’s going to help anybody. Yeah, it’s great. It’s like when we’re setting up for gigs, we pass when you guys are doing it with the wedding party and stuff, and it just looks like so much fun.

0:35:09 It just looks like everybody’s having so much fun. And it’s a great way to start everything. So it’s cool what you do.

0:35:16 It’s cool that you get to do that to construct. It’s the same thing where we’re getting people to dance and we’re not for it.

0:35:22 That’s a fun moment. We want everyone to have fun. We want to find the moments or set up for moments to happen.

0:35:32 Even if it’s not even just a couple, even if it’s their wedding party as well. I want to set up for moments to happen.

0:35:38 So things I’ve been prompting have been more movement. Like, I don’t even know what you would call it, but when I set the wedding party up, facing each other into two lines, it kind of reminds me of like, is it a soul train?

0:35:51 Okay, I don’t know if I’m right or not and then I start the couple here and I get them all amped up And I’m like move your bouquets and dance around.

0:36:01 I want to see movement Lucky boy Yeah, yeah, yeah, I want to see movement and and excitement and then those are just some really fun photos like the wedding parties having a good time The couples having a great time because the wedding party is amping them up.

0:36:19 Their best friends, their cousins are all right there cheering them on. And then it makes for a really great videography too.

0:36:28 Movement is a lot of fun. So we want them to have fun. The last thing I want is for them to dread photos.

0:36:36 My best accomplishment is when I can take usually a groom, but no stereotypes out here guys. But if I could take someone who is like not thrilled about taking photos and if they can turn around and tell me Oh, that wasn’t that bad, right that was fun Then I’ve done my job.

0:36:56 Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I pat myself on the back at that point. Definitely Is there something that’s the goal? Okay, so now that we’ve done the Talked about the wedding party photos.

0:37:06 What about the family photos? I’ve I’ve you know attended wedding for my family, where it can seem very tedious that process, but how do you make it run smooth?

0:37:16 Yeah, so building that time into the wedding day timeline, family photos, typically I like to do them after wedding party photos.

0:37:23 It’s like closest time to ceremony time. And I do this because sometimes some family, a lot of times families onsite at the venue all day.

0:37:35 sometimes they’re not so I don’t want them to have to get there so super early they’re sitting around just hanging around so family photos are one of the last things that we do before ceremony and the way I organize this or the way that a wedding day timeline should be organized is to organize the family

0:37:55 formal list in in the most efficient way possible so what I like to tell my My couple is, I’m going to set you up right here and you’re not going to move because that every time a couple moves, if there’s a dress involved, we’re re-fluffing that dress.

0:38:11 So I’m like, you’re going to stand here and we’re going to feed people in and feed people out. And I write the list so that we’re building the list up and then we’re breaking the list down.

0:38:22 So we’ve got the couple, then we’ve got the parents, then we’ve got the siblings, and and then we’ve got the grandparents.

0:38:29 And then we take one, whoever’s side of the family that is, they stay, the other person comes out and we start breaking that down, then we take that, and then we take the grandparents out, then we take the siblings out, then we take the parents out, and we just keep going from there.

0:38:44 So, you know, having an organized list is definitely your best friend. Right, right, right. And having this organized list planned out, mapped out at least a month before the wedding, at least a month before the wedding.

0:39:01 This way at least you can make everyone aware of where to be, when to be. Where to be, when to be.

0:39:07 And you’re sitting there over a cup of coffee with your partner talking about this list, you’re not sitting there trying to figure it out the week of the wedding while you’re finalizing and tying off all the other things that you have to do.

0:39:19 Of course. So, and because family lists are not, are not easy, that’s probably one of the hardest parts of a wedding day timeline, is who do we have in family photos?

0:39:29 How do we make everyone happy? Families are hard and that’s something I’m very well aware of, and very, I don’t, I want to say empathetic too, because I mean, I experience, families are hard, families are crazy sometimes.

0:39:45 So you just want to have a good list, you want to have a good list, you want to look at that list, you want to be like, I’ve got everyone I need in this list, and I will at least get that started for our couples.

0:39:57 And let me build this list for you, and then you tell me what makes the most sense. Add or eliminate at will.

0:40:05 But then also something else that makes family formalists go a lot smoother is making sure that you instruct all of your family members not to wander off.

0:40:20 You laugh. Well, I laugh because I’m sure that’s what happens all the time. I have a huge family. I can’t imagine.

0:40:28 I’ve had to use my outside voice inside and be like, everyone, please stay in this room because it’s like one person wanders off to the bathroom.

0:40:40 Oh yeah. Now I call that person. That person’s not in the room. Two people wander off to find And that one person, now I’m losing people left and right.

0:40:49 And I’m like, no, this is not what’s gonna happen. Make sure everybody is aware to pee, to drink, to do whatever you need to do, and be in where the family formals are to set, take place at what time, and just stay there.

0:41:04 Everybody’s okay. I don’t think people have to worry that you’re doing that alone though. I mean, you have a team of course.

0:41:08 Oh yeah. You’re all, no, how to wrangle. And your photo assistant is right alone that’s in charge of making sure that.

0:41:15 main, main reason I have a photo. Yes, of course. That everyone is ready and in place for the next photo.

0:41:20 Yeah, they are a step or two ahead on the list, letting those people know you are next. That is their job.

0:41:27 Your next don’t go anywhere. And don’t go anywhere until you are told that you are done with photos. And honestly, if everyone’s there, everyone’s alert, everyone’s paying attention and we are in that rhythm, 20 minutes.

0:41:43 I can do that. I have been 30 minutes behind in my photo timeline and I’ve made that whole 30 minutes back by going through family so fast because of our system.

0:41:57 So having the systems important, making sure you don’t have too many combinations and that the combinations aren’t too long is also really important.

0:42:06 You don’t want a super, super long list. I’ve designed super long lists for couples before and midway I’ve had them, I can feel people’s energy and I could feel that they were exhausted.

0:42:23 I had one look at me and be like, I didn’t realize how long this was going to take and I was like, I know, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I should have said something but I’m here for you.

0:42:35 So yes, but that’s but that’s why going over it beforehand is But now I do I do say listen. I’m here for you.

0:42:43 I will tell you this list is very long. Yeah, yeah, but I will photograph it for you So you just we’ll do whatever you want to do, right?

0:42:50 But yeah, that that’s the best way to make family photos go smoothly and Yeah, then that leads us right to ceremony that brings us that brings us to a gap.

0:43:00 So I like to complete all must-haves by about 40 minutes before the ceremony starts. At this time you can expect some of the very early arriving guests to get there, and if you’re taking photos on the property you don’t want to be seen.

0:43:17 And this also gives you some time to retouch hair and retouch makeup, grab a bite to eat, use the bathroom, have something to drink.

0:43:27 If you are at a venue, a lot of the venues that we work with now have these fun game rooms for the grooms, so shoot the s***, hang out with your guys, hang out, the girls are in the other room, getting amped up.

0:43:43 Yeah, you can really just have like a However you want to spend that time, have some alone time with just your family and friends around them being pulled, you know, brings you to a previous episode where we talk about building in time for presence.

0:43:58 This is a great time for presence. A really great time. Your choice of if you want it together as a couple, or if you want it with your side of the wedding party.

0:44:08 Right. And at this point, obviously also as DJs, we have the music set up. We like people are taking their seats.

0:44:15 Yeah. It’s just this prelude music happening. Microphones being set up. So all of that is being done, you know, just waiting for them.

0:44:25 We talked to the officiant in that time. And yeah, and then they’re basically coordinating with the staff, right, just about how it’s going to, how the ceremony is going to play out.

0:44:39 I don’t mean play out. I mean, like how they’re going to come out basically for it. Right. They got to line up.

0:44:44 They got to line up and all those things. Yeah, they’ll do a walkthrough prior to that. But, you know, I’m sure there’s some communication at that point where, you know, the brand new staff is communicating with the wedding party and everybody else involved and that’s usually been the efficient of shelling

0:44:59 up. So, you know, then the conversation has to happen with the efficient. That’s why everything goes smooth for the ceremony.

0:45:04 So, it’s definitely got a lot some time for that. Yeah. So, what are the things that couples should be thinking about before the ceremony begins like music wise?

0:45:14 Yeah, that’s all discussed beforehand, but we, you know, we, that’s what we coordinate with the, with the Major D usually, like, like we’ll say, like, okay, the bridal party’s going to come out to this song, bride’s going to come out to this song, and then the recessional song is going to be this.

0:45:32 And so basically everything you guys are coordinating with the other vendors, it really doesn’t have a lot to do with the couple.

0:45:38 All that would be beforehand, you know, like they’ll give us the music. Exactly, music is already selected. Exactly, music’s selected, so, yeah, nothing to worry about that day.

0:45:46 Yeah, the couple doesn’t have to coordinate anything with us about music, because we take care of that on our final call, up through the days before the wedding.

0:45:53 Right, right, right. We’re really just communicating with the officiant, like Joe said, the venue staff on timing, the songs, all that.

0:46:02 I try to say hello to them in that time, if I can, if I could find them, but sometimes it happens later on.

0:46:06 It’s tough. It’s tough, yeah, sometimes I can’t find them like. I always want to say hello to them, but sometimes I feel like they’re busy, or if they’re not taking photos, it’s like, you probably just got done taking photos, so I’m just gonna leave you alone.

0:46:16 Yeah, so usually I just go up, but I’m like, hey, how you doing? Nice to meet you. Congratulations. We’ll talk later.

0:46:22 Yeah, I’m just trying to not put any pressure on them because I know they might be busy. Like sometimes you guys do see them in the middle of them taking photos.

0:46:29 Oh yeah, you guys get there. Yeah, definitely. So as far as like a ceremony goes, what would you guys, is there such a thing as a perfect ceremony?

0:46:39 Like, what would you consider? That could be the perfect ceremony length. Yeah, I don’t necessarily know if there’s like a perfect ceremony length, right?

0:46:49 If it feels smooth, it feels smooth. It’s like a movie. It’s like a three hour movie. Yeah, if it’s really good, it doesn’t feel like any time passed at all.

0:46:55 Agreed. You know, but I don’t know. I mean, often it’s segmented for a half hour. And then maybe you know what I mean?

0:47:03 Like the ceremony would be. It’s usually segmented a half hour. So if it’s on property. Yeah, and then I mean, I do feel like the sweet spot would be like 15 to 20.

0:47:16 Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that’s a personal thing, but I don’t know. What do think? Well, just to take a step back, most venues, they a lot an hour for the ceremony, right?

0:47:24 Because they consider a power for guest arrival, right? I it depends. But then that could also extend, right? I think I was thinking of my own time.

0:47:33 You’re right. As far as what the venue is concerned, Yeah, you’re thinking about the actual ceremony. That’s right. Yeah, so actual ceremony, I’ve been seeing a lot lately anywhere between like 15 to 20 minutes.

0:47:47 A lot. And what do you, how do you feel about, how do you feel about really short ceremonies? I’ve done ceremonies before that five, five minutes, three minutes was my fastest ceremony.

0:48:00 I as well. It was crazy. Do you even know what happened? Do you know that’s happening before it happens? Because I’ll tell you my side of the story.

0:48:11 I knew, so when I did have the three-minute ceremony, they told you. They told me that it was gonna be really short.

0:48:18 But then when the efficiency and said, okay, you make us the bride. I was like, whoa, is that it? Yeah.

0:48:25 And that was your cue for the rest of your song. It crazy fast. And I don’t know, I mean, it worked out, but I felt like it was kind of awkward because like the guests were kind of sitting there, also like, wait, that’s it.

0:48:38 Like what happened? Did the officiant forget half of the ceremony? Right. Did the photography team notice me that quick? But yeah, I guess that would be difficult for the photography team and the videography team, if the ceremony is super, super short.

0:48:51 It’s so hard. It’s like how do you capture that? How do you capture that emotion? But yeah. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve experienced a ceremony like that.

0:49:01 Yeah, and I don’t love it. I don’t and I understand if you’re not a center of attention kind of kind of person I get it But give your photography and video videography team if you have both booked it give them some time to capture something there Yeah, because you don’t want to invest in this These services

0:49:21 and then we’ve got nothing and it had like no photos to show I got your kiss Yeah, you walking down the aisle.

0:49:28 It’s the same thing little this little that and a kiss It’s the same thing when couples ask us to cut their first dance short, which I’m fine with, but I always suggest to them, don’t cut it too short.

0:49:41 Stay out there for at least two minutes because you want to give your photographer enough time to capture the moment because you hired a professional to capture these moments, so give them the time they need to deliver you what you want.

0:49:59 We’re jumping ahead for receptions of it. I do have a question about that. Is like, would you say two minutes?

0:50:05 Is like two verses and two choruses? Well, how? Because when they’re I’m guaranteeing you when they’re out there. Yeah. Yeah.

0:50:15 I’m guaranteeing you when they’re out there, it feels a lot longer than it really is. It feels shorter for us because we’re working.

0:50:23 But it feels a lot longer than it is out there for them because all eyes are on them. and they’re dancing around in the center of a dance floor.

0:50:33 Yeah, two minutes, two and a half minutes. Most is you’re gonna get through two verses and two horses. So that you’ve heard it here first folks, two verses and two courses of your first dance song.

0:50:44 So your photo and video team. That’s what I would suggest. And what they need to capture. I’ve actually had conversations with brides and groups about this before the wedding.

0:50:55 And they were kind of like a little little apprehensive, you know, they were like, I don’t know, I don’t really like being out there But they did it and they ended up thanking me after the wedding because they realized, oh, okay, you know that that moment was nice I’m glad that I stayed out there and

0:51:14 we got some beautiful pictures of it Yeah, you know what? I think it’s the same thing for the slow dance and for where we’re at with the sour money It’s you know, it’s just meaningful and it’s meaningful not just for you as the bride and groom But it is meaningful for everybody else.

0:51:27 So you know giving a little bit of time for that to kind of sit away I think it’s nice, but I can’t judge anybody for one.

0:51:33 I have to be like sometimes Sometimes couples think that the guests are gonna get impatient. Oh, yes, maybe but don’t worry about that But no, I only ever see people really enjoying watching.

0:51:44 Yeah, all of this the ceremony Yeah, the whole reason they’re all there Yeah, yeah, don’t worry about them Lately, I guess.

0:51:51 Well, I mean, do worry about your guests, but don’t worry about it. Well, everybody wants to see you when it comes to your first dance.

0:51:57 I mean, mostly all of my weddings this year, it’s been pretty silent in the room during those, the first dance and the parent dances, and I guess they’re respectful in there.

0:52:06 They’re just letting you enjoy that. She’s in their first rodeo. Well, I have done weddings where guests started talking over a parent dance or something in the past, But I haven’t really had that experience this year, which is yeah, yeah, no, we can’t go off of worst-case scenarios We have yeah, we’ll

0:52:25 do a nightmare segment Not important here most of the time people get big applause after all those things. It’s people love to be there Yeah Well, so what’s next in the day cocktail hour?

0:52:36 What comes next after ceremony in this situation at least with if all if ceremony is onsite at the venue is it usually flows right into cocktail hour.

0:52:49 So cocktail hours up next and then what are your thoughts about couples attending cocktail? Like how do you feel about them?

0:52:56 Do you feel like they should? Yeah, I think I think every couple should attend their cocktail hour, right? Because like you said, you could say hello to all your friends, all your family, get some food in you, you know, I mean, say hi, go enjoy it.

0:53:11 You paid for it, right? So enjoy it. I hear that a lot from couples, like I paid for that cocktail hour, and I’m going to it, and I’m gonna enjoy it, you know.

0:53:19 And especially New Jersey cocktail hours, I mean, I hear that New Jersey cocktail hours are like none other in the country, so get your butt to cocktail hour and eat your food.

0:53:31 Eat your food. It’s a fun time of the day, too. It’s a time of the day, too. food. It’s a fun time of the day too for them to, you know, the only only reason I would say no is because whatever I have to do what they want.

0:53:45 But when we do the reception introductions, yeah, and we’re making this big deal out of everybody’s area. They’ve already been introduced.

0:53:53 So sometimes I do feel a little bit weird about that. I got you. But it’s, I mean, if that’s old school, then whatever, you know, I don’t know, Like, it’s not like, no one’s ever said that to me.

0:54:07 It doesn’t matter. Well, no one introduced, here’s a thing. No one introduced them to cocktail hours. So they haven’t been introduced to the crowd as, not formally yet.

0:54:18 Exactly, exactly, exactly. So are we? I have heard that from some, I have heard, yeah, right. I have heard that from some couples that.

0:54:26 Oh, right. We’re not gonna do an introduction for the reception because everybody’s already seen us during the cocktail hour. But, you know, what you need to realize is like you said, We don’t introduce you into the cocktail hour.

0:54:37 So there’s not that like big like wow right now The whole point of the introduction for the reception is to set the tone for the party party Yeah, and just to kind of kick it off high energy And then are you are you glad we went to our cocktail hour?

0:54:51 I think I know the answer to this Yeah, 100% I’m Absolutely our cocktail hour even though we didn’t really get to you much we talked the whole time Yeah, I didn’t eat much, but I did have some yeah The cool thing was we were working weddings at our venue after we got married, so I got to attend our cocktail

0:55:07 hour in hindsight. There you go. I like, oh, I get to eat anything I want right now. All right. And then the reception.

0:55:16 Reception is here. So how long do you like to stay into the reception? Well, I’m talking about timeline, right? Yeah.

0:55:25 You know, how much time do you need to make sure you have towards the ends of the day? Yeah. Make sure that you capture everything in the recession probably two and a half three hours two and a half to three hours Okay, we want to be there for all the formalities some dance sets cake cutting If they 

0:55:40 want night shots those night shots so like two two and a half to three hours I like three But we can certain venues in our area.

0:55:49 We can do it in two and a half So can you just break that up for the people listening like you know, how does that work?

0:55:56 How does how does the three hours work? Well, I mean, it’s not as structured as photos throughout the earlier part of the day because at that point, the timeline and the flow is in your hands as a DJ.

0:56:11 So we’re there just present to capture whatever happens moving forward, so like introductions into first dances, into speeches, into a dance set, into, you know, everyone sits for dinner into a cake cutting into another dance set and then we leave.

0:56:28 That’s ideal what we like that flow for photography and videography anyway. Yeah, because I mean if you really break up a reception, right, you know, I would say the first 45 minutes are typically your reception introductions, your first dance, your parent dances, speeches.

0:56:46 At that point you’re opening the dance floor, probably dancing them for or at least a half hour. So let’s say that brings you to 8.15, right?

0:56:55 Mm-hmm. Ideally. Yeah, ideally. This is perfect. This is maybe 8.25, right? If the formalities are pushed back a little bit.

0:57:06 And then you break for dinner. You break for dinner from 8.25 to, let’s say, 9 o’clock, slightly after 9 o’clock.

0:57:15 And then you dance them again for a half hour. We’re cake right there. Or a cake right there. Yeah. Or a cake at like 9.39.45.

0:57:24 I actually like to do cake like a little later this way, you know, you’re not dancing for two hours straight, you know, so like there could be like a 45 minute dance set and then a five minute break for a cake.

0:57:36 Maybe play a slow song to like, you know, get everybody out there again and then hit him again with something fun for the rest of the night.

0:57:43 That’s right. I guess that’s where that three hours would come from for the reception. Yeah, in a perfect world. That’s what I would like.

0:57:49 Cool. Because then it gives me a few dance sets. Each dance set is a little different. So, and then also the formalities.

0:57:57 Yeah, cutting, intros, beaches, things like that. But yeah, that would be perfect situation. What is the biggest timeline mistake at receptions that you guys see?

0:58:11 Timeline mistake? Yeah, what are your opinions? Like as far as timeline mistakes. I’m sure you can talk about I know exactly what I’m going to talk about.

0:58:20 I have one. I just too much, too many things that are going to make people sit and then stand and then stand.

0:58:29 Too many interruptions like that. And when I say that stand, I actually mean dance, like sitting and then dancing and sitting and then dancing.

0:58:35 Anything that disrupts that flow too much? I mean, I hear what you’re saying about cake. One interruption that’s fine. Yeah, you’re talking about something that’s shorter than a 45 minute dance.

0:58:44 Yes. I mean, there’s some time. That what Chris just said is the ideal reception flow. Yes, we’re like right now we’re talking about things that can kind of really interrupt that.

0:58:56 Yes, so any timeline like that and sometimes that happens when you just try to I think put too many like like have too many things happen in this for our reception, you know that that would be that’s that’s my only thing because you know it’s hard to get a dance floor that is like, as a DJ, you’re kind

0:59:18 of building the trust of the group right that you can keep them and have them remain on the dance floor.

0:59:24 Things that are just going to like constantly interrupt that, like these little announcements or things, it just becomes complicated and so that would be my answer to that, try to stay away from that.

0:59:34 I agree. I agree. How do you feel about also breaking up the dances and putting them in all different parts of the reception?

0:59:43 That’s exactly what I was gonna talk about. I don’t like that at all. Yeah. I’m not a fan of that at all.

0:59:48 As a photographer, it’s tough for us, too. Because usually, All of dance it, the, Like putting slow dances during dinner, and things like, or speeches during dinner, like, I think it just delays everything, you know?

1:00:01 It’s just not a smooth flow. Me personally, I think everything flows the best just if the reception opens up, and then several minutes later you’re introducing parents wedding party, the bride and the groom, then you go right into the first dance.

1:00:15 Right after that, just go right into, you know, the parent dances, two parent dances, and then sit everyone after that.

1:00:23 Everyone’s sitting out like five minutes, you know, for five minutes at that point, and then go right into speeches, you know, if there’s two, three speeches, whatever, and then and then open up the dance floor right then and there because now you’ve taken care of all of your formalities right up front

1:00:38 , so that means that. And everyone’s paying attention on the DJ and photo videos done everything on the photo video end.

1:00:46 So now we’re not put in a position where let’s say we split up the parent dances, right? And parent dances are gonna be towards the end of dinner.

1:00:55 Now we’re not put in a position where the end of dinner comes and now one of the parents is like out of the room.

1:01:04 And then, and then dinner’s delayed in other five minutes. Or maybe another one of the parents is involved in a conversation.

1:01:11 They’re like, yeah, yeah, no, no, no, give me a little bit. And then now we’re the late 10 minutes, you know?

1:01:16 And now rather than people sitting there, you know, for a half hour eating dinner, now we’re approaching 45, 50 minutes.

1:01:24 45 minutes. Now the entire room is getting antsy. I’ve got people walking up to me saying are you guys going to open the dance floor again?

1:01:33 And it’s like well, yeah, we’re waiting for this. Take care of these formal dance, or or the photographer is Or we’re eating because it’s the first time we’ve eaten in eight hours and we sit down Photographers not ready and have to get right back up again to take photos of this moment, you know Now everything’s

1:01:52 being delayed. So he’s got to go as a DJ you have to go find the photographer. Yeah, just to make sure that they’re there is up front, it’s gonna work way better, it’s gonna leave way more time for like you know dancing, the reception is gonna feel good, it’s gonna flow well, people aren’t gonna get 

1:02:10 antsy. Right, right. It just works out so much better that way. You know another one is when there’s too many speeches too.

1:02:16 Too many speeches? Yeah. Oh, that’s a tough one. Yeah, I don’t like it. That’s a tough one too. No, of course not, but and usually I’m very optimistic going into it because I’m like, like, oh yeah, whoever wants to talk, talk.

1:02:28 And then, you know, the staff might be looking, I’d be like, this is going on for a long time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:02:33 They all like to talk for a long time. And, you know, when I’m gonna play them off, like it’s, you can’t, no, you can’t cut them off.

1:02:38 And I think it’s, again, it’s like sometimes the speeches are wonderful, but maybe if there’s other times that you can do it, you know, have somebody give a speech, I don’t know, you know, if there’s any way, but obviously that complicates everybody.

1:02:51 Give them, give them a time frame, tell them like three to five minutes, or three to four minutes and then I think four speeches is like a healthy number.

1:03:01 I think anything past four gets a little lengthy because if you’ve got four speeches of five minutes each that’s 20 minutes.

1:03:08 Yes. Yes. Yes. And then we’re not then we’re not finishing formalities 45 minutes into into the reception. That’s correct. Now you’re finishing formalities.

1:03:18 Let’s say it’s a seven o’clock or sweatption, you’re finishing them at 8.15 and dinners coming out in 15 minutes. Yeah, a lot of times the venue won’t serve it until people are done.

1:03:28 Oh, 100%. Yeah. Yeah, it just, it definitely delays things. So just think, think long and hard about speeches and make sure that you just give them some guidance, give them like a time frame and, you know, don’t let them get too lengthy.

1:03:46 Cool. Oh, you know, speeches or speeches though, you know. All right, so how, so talking about the reception and the reception flow and that timeline of the day, how do you guys finish out the night?

1:04:00 Like what’s the timeline like after cake? What is your ideal timeline after cake? After cake? It’s just dancing. Yeah, I mean, it’s when I come alive.

1:04:10 Yeah, exactly. Yeah. There’s really nothing that happens after cake. You don’t do any like, do the venue ask you to do any announcements or their transportation announcements?

1:04:22 Do you make any like last calls for the photo booth or what kind of things happen during that last hour?

1:04:31 Right. All of that. It can’t just be just dancing. Well, it’s ideally. Again, 99.9% dancing. You know, every wedding is different, and I’m sure you could kind of touch on this, Joe.

1:04:42 Yeah. Yeah, it’s, I mean, all of that is the case. If sometimes there’s the transportation, sometimes it’s, I mean, the other day it was, hey, go announce that there’s an ice cream truck out there.

1:04:52 And, you know, but it’s still, I’m doing that for one second and then I’m putting the music back on. You know, like my goal is just keeping dancing.

1:04:58 So, but yes, I mean, all of that. And I try to, I try to do it in a way that’s not going to distract from the dance floor or whatever, if I have to do it in between, like, certain songs, use it as a transition or whatever, but that’s all just kind of built in.

1:05:09 But that’s that’s just dependent on on you know with the bride and groom. Do you feel like these little last hour of the night add-ons that the couple chooses like for example an ice cream truck a cigar roller um You know V&E’s hour Do you feel like those things steal that last hour dancing from V&E’s

1:05:34 hour 100% the last I was Yeah, the last one for sure. I mean because they’re literally moving into a different room Yeah, I mean most of the time right?

1:05:41 I don’t know if that ever yeah a lot of the time sometimes they will have it in the room But right Some of the venues will have it in the V&E’s hour is absolutely awesome like especially for you know Anyone would a sweet tooth, you know, so yeah, it’s great So basically the best thing that we could do

1:05:57 with that point is really just Announce V&E’s hour invite guests in there enjoy now go enjoy your desserts Yeah, and then at that point just play a couple slow songs because on every couple’s request list We have several slow songs.

1:06:11 Yeah, um, so that’s the time that you take to play those And then as people are wrapping up desserts like finishing up They kind they’re kind of like making their way back to the dance floor.

1:06:23 Yeah, you know, grab and Grab in there significant other and just enjoying that slow dance and then once you have enough people back and done with dessert you just hit him with something fun and just keep him moving from there on out.

1:06:36 Yeah, but ideally, you’d like it to just be dancing. No, dessert. But it’s more so if they ask for we want this dance on this, we want people dancing to this and this and this.

1:06:49 It would just be important on our end to go, but listen, it’s not going to happen in this time. There’s nothing we could do if you’re asking to go to it.

1:06:55 So I don’t care, it’s, but it is. No, but this is great information. Of course. People planning a wedding, you’ve got to make a decision if you’re being pushed or suggested or thinking about adding a dessert or a truck or something that’s going to pull your guests out of the room that last hour, you 

1:07:13 just got to make a decision on if that’s what you like to happen. Yes, definitely. Would you prefer, so for Chris and I, we had a nice cream bar.

1:07:21 It was in the room and that was the dessert on top of the cake and the other desserts that we had on the tables, but it was in the room that guests didn’t leave to experience it.

1:07:35 And if I were to be offered, oh, you can have this elaborate, out, you know, thing, or this dessert truck, or anything, if it was anything that was going to pull everybody out of that room, I wasn’t going to be in for it.

1:07:47 So that was just my personal decision. So it’s really just coming down to your pros and cons list. Pro and con list this.

1:07:56 How do you feel about that last hour of the night? How do you want to end that last hour of the night?

1:08:01 Right, right. So we wanted to end it with high energy on that, you know, pack dance floor notes. So we just made those decisions based on that.

1:08:10 Yes, 100%. Cool, cool. Well, the final takeaway here, let’s all give, Well, actually, the final take away here is we’re gonna run through a wedding timeline.

1:08:21 So just to recap, I’m gonna pull it up real quick, one of my more recent ones where the bride got ready on site.

1:08:27 This is an ideal. This is an ideal situation. So just to recap a wedding timeline for you, if you are allowed on site to get ready hair and makeup, make that an 8 a.m.

1:08:38 arrival, 830 arrival. Really quick. What time the ceremony starting on a day. Oh, that’s a good point. 5.30. Okay. I would say that on average 5.30 is one of the most popular times for ceremony.

1:08:51 Okay. Sometimes on Sundays, they’re 4.30, but you’re correct. Everything is based on that time. Yep. So that’s how these timelines are designed.

1:09:00 So there’s a 5.30 ceremony. Everything’s happening on site. No transportation needed. Arrival early in morning hair and makeup done right there.

1:09:09 So I would say at 8 a.m. or in 8 30 arrival, that’s a discussion with your hair and makeup artist.

1:09:16 A 12 30 to 12 45 photo video arrival and in between there you’re discussing with your hair and makeup artist.

1:09:25 How many artists you need based on how many bridesmaids and how many parents and yourself getting ready? One o’clock, groomsman getting getting ready photos, one 30 bride is hair and makeup ready, one 30, one bride is hair and makeup ready, group getting ready photos.

1:09:45 Those for me are like usually if they’re all in matching PJs, those group photos, casual photos, you know, champagne pop, confetti, however you want to picture that, but it’s your getting ready outfits before getting into your dresses.

1:10:01 One 30, the The groom is going to start getting ready in his suite and start beginning to dress at about 145.

1:10:10 145, we want anyone helping the bride in her dress, dress, hair and makeup ready for a two o’clock getting in the bride, getting the bride in the dress.

1:10:21 Um, two thirty, we usually send the groom out, start getting portraits of him, setting him up for first look, two forty five first look.

1:10:30 So if you’re doing a 530 ceremony and everything’s on site, 245 first look is usually our Suggestion right into some portraits of the couple.

1:10:42 So creatives of the couple at three o’clock That’s usually about 30 minutes leads you right into a wedding party another 30 minutes leads you right into family formals another 30 minutes and then I usually have a little 15 minute buffer time in there based on timing so that we can grab a couple more 

1:11:04 photos of the couple. So let’s say we’ve only gotten to two of their favorite locations on site. Let’s find another two locations in that next 15 minutes.

1:11:12 We’re wrapping up photos of 4.45, they’re going into their suites, they’re relaxing, they’re getting ready for ceremony, the DJ team is setting up for ceremony, ceremony is at 5.30 and then that’s going to flow right into cocktail hour at six, reception at seven, and then your reception formals.

1:11:34 So seven o’clock, your guests are being sat, flows into introductions, flows into formal dances, flows into speeches, a dance set, dinner, a dance set, cake, a dance set.

1:11:47 That felt so nice, just, it’s the first way. And then the end of the night. Yeah, it sounds great. And this is our ideal situation, guys.

1:11:56 So we’re just manifesting, putting that out into the universe, that this is what we want. This is what you want.

1:12:03 Just saying, just trust us. This is what you want. So our takeaways or your takeaways and some advice from us It’s just build a timeline that gives you room to breathe.

1:12:18 What would be your little piece of advice for our viewers? Honestly, I can’t add to what you just said at all.

1:12:28 It was perfect. So I think we covered it all. Yeah. Building a perfect timeline. If the vendors aren’t rushed, you’re not going to feel rushed.

1:12:36 You know, everyone is on the same page, then it’s going to be a natural, flowing day and stick to that timeline.

1:12:43 Yeah. Yeah, you’ve got questions about timelines. You need any help, you want, you know, feel free to email us. I’m at Jackie at LimelightEnjotamitNJ.com.

1:12:55 At the end of the day, we just want you to enjoy your wedding. So that’s what this episode is all about.

1:13:00 It’s a little lengthy episode, but it was worth it to really go through the perfect wedding day timeline. So, and remember wherever you are, and whatever Whatever you’re planning, we love that for you.

1:13:15 Thank you so much for hanging out with us today. If this episode was helpful, make sure you follow or subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

1:13:22 We love hearing from you, so if you have a question, a planning struggle, or an episode idea, email me at Jackie at Limelight Entertainment nj.com.

1:13:31 There’s a really good chance your question becomes a future episode. And if you’re planning a New Jersey wedding and want vendors who truly care, you can find us at LimelightWedding.com.

1:13:40 And remember, wherever you’re planning and whatever you’re dreaming, we love that for you.