Things that Can Delay Your Ceremony
How to Set Yourself Up for the Best Possible Wedding Experience
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could guarantee that nothing went awry on your wedding day?
Unfortunately, even for something as important as a wedding, there will always be things that are beyond your control. That’s just how life is! The good news though, is that the more prepared you are, the easier it will be to pivot when unexpected obstacles arise.
Being prepared will also allow you to sidestep the challenges that are avoidable. (Take it from us, there are lots of those!) In this blog post, we’re going to chat about a few things that can delay your wedding ceremony, and how you can combat them during your wedding planning.
Complications that will delay your ceremony:
The bride and bridal party’s hair and makeup taking longer than expected.
Guests who arrive late due to traffic, emergency situations, or getting lost.
Pre-ceremony bridal or first look photos not being done on time.
Lost items like rings, marriage licenses, or even members of the bridal party.
Family members stealing the show or causing a scene.
Technical issues with the vendors or venue.
Pre-ceremony jitters
… And the list can go on and on. Thankfully, none of these things need to cause you stress. A little bit of extra planning can go a long way when it comes to unexpected delays. Being prepared is your best bet for combatting potential interruptions to your wedding timeline.
Our best tips for avoiding delays:
1 – Confirm all the details of the getting-ready process with your hair and makeup artist. This will include things like how many people will be getting ready, in what order, and how long each person will take. Scheduling a trial run with your HMUA before the big day can also help you know exactly how much time everything will take.
2 – Make sure that your invites have crystal clear instructions for your guests. Triple-check the times and locations! A wedding website is the perfect place to add things like parking instructions, details about the venue, or even a map of the location. Communicating with your guests is the best way to avoid anyone running late.
3 – Designate someone to watch the clock and make sure that everything is following the timeline. (Wedding coordinators are great at this!) Especially when it comes to pre-ceremony photos, having someone remind you of the time is so helpful.
4 – Plan an appropriate amount of buffer time between events in your wedding schedule. Especially if you’re asking guests to move from one location to another, you will want to pencil in time for traffic, parking, and walking from the car to the venue. Adding an extra 10-15 minutes just in case is always a good idea!
5 – Verify all details and arrival times with your vendors multiple times in the weeks before the wedding. 2-3 weeks before your big day, double-check all the information you’ve shared with all the vendors who will be participating. About 1-2 weeks before the big day, once you’ve created an official timeline, you can send that out as well.
6 – And lastly, hire a wedding coordinator! We might be a little biased, but the best way to keep all the schedules and timelines for your wedding day in line is to work with a professional. They can make sure that every detail is organized and that no unexpected delays are causing your day to run late.
I hope these tips help you create a calmer, more enjoyable wedding experience for both you and your guests. Happy planning!
♥ The Everson Events Team