Wedding Ceremony Timeline

 Favorite

Wedding days are a momentous event—it is a day that celebrates love in its many forms, a day when all of your dreams can turn into reality, a day when you vow to devote your life to the person you love. Indeed, everyone dreams of a perfect wedding day. However, before we fast forward to the day of the wedding, let’s first consider one factor that can greatly influence your most-awaited event—the wedding ceremony timeline.

Wedding Ceremony Order of Events

Just like when you were defending your thesis in front of a panel of judges, it is crucial that you learn about the ins and outs of the wedding ceremony so you would be able to prepare yourself for the entire program. Without gaining in-depth knowledge, you will not be able to set expectations and prepare yourself for the activities ahead of you. To help you mentally prepare for your big day, below is a complete sequence of a traditional wedding ceremony timeline:
1

The Procession

Traditional wedding ceremonies begin with a procession where all members of the entourage walk down the aisle to carry symbols of love for the couple. In a Christian ceremony, the bride is usually escorted by her parents, and she comes at the end of the line. It’s basically just like a grand entourage where all eyes are set on you. So yes, take your time because you only get married once. Smile and cherish the moment because it is your day—a day when your dreams of building a family will finally come true.

2

The Opening Remarks

If you haven’t attended a wedding yet for some reason or you have never paid attention to priests whenever they are officiating a wedding, then let me enlighten you. The opening remark is usually the part when the officiant usually says “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate…” So yeah, it’s like a public greeting from the officiant himself.

3

Charge to the Couple

Basically, an officiant’s role includes reminding couples the importance of the sincere exchange of vows. Personally, I believe this is one of the most important parts of the ceremony since it is a reminder of the sanctity of marriage.

4

The Exchange of Vows

For richer or for poorer… in sickness and in health… till death do us part—this is the part where you exchange everlasting promises and express your undying love for your other half. This is also one of the most-awaited parts of the ceremony.

5

The Exchange of Rings

As the name implies, this is when you and your other half exchange rings with a promise to love and protect each other for all eternity.

6

The Marriage Announcement

After all the preaching and the important vows exchanged by the couples, the officiant now announces your marriage to the public.

7

The Most-Awaited Kiss

Well, there’s definitely no need to explain this. It’s the moment that everyone has been waiting for—the husband and wife’s first official kiss.

8

The Closing Remarks

If there’s an opening remark, of course, we cannot end the ceremony without the officiant’s closing remarks.

9

The Recessional

The recessional phase is basically the counterpart of the ceremony’s procession. This is when the newly-weds exit their wedding to either proceed to the receiving line or the reception area. This basically concludes the wedding ceremony timeline.

Wedding Timeline Sample

Timelines can vary from one wedding to another, but to give you an idea on a typical wedding ceremony timeline, below is a sample so you can set a definite time frame for your wedding:

Morning Ceremony:

  • 6 AM: Bridal wake-up call

  • 6.30 AM: After-shower hair and make-up for the bride and the rest of the entourage while the groom and groomsmen are taking a shower and preparing for the big event (approximately 2 hours is allotted for this part)

  • 8.30 AM: Members of the entourage dress up in preparation for the wedding

  • 8.45 AM: Photo shoot

  • 10 AM to 11 AM: Official ceremony

  • 11.15 AM to lunchtime: Reception arrival

    Program completion

    Lunch

  • 1 PM: After party

Basically, there are no definite timeline for weddings because at the end of the day, only you and your better half can decide what’s best for you. If you want to incorporate more events, you can freely do so to prolong your program and maximize your day. After all, you only get married once so it’s best that you make the most out of this joyous occasion. Remember, weddings are not just formal ceremonies; they’re an opportunity for you to showcase your love, to dance and to just laugh the day away.