Planning a traditional Catholic wedding may take a lot of work, but it’s also a time of excitement as couples look to their future together as husband and wife.
From choosing the parish where you’d like to marry to completing marriage prep courses to setting an actual date, there are a lot of elements and steps you’ll need to consider. To make the process a bit easier, we’ve put together five amazing Catholic wedding timeline options to help you plan and organize your special day.
No matter what type of ceremony or reception you choose, we have a Catholic wedding timeline that will work for you. You can use them as is or customize them to suit your needs and preferences. Either way, you’ll be able to stay organized and on task throughout your wedding day.
Catholic Wedding Timeline With First Look and Full Mass
There are two major things to consider when planning your Catholic wedding timeline: if you want to have a first look with your soon-to-be-spouse and if you plan to have a full mass. A traditional full mass typically takes an hour to complete. If you do want to follow tradition with a full mass, having a first look can be very helpful and will ensure you get all the pictures you want without having to rush.
- 11 a.m. — Bride and bridal party arrive for hair and makeup
- 12 p.m. — Photographer arrives for candid photos of bridal party
- 1 p.m. — Groom and groomsmen get ready
- 1:15 p.m. — Photographer gets candid shots of the groom and groomsmen
- 1:15 p.m. — Bride puts on wedding dress
- 1:30 p.m. — First look with father (or other family members)
- 1:30 p.m — Groom heads to first look location to await his bride
- 1:40 p.m — Bride heads to first look location
- 1:45 p.m — Bride and groom first look and photos
- 2:30 p.m — Wedding party photos
- 3 p.m. — Family photos
- 3:30 p.m. — Bride freshens up hair and makeup
- 3:30 p.m. — Photographer takes pictures of venue and guests arriving
- 4 p.m. — Ceremony starts
- 5 p.m. — Receiving line (if you choose to have one)
- 5:30 p.m. — Bride bustles dress with help from mother or maid of honor
- 5:35 p.m. — Wedding party and guests head to reception venue
- 6 p.m. — Cocktails (photographer takes candid shots)
- 7 p.m. — Reception starts, first dinner course is served
- 7:30 p.m. — Toasts and/or speeches
- 7:45 p.m. — Second dinner course is served
- 8 p.m — Cut the cake and serve dessert
- 8:30 p.m. — First dance
- 8:35 p.m. — Parent dances
- 8:40 p.m. — Dance floor opens to guests
- 10:30 p.m. — Last call for drinks
- 10:45 p.m. — Bridal couple leave (special send-off)
- 11 p.m. — Guests start to leave
- 12 a.m. — Vendors finish packing up and leave
Catholic Wedding Timeline With Full Mass (No First Look)
Even if you do want a traditional mass ceremony, that doesn’t always mean you want to schedule a first look, just to save time. After all, one of the most magical parts of the wedding is seeing each other for the first time as you walk down the aisle. To compensate for the extra time you’ll need, planning your nuptials for early afternoon can really help. That leaves you with lots of time for pictures before your reception starts.
- 10 a.m. — Bride and bridal party arrive for hair and makeup
- 11 a.m. — Photographer arrives for candid photos of bridal party
- 12:30 p.m. — Groom and groomsmen get ready
- 1 p.m. — Photographer gets candid shots of the groom and groomsmen
- 1:15 p.m. — Bride puts on wedding dress
- 1:30 p.m. — First look with father (or other family members)
- 1:45 p.m. — Photographer takes pictures of venue and guests arriving
- 2 p.m. — Ceremony starts
- 3 p.m. — Receiving line (if you choose to have one)
- 3:30 p.m. — Wedding party heads to reception venue for photos
- 4 p.m. — Family photos
- 4:30 p.m. — Wedding party photos
- 5 p.m. — Couple photos
- 5 p.m. — Guests arrive for cocktail hour
- 5:30 p.m. — Bride bustles dress with help from mom or maid of honor
- 5:40 p.m. — Newlyweds make grand entrance
- 6 p.m. — Reception starts, buffet opens or dinner is served
- 6:45 p.m. — Toasts and/or speeches
- 7 p.m — Cut the cake and serve dessert
- 7:30 p.m. — First dance
- 7:35 p.m. — Parent dances
- 7:45 p.m. — Dance floor opens to guests
- 9:45 p.m. — Last call for drinks
- 9:55 p.m. — Bridal couple leave (special send-off)
- 10 p.m. — Guests start to leave
- 11 p.m. — Vendors finish packing up and leave
Catholic Wedding Timeline With Rite of Marriage Ceremony
Catholic couples who don’t want an hour-long ceremony can opt for a Rite of Marriage, which is typically between 30 and 45 minutes. If you choose to have the shorter ceremony, that will cut anywhere from 15-30 minutes off the length of your ceremony.
- 11 a.m. — Bride and bridal party arrive for hair and makeup
- 11:30 a.m. — Photographer arrives for candid photos of bridal party
- 12 p.m. — Groom and groomsmen get ready
- 12:30 p.m. — Photographer gets candid shots of the groom and groomsmen
- 1 p.m. — Groom and groomsmen official photos
- 1:15 p.m. — Groom and family photos (bride tucked away to avoid seeing each other)
- 1:15 p.m. — Bride puts on wedding dress
- 1:30 p.m — First look with father (or other family members)
- 1:30 p.m — Bride and family photos (groom tucked away to avoid seeing each other)
- 1:45 p.m — Bride and bridal party official photos
- 2:15 p.m — Bride and bridal party freshen up hair and makeup
- 2:30 p.m. — Photographer takes pictures of venue and guests arriving
- 3 p.m. — Ceremony starts
- 3:45 p.m. — Receiving line (if you choose to have one)
- 4:15 p.m. — Wedding party and guests head to reception venue
- 4:45 p.m. — Cocktail hour for guests
- 4:45 p.m. — Couple photos
- 5:15 p.m. — Remaining wedding party and family photos
- 5:45 p.m. — Reception starts, wedding party makes entrance
- 5:45 p.m. — Bride bustles dress with mother’s help
- 5:50 p.m. — Bride and groom make grand entrance and first dance
- 5:55 p.m. — Parent dances
- 6 p.m. — Dance floor opens to guests (this is a good time for any choreographed dance you may have planned with your wedding party)
- 6:30 p.m. — First dinner course is served
- 7 p.m. — Toasts and/or speeches
- 7:45 p.m — Second dinner course is served
- 8:15 p.m. — Cut the cake and serve dessert
- 8:30 p.m. — Dance floor opens
- 10 p.m. — Last call for drinks
- 10:15 p.m. — Bridal couple last dance and send-off
- 10:30 p.m. — Guests start to leave
- 11:30 p.m. — Vendors finish packing up and leave
Catholic Wedding Timeline With First Look and Rite of Marriage Ceremony
Opting for a first look and the shorter rite of marriage ceremony is a great choice for couples who want to host a reception with lots of time to party hardy. By having your photos taken earlier in the day, once the ceremony is over, you can officially slip into party mode.
- 10 a.m. — Bride and bridal party arrive for hair and makeup
- 11 a.m. — Photographer arrives for candid photos of bridal party
- 11:30 a.m. — Groom and groomsmen get ready
- 12 p.m. — Photographer gets candid shots of the groom and groomsmen
- 12:15 p.m. — Bride puts on wedding dress
- 12:30 p.m. — First look with father (or other family members)
- 12:30 p.m — Groom heads to first look location to await his bride
- 12:40 p.m — Bride heads to first look location
- 12:45 p.m — Bride and groom first look and photos
- 1:30 p.m — Wedding party photos
- 2 p.m. — Family photos
- 2:30 p.m. — Bride freshens up hair and makeup
- 2:30 p.m. — Photographer takes pictures of venue and guests arriving
- 3 p.m. — Ceremony starts
- 3:45 p.m. — Receiving line (if you choose to have one)
- 4:15 p.m. — Bride bustles dress with help from mother or maid of honor
- 4:30 p.m. — Wedding party and guests head to reception venue
- 5 p.m. — Cocktails (photographer takes candid shots)
- 6 p.m. — Reception starts, first dinner course is served
- 6:30 p.m. — Toasts and/or speeches
- 6:45 p.m. — Second dinner course is served
- 7:15 p.m — Cut the cake and serve dessert
- 7:45 p.m. — First dance
- 7:50 p.m. — Parent dances
- 8 p.m. — Dance floor opens to guests
- 11 p.m. — Last call for drinks
- 11:15 p.m. — Bridal couple last dance and special send-off
- 11:30 p.m. — Guests start to leave
- 12:30 a.m. — Vendors finish packing up and leave
Catholic Wedding Timeline With Short Ceremony and Cocktail Reception
A cocktail reception is a great option for couples who plan to travel to their honeymoon destination as soon as the reception ends. Not only are cocktail receptions shorter, they can give you a better chance to mingle with all of your guests.
- 10:30 a.m. — Bride and bridal party arrive for hair and makeup
- 11:30 p.m. — Photographer arrives for candid photos of bridal party
- 12 p.m. — Groom and groomsmen get ready
- 12:45 p.m. — Photographer gets candid shots of the groom and groomsmen
- 12:45 p.m. — Bride puts on wedding dress
- 1 p.m. — First look with father (or other family members)
- 1 p.m — Groom heads to first look location to await his bride
- 1:10 p.m — Bride heads to first look location
- 1:15 p.m — Bride and groom first look and photos
- 1:30 p.m — Wedding party photos
- 2 p.m. — Family photos
- 2:30 p.m. — Bride freshens up hair and makeup
- 2:30 p.m. — Photographer takes pictures of venue and guests arriving
- 3 p.m. — Ceremony starts
- 3:45 p.m. — Receiving line
- 5 p.m. — Guests arrive at reception venue
- 5 p.m. — Cocktails reception starts (hors d’oeuvres and drinks served)
- 5:15 p.m. — Bridal couple arrives at reception
- 5:20 p.m. — Bride bustles dress with aid from mom or maid of honor
- 5:30 p.m. — Grand entrance and first dance
- 5:35 p.m. — Parent dances
- 5:40 p.m. — Dance floor opens
- 6:30 p.m. — Bride and groom cut the cake
- 6:40 p.m. — Cake, selection of desserts and champagne are served
- 7 p.m. — Toasts are made
- 7:20 p.m. — Bride and groom last dance (with open dance floor)
- 7:30 p.m. — Reception ends
Catholic Wedding FAQ
If you’re planning a catholic wedding timeline, there are a few important things you’ll need to know before finalizing your plans. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions by Catholic brides and grooms.
How long does it take for Catholic wedding?
The length of a Catholic ceremony will depend upon which style of nuptials you choose.
If you prefer to have a shorter ceremony then the Rite of Marriage is for you. It begins with the Liturgy Of The Word during which family members or friends read Biblical passages followed by a short sermon by the priest. It also includes traditional wedding vows and ring exchange but does not include the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It will then conclude with nuptial blessings and a final prayer from the priest.
A traditional full mass, which includes communion, usually takes an hour to complete, making your ceremony double the length of most nuptials. Full mass includes all of the traditions of the Rite of Marriage in addition to the Liturgy Of The Eucharist and communion.
Why are Catholic weddings so long?
Catholic weddings tend to be longer than Christian (Protestant) ceremonies and significantly longer than non-religious nuptials. Catholic weddings can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour whereas a Christian wedding is typically 20 to 30 minutes. A non-religious wedding can be completed in 15-20 minutes.
A traditional wedding mass is like adding a Sunday mass onto a normal ceremony. If you opt for a full mass, you can expect your ceremony to run upwards of 50 minutes to an hour. If you choose the shorter Rite of Marriage ceremony, it can run anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. Exact times will vary from priest to priest depending on how long they prefer their wedding sermon to be.
How long should my wedding reception be?
Your wedding reception can be as long or as short as you want it to be. It is your special day, after all. While most receptions last between four and five hours, there are no hard and fast rules for you to adhere to. If you will be heading off on your honeymoon right after the reception, then having a shorter celebration will work in your favor.
If you (and your friends and family) want to party and dance the night away, many venues allow you to extend your time by an hour or two. Just keep in mind, if you do decide to have a longer reception, you’ll need to provide a late night snack to your guests and keep the music full of danceable tunes.
What is a first look?
A first look is a time set aside prior to the wedding when a couple sees each other for the first time. Not only does it give you and your future spouse an intimate and private moment to share before your ceremony, you can also get a lot of your wedding pictures taken before your nuptials so picture-time isn’t too hectic later.
Do Catholic weddings start on time?
If you are planning a Saturday wedding in a Catholic church, it’s important to start on time — or as close to the time listed on the invitation as possible to accommodate evening mass. This is especially important if your ceremony is planned for later in the afternoon. You definitely don’t want to be half an hour late and leave the church’s staff with little time to prepare for receiving their parishioners.
