One of the best things you can do as a bride is to plan and organize a timeline for your wedding day.
Most wedding ceremonies and receptions will include the same moments and festivities, but that doesn’t mean that just any template will do, especially if you need a wedding day timeline for a 4 p.m. ceremony. Every couple has their own preferences on order of events, so finding a timeline you can customize with little effort is key.
Finding the right 4 p.m. ceremony wedding day timeline will not only help you to avoid running late on the big day, it will keep everyone involved in your wedding organized and on time.
After crafting a wedding day timeline, sharing it with everyone involved in your ceremony is essential. The people you need to keep in the loop include: your family, bridal party, groomsmen, wedding coordinator, photographer, videographer, caterer, florist, hair and makeup artists and any other vendors that might be involved.
Wedding Day Timeline 4pm Ceremony Examples
If you want to host a 4 p.m. wedding ceremony, followed by a reception, these wedding day timeline templates will help you plan the perfect day. Not only can they be used as is for a well-organized event, they are easy to customize according to your personal needs and preferences.
For a detailed look at how to plan a wedding day timeline, check out our in-depth guide here.
Wedding Day Timeline 4pm Ceremony With First Look
A first look is a set time before the ceremony when a couple sees each other for the first time. Not only does it give you an intimate moment to share before your nuptials, you can also get a lot of your wedding shots taken pre-ceremony so picture-time isn’t so hectic later.
- 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
- 4:30 p.m. — Receiving line (if you choose to have one)
- 5 p.m. — Bride bustles dress with help from mother or maid of honor
- 5 p.m. — Cocktail hour (photographer takes candid shots)
- 6 p.m. — Reception starts, 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
Wedding Day Timeline 4pm Ceremony Without First Look
Opting for a more traditional timeline may not give you extra time for photos, but it does make your walk down the aisle more magical. It is here where you and your soon-to-be spouse will see each other for the first time and it’s a memory you’ll cherish forever.
- 12 p.m. — Bride and bridal party arrive for hair and makeup
- 12:30 p.m. — Photographer arrives for candid photos of bridal party
- 1 p.m. — Groom and groomsmen get ready
- 1:30 p.m. — Photographer gets candid shots of the groom and groomsmen
- 2 p.m. — Bride puts on wedding dress
- 2 p.m. — Groom and groomsmen official photos
- 2:15 p.m —First look with father (or other family members)
- 2:30 p.m — Bride and bridal party official photos (groom tucked away to avoid seeing each other)
- 2:45 p.m — Bride and family photos
- 3:15 p.m — Groom and family phots (bride tucked away to avoid seeing each other)
- 3:30 p.m. — Bride and bridal party freshen up hair and makeup
- 3:30 p.m. — Photographer takes pictures of venue and guests arriving
- 4 p.m. — Ceremony starts
- 4:30 p.m. — Receiving line (if you choose to have one)
- 5 p.m. — Cocktail hour for guests
- 5 p.m. — Couple photos
- 5:30 p.m. — Wedding party and family photos
- 6 p.m. — Reception starts, wedding party makes entrance
- 6 p.m. — Bride bustles dress with mother’s help
- 6:10 p.m. — Bride and groom make grand entrance
- 6:15 p.m. — First dinner course is served
- 6:45 p.m. — Toasts and/or speeches
- 7 p.m — Second dinner course is served
- 7:30 p.m. — Cut the cake and serve dessert
- 8 p.m. — First dance
- 8:05 p.m. — Parent dances
- 8:15 p.m. — Dance floor opens to guests
- 10:30 p.m. — Last call for drinks
- 10:55 p.m. — Bridal couple leave (special send-off).
- 11 p.m. — Guests start to leave
- 12 a.m. — Vendors finish packing up and leave
Wedding Day Timeline 4pm Ceremony With Separate Venue
Having your ceremony and reception in different venues can be the perfect choice for you, especially if you want to recite your vows in your place of worship. This timeline will help you stay organized and on-task throughout your day.
- 11 a.m. — Bride and bridal party arrive for hair and makeup
- 12 p.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
- 2 p.m. — Drive to ceremony venue
- 2:45 p.m. — Put on dress
- 3 p.m. — First look and couples photos
- 3:30 p.m. — Bride and bridesmaids freshen up
- 3:30 p.m. — Photographer takes shots of groom with groomsmen and family
- 4 p.m. — Ceremony
- 4:30 p.m. — Receiving line
- 5 p.m. — Wedding party photos
- 5:30 p.m. — Bride family photos and mixed family photos
- 5:30 p.m. — Cocktail hour starts at reception venue for guests
- 6 p.m. — Travel to reception venue
- 6:30 p.m. — Bride and groom grand entrance and first dance
- 6:45 p.m. — Welcome speech by hosts (either couple, or parents)
- 7 p.m. — First dinner course is served
- 7:30 p.m. — Best man and maid of honor speeches
- 7:45 p.m. — Main dinner course is served
- 8:15 p.m. — Bride and groom cut the cake, dessert is served
- 8:30 p.m. — Parent dances
- 8:45 p.m. — Dance floor opens
- 10:30 p.m. — Late night buffet or hors d’oeuvres served
- 12 p.m. — Reception ends
Wedding Day Timeline 4pm Ceremony With Cocktail Reception
Not every wedding needs to be accompanied by a sit-down dinner. A cocktail reception is a bit more casual, yet still sophisticated. It also offers a shorter timeline for couples who don’t want a long reception.
- 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
- 4:30 p.m. — Cocktails reception starts (hors d’oeuvres and drinks served)
- 5:30 p.m. — First dance
- 5:35 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
Wedding Day Timeline 4pm Ceremony With No Dancing
While not the norm, it’s still possible to have an awesome reception without dancing. Whether you don’t enjoy dancing or it is against your religious beliefs, this timeline will walk you through to great options for a memorable reception.
- 12 p.m. — Bride and bridal party arrive for hair and makeup
- 12:30 p.m. — Photographer arrives for candid photos of bridal party
- 1 p.m. — Groom and groomsmen get ready
- 1:30 p.m. — Photographer gets candid shots of the groom and groomsmen
- 2 p.m. — Bride puts on wedding dress
- 2 p.m. — Groom and groomsmen official photos
- 2:15 p.m — First look with father (or other family members)
- 2:30 p.m — Bride and bridal party official photos (groom tucked away to avoid seeing each other)
- 2:45 p.m — Bride and family photos
- 3:15 p.m — Groom and family photos (bride tucked away to avoid seeing each other)
- 3:30 p.m. — Bride and bridal party freshen up hair and makeup
- 3:30 p.m. — Photographer takes pictures of venue and guests arriving
- 4 p.m. — Ceremony starts
- 4:30 p.m. — Receiving line
- 5 p.m. — Cocktail hour for guests
- 5 p.m. — Couple photos
- 5:30 p.m. — Wedding party and family photos
- 6 p.m. — Reception starts, wedding party makes entrance
- 6 p.m. — Bride bustles dress with mother’s help
- 6:10 p.m. — Bride and groom make grand entrance
- 6:15 p.m. — First dinner course is served
- 6:45 p.m. — Second dinner course is served
- 7 p.m — Toasts and/or speeches
- 7:30 p.m. — Cut the cake and serve dessert
- 8 p.m. — Mingle with guests (make sure to have some background music)
- 8:30 p.m. — You can either end your reception or offer an activity
- 8:30 p.m. — If you choose to continue, karaoke, games or a bonfire are all fun options
- 9:45 p.m. — Activities close, guests start to leave
- 10 p.m. — Reception ends
