Weddingbee Blog

We’re right at the three month mark, and things are getting serious. As in…I’m finally starting to get serious. Not that I haven’t been serious about this big shindig before, mind you, but now I just feel like time is of the essence and I have to get down to business. For me, that means putting together the single most important document of the wedding (aside from the marriage license)…the wedding timeline, or as we say in the biz, a “minute-by-minute” or “script.”

As the name suggests, the minute-by-minute is the detailed framework for how the day should run…down to the minute. It basically tells everyone involved where they’re supposed to be when and what they’re supposed to do when they get there. Think of it as the choreography for the event. With my work events, I find that thinking through the script and putting it on paper reveals where there are holes, potential issues. or staffing concerns. It’s super helpful to give the printed document to everyone staffing an event so that everyone is on the same page, and it’s typically my go-to document during an event to keep things running on schedule. Of course, nothing goes perfectly to plan, but having a plan is the most important part. And the Hippo wedding wouldn’t be complete without its own event script. I’ve started working on ours, and it’s been way more complicated than I ever imagined.

So far, our  wedding script is already seven pages long (don’t worry, there is a lot of spacing to make it easy to read), and there is still a portion of the day (between about 4:30 and 6:00 PM) that I haven’t yet worked out logistically. Since we aren’t doing a first look and have to get the bridesmaids’ photos and groomsmen’s photos taken, plus get from the hotel to the ceremony site without seeing each other, it’s a tad bit complicated, particularly since our two shuttles will need to take the guys separately from the girls and then return to the hotel to pick up guests. Yikes. I know that we’ll figure it out, but it’s truly putting it down on paper that is helping all the little details get flushed out and thought through.

My plan at this point is to complete our minute-by-minute by the end of the year then shoot it over to Mama Hippo for feedback, followed by our photographers. Once we’re all in agreement, I’ll share it with our day-of coordinator, officiant, ceremony venue, reception venue and caterer, DJ, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and every other Tom, Dick and Harry that’s mentioned in the script. I’m hoping that they will actually read it, see what they are supposed to be doing, when they are supposed to be doing it, and will actually do it. I know, I’m probably being overly optimistic, but I’m hopeful.

Are you putting together a script of minute-by-minute for your wedding? Is it more complicated than you thought it would be…? Or is it just me?