Start with one master plan
The couple or coordinator needs one current timeline that contains every meaningful block. Vendor versions should be views of that plan—not separately edited documents that can drift apart. Every line should answer five questions: when, what, where, who owns it, and what must happen first.
Before sending anything, confirm the day-of contact path. Vendors should know whom to call for arrival, setup, timeline, venue, and urgent questions. The couple should not become the default message relay.
| Vendor | Always include | Usually leave out | Critical confirmation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photographer | Coverage start/end, prep, first look, portrait groups, travel, ceremony, sunset, entrances, toasts, dances, exit. | Catering setup detail, unrelated deliveries, routine venue staffing. | Portrait duration, light plan, family-list owner, travel, and must-have moments within coverage. |
| DJ or band | Load-in, sound check, ceremony cues, pronunciation, entrances, speeches, dances, formal moments, last song. | Beauty rotation, private portrait details, catering production notes. | Who gives each go-ahead and what happens if dinner or ceremony runs late. |
| Venue and caterer | Access, setup, guest and meal needs, ceremony/reception timing, room flip, service, vendor meals, breakdown, hard-out. | Detailed photo grouping order and private personal notes. | Service clock, decision deadlines, rain plan, loading, cleanup, and property handoff. |
| Officiant | Arrival, rehearsal, ceremony order, readers, music handoffs, rings/vows, license signing and recipient. | Reception production details after their responsibilities end. | Final ceremony length, legal-document process, and the person authorized to answer ceremony questions. |
What to send the photographer
Share both the master anchors and the photography plan: coverage start and end, getting-ready addresses, first look decision, portrait locations, family and wedding-party groupings, ceremony restrictions, travel time, sunset, reception milestones, and any exit that falls within coverage.
Name a photo wrangler who knows the family. Mark which groupings are required and which are optional if time is lost. Confirm whether the photographer needs the room before guests enter for detail photos, and whether a sunset session would interrupt dinner or another formal cue.
Compare six-hour and eight-hour photography coverage examples.What to send the DJ or band
Give the entertainment team a cue sheet inside the timeline: load-in and sound check, ceremony music in order, microphone needs, names and pronunciations, wedding-party entrance order, welcome, speeches, first and parent dances, cake or cultural moments, open-floor timing, last song, and venue sound limits.
For every live cue, name the person who confirms “go.” The DJ should not have to guess whether dinner service, the photographer, or the wedding party is ready.
What to send the venue and caterer
Share access and production details: vendor entrance, parking and loading, room availability, setup ownership, ceremony start, cocktail flow, room flip, seating count, meal and dietary information through the appropriate secure handoff, vendor meals, service sequence, speeches, cake, late-night food, breakdown, rental pickup, and hard-out.
Do not put private guest information into a broadly shared timeline. Give dietary and meal details only to the authorized people who need them, through the secure process agreed with the venue or caterer.
What to send the officiant
Include arrival and rehearsal times, parking, ceremony location, processional order, music transitions, reader or ritual cues, vows and rings, expected ceremony length, sound check, signing requirements, and who receives the completed license. Confirm legal requirements directly with the officiant and local authority; a timeline is not legal advice.
Other useful role packets
Florist, rentals, and decor
Access, loading, installation order, ceremony-to-reception moves, room-flip deadline, strike, pickup, and the person authorized to approve placement.
Transportation
Pickup addresses, passenger groups, vehicle contacts, loading time, travel contingency, accessibility needs, drop-off order, and who confirms departure.
Beauty team
Arrival, setup, service order, exact finish commitment, touch-up plan, cleanup, and the person who can make rotation decisions.
Photo booth or specialty vendor
Load-in, power, Wi-Fi if required, setup footprint, operating hours, guest-flow limits, strike, and venue contact.
When to send the timeline
Send a working version early enough for vendors to correct assumptions. During the final week, send a clearly labeled final version with a revision date and one point of contact. After that, do not silently replace the file. Record each accepted change in the master and tell only the affected roles what changed.
Build the master timeline first, then record each vendor's arrival, cues, dependencies, and final confirmation.
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