How do I plan a wedding day timeline from getting ready to the last dance?

Begin by fixing your ceremony time and your reception finish time. Then list every event you want to include: getting ready, travel to the venue, the ceremony, confetti or photos, drinks and canapés, the meal, speeches, cutting the cake, first dance, and the last dance. Work backwards from the finish to set a start time for getting ready. For example, if the ceremony is at 2pm, you might start hair and makeup at 9am, have lunch at noon, and leave for the venue at 1.15pm. Give yourself at least 45 minutes for photos after the ceremony, and 30 minutes for drinks before the meal. For the meal, allow 1.5 hours for a sit down dinner, or 45 minutes for a buffet. Speeches can take 20 to 30 minutes, so slot them in before or after the meal. Then plan the first dance for about 30 minutes after the meal is cleared. Keep a written schedule for your bridal party, your venue coordinator, your photographer and your caterer, so everyone knows when things happen. Add a 15 minute buffer between each major block, because things always run late. Finally, decide who will be your timekeeper for the day, perhaps a friend or your best person, to gently move things along.