Catholic Wedding Timeline
Catholic weddings are my specialty. After growing up Catholic and enduring several years of Catholic school (commonly referred to as “torture”), I am fluent in all things Catholic and love helping couples navigate the ins and outs of a beautiful religious ceremony. A Catholic wedding is arguably one of the more difficult wedding ceremonies to execute because it involves another venue, transportation, and lots of communication with your church. If you are planning on having a Catholic wedding, I encourage you to find a planner that is familiar with the traditions and guidelines that are in a Catholic church!
Below is my template for a flawless Catholic wedding ceremony, from the beginning of your day all the way to your sparkler send off at the end of the night! This timeline is based on a 1 hour full mass celebration. You also have the option at most Catholic churches to have just the ceremony without the mass. I refer to this as the “express” ceremony which is usually 30-45 minutes for the entire duration of the ceremony.
Enjoy.
5:30am: Bride and her wedding party arrive at getting ready location for hair and makeup
6:00am: Hair and makeup artists arrive at getting ready location
10:00am: Groom and his wedding party arrive their own getting ready location
10:00am: Designate a member of your wedding party to collect your detail items. Your detail items should be already together in your “details box” but sometimes things get loose and “run away”
Detail Items:
Shoes
Engagement Ring
Wedding Rings
Veil
Blue Bracelet
Perfume
Invitation
Ceremony Program
Ribbon
10:30am: Photographer arrives at getting ready location (getting ready shots, detail shots)
10:45am: Mother of the Bride and bride’s wedding party get dressed
11:00am: Hair and makeup finished, touch-ups for bride’s wedding party
11:00am-11:15am: Bride dressed
11:15am: Mother of the bride and bride getting ready photos
11:15am: Transportation arrives for bride, wedding party, and immediate family
11:25am: Bride and bride’s wedding party leave for church
11:30am: Groom and groom’s wedding party leave for church (no professional transportation needed, unless you think they will be drinking this early in the morning!)
12:00pm: Bride, groom, and wedding party arrives at church (bride arrives a few minutes before the groom so she can hide in church’s cry room or bridal suite)
12:15pm: First look or first touch outside of the church
1:00pm: All ceremony details set for guest arrival
1:30pm: Earliest guest arrival, transportation arrives from hotel
1:45pm: Bride hiding, groomsmen greeting and ushering guests
2:00pm: Church doors close
Processional begins:
Celebrant(s), altar people, etc.
Grandparents
Parents
Groomsmen
Bridesmaids
Maid of Honor
Flower Children/Ring Bearer
Bride and Bride’s Parents
Reading 1
Reading 2
Flowers for Mary Presentation
Unity Candle Ceremony
Vows
Recessional
Mass ends
3:00pm: Transportation arrives for wedding guests (ask your coordinator to have snacks and drinks on the bus!)
3:00pm-3:30pm: Wedding party and family photos at the church
3:15pm: All wedding guests depart for the reception
3:30pm: Transportation arrives for wedding party and immediate family
3:45pm: Earliest guest arrival at the reception, make sure your reception is flexible on timeline and has soft drinks displayed for early guests.
4:00pm: Cocktail hour officially begins and bar opens
4:00pm: Wedding party and immediate family arrive at the reception
4:00pm-4:45pm: Bride and groom portraits outside reception
4:50pm: Wedding party is told to meet outside the reception for grand entrances
4:55pm: Guests are seated in the reception
5:00pm: Wedding party introductions
5:02pm: Newlywed introductions
5:04pm: First dance with bride and groom
5:06pm: Parent Dance #1
5:08pm: Parent Dance #2
5:10pm: Welcome Speech/Blessing (a good way to involve the dads is to have the father of the bride do the welcome speech and the father of the groom to do the blessing. You can also ask your priest if they would like to do the blessing)
5:15pm: Dinner service begins
5:20pm-5:50pm: Vendor meals and Vendor break
6:10pm: Thank you from the newlyweds
6:15pm: Cake cutting
6:20pm: Dance floor opens
7:30pm: Dance floor props brought out- light sabers, optic wands, sunglasses, and party supplies
9:45pm: Last Call
10:00pm: Send off!
10:00pm-11:00pm: Vendor load out and breakdown
Photography courtesy of Taylor Parker Photography