Planning tool
Wedding day timeline
A 13:00 ceremony is the most common start time in Ireland. This running order is built around it — shift every line by the same amount if yours is earlier or later.
Morning
- 08:00
Hair and makeup begins
Allow 45 minutes per person, bride last.
- 10:30
Photographer arrives
Details, dress, rings, stationery and prep coverage.
- 12:00
Into the dress
Leave a 30 minute buffer here — it always runs over.
- 12:30
Cars depart
Confirm travel time with your driver, not with a map app.
Ceremony
- 13:00
Ceremony
Church weddings run 45–60 minutes; civil ceremonies 25–35.
- 14:00
Confetti and family photos
Group shots go faster with a named list and one wrangler.
- 14:45
Travel to reception
Guests need a clear direction and a rough arrival time.
Reception and evening
- 15:30
Drinks reception
90 minutes is plenty; two hours starts to drag.
- 17:00
Couple portraits
Golden hour beats a rushed slot straight after the ceremony.
- 17:30
Guests called for dinner
Venues need 20 minutes to seat a full room.
- 18:00
Meal service
Four courses take roughly two hours in an Irish hotel.
- 20:00
Speeches
Between courses or after dessert — decide with your MC.
- 21:00
Band on, first dance
Most bands play two sets to around 23:30.
- 23:30
DJ and afters
Late bar and food station keep the floor busy.
Three things that break a timeline
- Under-booking hair and makeup. Count the heads, then add an hour.
- Group photos without a list. Ten named groups take about twenty minutes.
- Speeches with no cut-off. Give each speaker a time and tell your band.