Planning Your Timeline For The Perfect Maui Wedding Day
When it comes to your wedding day, it’s SO much more than getting together in an epic setting – it’s a celebration of love, joy, and all the beautiful memories that brought you both to this moment. However, making it a seamless celebration requires careful planning and an amazing team of vendors! A well-structured timeline ensures that every part of your day flows precisely as you envisioned – and hopefully with as less stress as possible. From the early morning excitement and jitters of getting ready to dancing all night with your best friend and families – a thoughtful timeline ensures that will happen for you. Your Maui wedding day can be everything you dreamed of, and throughout this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create a wedding schedule no matter what your wedding day looks like! Let’s map out your perfect day from sunrise to golden hour sparklers!
Morning Prep and Pre-Ceremony Moments For Your Maui Wedding Day
One of the most essential parts of creating your timeline is allocating enough time for specific events throughout the day—schedule 3-5 hours for hair, makeup, and getting dressed, especially with bridesmaids and moms joining. Photography + videography typically starts at the end of your getting ready time, we love to allocate at least 1.5 hours for detail shots, getting ready, fun bridal party, groomsmen etc.
Don’t forget to add buffer time for delays – this will help with the flow and if anything goes off schedule, you’ll have the extra time. Adding additional time allows you to remain on track and schedule. Remember to eat a healthy and hearty breakfast, hydrate and start the day off strong! Often, brides get so nervous they forget to eat; keeping snacks and drinks on hand is a great way to avoid burnout later in the day.
Will you be having a first look with your partner? If you are, add 30-60 minutes for a private first look and bridal photos afterward. This will save time later in the day, allowing you to enjoy a cocktail hour with your guests, additional photos after the ceremony, etc.
Ceremony and Post Ceremony Photos
You’ll plan for the ceremony after the first look or getting ready portion of your day. The most essential part of all! If you’re having a traditional ceremony, plan for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This should be ample time for any delays or unique add-ons. After the ceremony, your photographer will gather your family and wedding party for photos. Generally, this takes 30-60 minutes, depending on the wedding party and family size. I always recommend prepping a “shot list” of all the must have combos when it comes to family and friend groupings.
Lastly, if you plan on taking adventure of golden hour portraits, we will allocate at least 20-30 minute for this! Typically this takes place right at the beginning of dinner service (depending on time of year).
Reception Flow and Celebration on Your Maui Wedding Day
Break down this portion of your day. Are you having a cocktail hour? If you are, do you want to be a part of that or would your rather use the time for a private moment or additional photos? These are important aspects to think about when making your Maui wedding day timeline. When it comes to planning your dinner and speeches, I always tell couples to allocate 45 minutes to 1 hour for dinner, toasts and mingling with your guests. They’ve come this far to see you, it’s the perfect time to make memories with them, take selfies, and let us capture it all documentary style! After this portion of the evening add 1-2 hours for dancing, late-night events like sparklers and other surprises. This should give you ample time to actually enjoy yourself and create memories with the people you love most.
If there’s any advice that I give to my couples is to create a solid timeline and stick to it the best you can! Your wedding day is going to fly by and we are here to help it be as stress-free as possible while also being the most memorable day of your lives.
Already dreaming of an incredible Maui wedding photography experience with me? Let’s chat!
