One of the keys to having a low-stress wedding is to create a solid, concrete and achievable wedding day schedule. After several years of wedding photography and getting married myself, I think I have finally learned a few of the secrets to creating a rockstar wedding schedule.

Start with the Concrete - When you begin mapping out your schedule, start by writing out the times that cannot be changed. Write down your wedding time, travel time, when your dinner will be served or the time that everything has to be cleaned up at the reception location. Once you have all the concrete times filled out, then move to the more flexible details.
Talk to the Experts - Rely on the knowledge and expertise of your vendors. All of your vendors (caters, hair stylist, wedding coordinators and photographers) should have a very good idea of how long each step in the process should take. Talk to them, get their feedback, make sure that they feel comfortable with the time allotted to complete their job. Don't forget to send them a copy of the final schedule for review before the wedding day!
Start Early, Revise Often - Your wedding day schedule should NOT be an afterthought, it should be something considered every step of the way. If you are set on going to specific destination to take photos, be sure that you start planning that into your day early. If you start putting your schedule together early, you will ensure that you have the flexibility to change your mind or your plans.
Put Someone in Charge - Assign one of your personal attendants, friends or family members to be official schedule keeper. Make sure they will be someone who knows how to take charge. It can also be helpful to choose someone who is familiar with the wedding party and key members of each of your families. This person is going to make sure that you stick to the schedule!
Schedule Breaks - Your wedding day is wonderful day, but it's also a long day, full of standing and smiling. Make sure to schedule breaks for meals, snacks, and bathroom visits. Remember that in your big white dress, going to the bathroom can be no small task!
Add Extra Time! - While creating your wedding day schedule with hopefully help you avoid crazy scheduling problems, there are still so many factors at play when it comes to your big day, so just do yourself a favor and schedule lots of time, extra time if possible. It is so much nicer to be able to sit back and relax for a few extra minutes than it will be to be running around like crazy trying to fit everything in!

These are just a few tips to help you get a head start in creating a wedding day schedule that works for you! If you have any other brilliant wedding scheduling tips, be sure to leave a comment or send us an email!