The wedding day
Your wedding day, from getting ready to the last dance
A Romanian wedding day usually starts with getting ready in the morning, moves on to the civil and church ceremonies and a photo session, and ends with an evening party that often runs past midnight. In Bridely you put the ceremonies, the places and the moments of the day into one timeline, and guests find the times and directions on their invitation page.
Wedding day schedule generator
Enter your date and the times you already know: the ceremonies, the photo session, when the party starts and ends. You get a starting order for the whole day, from getting ready to the last dance, that you can adjust and print.
This is a starting point, not a rule. Check every time with your venue, the priest or registrar, the photographer and the band: they know how long things really take.
How the timeline works in Bridely
Add the ceremonies and the reception
In the wedding details, enter the civil ceremony, the church ceremony and the reception, each with its time, place and address. You can add a map link and a few lines about parking or how to get there.
Add the moments in between
Getting ready, the photo session, your entrance, the first dance, the cake. Each moment has its own time and an optional note. If you pick a time another moment already has, Bridely tells you which one.
Look at the whole day
The preview shows the day from start to finish, in time order. It helps you spot where things are too tight and where there is room to breathe.
Show guests, hand it to vendors
On the invitation page, each guest sees the ceremonies and the reception, with times, directions and add-to-calendar. With the Wedding Pass you can download the whole timeline as a PDF for your vendors and family.
A typical Romanian wedding day
Every wedding is different, and customs vary from region to region. Below is the usual order, with rough timings.
- Morning is for getting ready. Hair and makeup take a few hours, and the photographer often starts here, first with the bride, then the groom.
- Around midday the groom arrives with the godparents, and sometimes with musicians, to collect the bride from her parents’ home, where the parents give the couple their blessing.
- The civil ceremony at the town hall is short, usually under half an hour. Many couples hold it on a different day, with close family only.
- The church ceremony usually takes between half an hour and an hour, with the godparents beside you. In Romania it can only take place after the civil one.
- The photo session often takes an hour or two in the afternoon, in a park, at a manor house or at the venue itself.
- In the evening, guests usually arrive between 18:00 and 20:00 for a welcome drink, followed by your entrance and the first dance.
- Dinner comes in several courses, with rounds of dancing in between. The traditions fit in along the way, from the mock kidnapping of the bride to the godmother removing the veil and the bouquet toss.
- The cake often comes out around midnight. The party usually goes on until the early hours, and in many families it ends with a bowl of hot soup.
How to build a timeline people actually keep to
The generator on this page gives you a first draft. Then adjust it with your venue and your vendors.
- Start from what is fixed. The church and the town hall give you a time, and everything else fits around it.
- Between two places, allow the travel time plus another 15 to 30 minutes. On a Saturday in town, traffic and parking take longer than the map suggests.
- Give hair and makeup more time than they ask for, especially if the mothers or bridesmaids are getting ready too.
- Plan the photos around the light. In summer it is softer in the late afternoon. In winter it gets dark early, so photos often happen before the church.
- Agree with the venue when each course is served, and with the band or DJ how long each dance round lasts.
- Talk to the MC about the cake and the traditions in advance, so nothing has to be decided on the night.
Who needs a copy of the timeline
A timeline only helps if everyone is working from the same one. Send it to the MC or coordinator, the band or DJ, the photographer and videographer, your contact at the venue, hair and makeup, the driver, your godparents and both sets of parents.
Each of them only needs a few lines: when to arrive, where, and who to call. Finalise it about a week before the wedding, once vendors have confirmed their times, and send it again if anything changes. Bridely’s suggested task for this is also due seven days before.
What is free and what is paid
Free
- Civil ceremony, church ceremony and reception with time, place, address and map link
- A few lines on parking and access for each place
- Your own moments of the day, with time, type and notes
- A preview of the whole day
- Invitation page with the programme, directions and add-to-calendar
- Events shown only to some guest groups, with a note for them
Wedding Pass
- The day’s timeline as a PDF, to print or send to vendors
- Unlimited invitations, premium designs and a different design for each guest group
- PDF exports of invitations and the seating plan, plus 50 credits
The Wedding Pass is €59.29 incl. VAT, paid once for the wedding. Planners on a paid plan get the PDF export for their client weddings. Pricing
Questions about the wedding day timeline
What time does a Romanian wedding party usually start?
Usually in the evening, often between 18:00 and 20:00, after the church ceremony and the photo session. Summer weddings often start later, once it cools down. Ask your venue when the room will be ready and settle the arrival time before you send the invitations.
How long does the church ceremony take?
An Orthodox wedding service usually takes between half an hour and an hour. Arrive 15 to 30 minutes early, because on Saturdays churches often hold several weddings back to back. Ask the priest about the exact time, the documents you need and what your godparents should prepare.
Can the civil and church ceremonies be on the same day?
Yes, many couples do both on the same day, the civil ceremony first, because the church ceremony can only follow it. Others hold the civil ceremony days or weeks earlier with close family, and keep the wedding day for the church and the party.
When is the wedding cake usually served?
Most often around midnight, after the main course. Agree the time with the venue and the cake maker, including when the cake is delivered and where it is kept cool until then. Let the MC know too, so the music and the photographer are ready.
Can guests see the timeline?
Yes, the main parts. Each guest’s invitation page shows the ceremonies and the reception they are invited to, with times, places, map directions and an add-to-calendar button. You can show an event only to some guest groups, for example the civil ceremony only to family, with a short note for them. The smaller moments in your timeline stay with you and your planning team.
Can I print the timeline or send it as a PDF?
The preview of the whole day is free. Downloading the timeline as a PDF comes with the Wedding Pass, and planners on a paid plan have it for their client weddings. The PDF is handy for vendors, your godparents and anyone else who needs the same plan.
Your wedding day, from getting ready to the last dance
Plan your day, freeFree · no card needed