One of the most common questions I get from couples in the early stages of planning is: "But what does the day actually look like?"
They've seen the photos, they know they want Montenegro, but they have no idea how the hours fit together.
Here is an example timeline for a villa wedding on the Bay of Kotor.
The morning: getting ready
The day starts earlier than most couples expect. Hair and makeup takes around 3 hours for the bride and about 1.5 hours per bridesmaid, so the start time depends on how many people are getting ready. As a rule, everyone should be done at least 2 hours before the ceremony, which leaves time for the pre-ceremony photos.
Those photos matter. Before guests arrive, we do a separate session with the bride, her bridesmaids and her mother, and a separate session with the groom and his groomsmen. These are some of the best shots of the day and they happen while everyone is fresh, before the emotion of the ceremony kicks in.
Guests arrive and welcome drinks begin (4pm)
Guests arrive at the venue from 4pm. A live musician plays during this time, typically a violin or a guitar and violin duo, which is a popular combination in Montenegro. Welcome drinks go out: prosecco, beer, soft drinks and canapes. The atmosphere is relaxed, guests are mingling, exploring the venue, taking in the view.
The ceremony (5pm)
The ceremony starts at 5pm and typically lasts around 30 minutes. Bar service pauses during the ceremony, which helps focus everyone's attention.
After the ceremony, there are hugs, photos with guests, more drinks and canapes.
The couple's photo session (6pm)
While guests continue with drinks, the couple slips away for their portrait session. On a bay venue, this is often done by speedboat, which means you get open water shots with the mountains in the background. They are usually back within an hour.
Grand entrance and speeches (7pm)
The couple arrives back to applause. Speeches follow immediately after, running until around 7:30pm. We always recommend doing speeches before dinner, for two reasons: the speakers get to relax and enjoy their meal once they are done, and it keeps the food service on schedule. If speeches happen between courses, one person goes over their 10 minutes and the whole kitchen timeline shifts.
Dinner (from 7:30pm)
Dinner is served in courses: cold starter, hot starter, main. Each course is pre-selected, so service moves smoothly and the kitchen knows exactly what is going out and when. The open bar runs from 7pm through to the end of the night. Food service wraps up by 9:30pm.
Cake cutting and first dance (9:30pm)
The sweet table comes out alongside the cake cutting. The first dance follows immediately after, which naturally brings guests onto the dancefloor.
The party (from 9:30pm)
This is where the DJ takes over. A midnight snack table usually goes out around 11pm, which keeps people going. The photographer wraps up around that time too. The party runs until 1am, when the bar closes and the music stops.
A few things to know
A wedding day has many moving parts regardless of where in the world it takes place. Having someone coordinate the timeline, the vendors, the transport and the kitchen means the couple and their guests can actually be present and enjoy the day rather than managing it.
If you are in the early stages of planning and want to understand how your day might look, get in touch and we can walk through it together.