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Free Hair and Makeup Timeline Calculator
Work backwards from the ceremony to a start time, with a chair-by-chair running order. Instant result, no sign-up.
Your morning
Everything is scheduled backwards from the ceremony.
Chairs and timings
2 chairs working at once.
Who is in the chair
Tick the person who should go last — usually whoever the photos are of.
First person in the chair at
09:00
Stylists arrive at 08:30 to set up. The bride is last in the makeup chair and finished by 13:45, which leaves 45 minutes for photographs and 30 to travel before a 15:00 start.
Chairs
1 hair · 1 makeup
In the chair for
4h 45m
Stylists arrive
08:30
Ready by
13:45
By person
Who needs to be where and when. Hair first, then makeup, on whichever chair is free.
| Who | Hair | Makeup | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Person 1 | 09:00 – 09:45 · Hair 1 | 09:45 – 10:25 · Makeup 1 | 10:25 |
| Person 2 | 09:50 – 10:35 · Hair 1 | 10:35 – 11:15 · Makeup 1 | 11:15 |
| Person 3 | 10:40 – 11:25 · Hair 1 | 11:25 – 12:05 · Makeup 1 | 12:05 |
| Person 4 | 11:30 – 12:15 · Hair 1 | 12:15 – 12:55 · Makeup 1 | 12:55 |
| The bridelast | 12:20 – 13:05 · Hair 1 | 13:05 – 13:45 · Makeup 1 | 13:45 |
By chair
One list per stylist. Print this and put it on the wall.
| Chair | Start | Finish | Who | Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair 1 | 09:00 | 09:45 | Person 1 | Hair |
| Hair 1 | 09:50 | 10:35 | Person 2 | Hair |
| Hair 1 | 10:40 | 11:25 | Person 3 | Hair |
| Hair 1 | 11:30 | 12:15 | Person 4 | Hair |
| Hair 1 | 12:20 | 13:05 | The bride | Hair |
| Makeup 1 | 09:45 | 10:25 | Person 1 | Makeup |
| Makeup 1 | 10:35 | 11:15 | Person 2 | Makeup |
| Makeup 1 | 11:25 | 12:05 | Person 3 | Makeup |
| Makeup 1 | 12:15 | 12:55 | Person 4 | Makeup |
| Makeup 1 | 13:05 | 13:45 | The bride | Makeup |
Why it helps
- The one number that matters: what time you actually have to start
- A running order per chair, so nobody is left waiting
- Warns you when the maths means a five in the morning alarm
The quiet hours
The getting-ready room is where the best unposed photos happen.
OnceRoll gives everyone in the room a shared camera, so the morning is covered even before the photographer arrives.
Keep planning
Tools that go with this one
Related reading
More on planning this part
A Calm Wedding Morning Timeline: What to Do and When
A good wedding morning timeline protects your energy with food, buffers, and fewer people asking questions at once.
17 Wedding Moments Your Photographer Might Miss
Your photographer cannot be everywhere at once. A few thoughtful guest-photo prompts can preserve the small perspectives happening all around you.
Frequently asked questions
Getting-Ready Timeline questions
What time should hair and makeup start on a wedding day?
Work backwards, never forwards. Take the ceremony time, subtract travel and photographs, then subtract the longest chair's full queue — that is your start time, and it is usually earlier than people guess.
How long does bridal hair and makeup take?
Around 45 minutes for hair and 40 for makeup per person is a reasonable planning figure, with the bride usually taking longer. Ask your stylist for their own numbers and put those in.
How many stylists do we need?
Add a second chair and you roughly halve the morning. If this tool is telling you to start before seven, another stylist is almost always cheaper than the alternative.
Do I need to create an account to use this tool?
No. The tool is free, needs no sign-up, and shows a result in your browser. Nothing is uploaded. OnceRoll the app is separate: you create a photo, video, or voice guestbook there, and guests join from a QR code with no account.