Who Needs a Copy of the Wedding Run Sheet?

Every vendor working your wedding needs a copy of the run sheet - eight types by default, each receiving a filtered version that shows only the rows where their role appears. US couples hire an average of 13 wedding professionals to bring the day together.¹ The run sheet is how all of them know what to do and when to do it without a phone call to the couple on the day.

Getting ready: hair and makeup, transport

Hair and makeup arrive first and finish before any other vendor takes the floor. Their copy of the run sheet covers the morning getting-ready block: who is in the chair at what time, when each person in the wedding party needs to be finished, and when the group must be ready to leave. In the PlannedBy classic run sheet, 11 rows apply to hair and makeup. The getting-ready block is the tightest part of the schedule because overruns here push every other row later in the day.

Transport needs a short, precise document: pick-up addresses, departure times, and where to go. Their 12 rows track the couple, the wedding party, and the parents from preparation locations to the ceremony venue, and then to the reception. A transport vendor does not need the reception dinner sequence - they need the exact minute to have the car at the door.

Ceremony: celebrant, photographer, videographer

The celebrant works within a legal structure. Their run sheet view covers arrival, the processional, the monitum, the exchange of vows, the signing of certificates, and the recessional - 14 rows in a classic run sheet. Keeping those rows visible and the caterer's canapé timing out of the way means the celebrant can run the ceremony from a clean, one-page document.

The photographer gets more rows than anyone else on the list: 23 in a classic run sheet. Their copy starts with the getting-ready details and runs through to the send-off. It covers the processional, family formals, couple portraits, the reception entry, speeches, the first dance, and the final shots of the night. A photographer needs to anticipate every moment that will not wait for a retake, which is why their view of the day is the most complete of any vendor's.

The videographer follows a similar arc at 19 rows. Some detail shots that the photographer captures are stills-only; the videographer's column reflects that, containing the moments that need to be filmed in sequence rather than every row the photographer receives.

Reception: caterer, DJ or band, florist

The caterer needs the service windows. Their 16 rows cover the cocktail hour canapé timing, the room-ready signal, the dinner service sequence, and the bar close. A caterer does not need the getting-ready block - their work begins when guests arrive and ends when service is done. Sending the filtered version means they are not scanning past ceremony notes to find the entrée cue.

The DJ or band receives 21 rows, covering cocktail hour background music, the couple's entry, dinner background, the first dance, speeches, open dancing, and the last song. Music runs through most of the reception, which is why the DJ or band has the broadest coverage of any reception-only vendor on the list.

The florist typically finishes before the ceremony begins. Their 12 rows cover delivery times, setup windows, ceremony styling, and the transition from ceremony to reception - including striking the ceremony arch and restyling it as a reception backdrop where that applies. Once the florals are in place, the florist usually leaves. Their copy of the run sheet covers the narrowest active window of any vendor who is not hair and makeup.

Frequently asked questions

Does the MC need a copy?

Yes. The MC calls every transition in the reception room - the couple's entry, each speech, the first dance, the cake cut, the last drinks announcement. They need the reception portion of the run sheet timed to the minute. A wedding MC run sheet is typically the reception rows reformatted for a speaker rather than a service team.

What about guests - do they get a copy?

No. The run sheet is a working document for vendors and the couple's coordinator. Guests receive an order of service for the ceremony and, in some cases, a printed evening schedule. The run sheet itself contains positions, timing, and operational notes that would mean nothing to a guest and could create confusion if read out of context.

When should I send the run sheet to vendors?

Two weeks before the wedding is the standard. Most vendors need to confirm their own timing, raise any conflicts with their schedule, and brief their own team before the day. Sending earlier than four weeks out means you will likely need to resend after final timing decisions are made.

Should the venue coordinator get a copy?

Yes. The venue coordinator is the person who calls the room-ready signal for the caterer and opens the reception doors for the couple's entry. They may not appear on the vendor list, but they need the full run sheet.

What if a vendor says they do not need one?

Send it anyway. A vendor who does not read it knows where they stand. A vendor who finds a timing conflict on the day because they never received the run sheet is a problem that a two-minute email would have prevented.

Who gets what

The PlannedBy run sheet generator builds each vendor's filtered view from the same master document. The run sheet template shows the full classic version with all nine columns before filtering.