Timeline Templates let you save reusable event structures and apply them to any performance with a single click. Instead of rebuilding the same Ceremony + Cocktail Hour or Reception order every time, you create the template once and apply it whenever you need it. BookLive also ships four built-in templates to get you started.
Before You Begin #
- You must be a group leader or admin to create, edit, or delete timeline templates.
- Templates are managed at the group level and available to all performances in your group.
Accessing Timeline Templates #
- Log in at https://booklive.com/login.
- From your group dashboard, navigate to your group’s main page.
- Click Templates in the navigation, then select Timeline Templates.
You’ll see a list of all saved templates. BookLive automatically creates four default templates for new groups:
- Standard Wedding Ceremony – Prelude through Postlude
- Wedding Ceremony + Cocktail Hour – Full ceremony followed by a 60-minute cocktail set
- Full Catholic Wedding – Extended ceremony with Gloria, Readings, Responsorial Psalm, and Communion
- Wedding Reception – Grand Entrance through Grand Exit with dinner, toasts, and dance floor
Creating a New Template #
- On the Timeline Templates page, click the + button in the bottom-right corner.
- Enter a name for your template (e.g., “Corporate Gala” or “Jazz Trio Ceremony”) and click Create.
- You’ll be taken to the template detail page where you can add events.
Adding Events to a Template #
Events in a template are defined by their offset from the performance start time, not an absolute clock time. This makes templates flexible — the actual times adjust automatically based on when the gig starts.
- On the template detail page, click Add Event.
- Fill in the event details:
- Event Name – e.g., “Cocktail Hour” or “First Dance”
- Start Offset (minutes) – how many minutes after performance start this event begins (e.g., 30 = starts 30 minutes in)
- Duration (minutes) – how long the event runs
- Songs Required – the number of songs needed for this event
- TBD – check this if the timing is flexible (e.g., a Unity Candle moment). TBD events show without a specific time on the timeline.
- Click Save.
Previewing Event Times #
To see what actual clock times your template events will land on, enter an Example Start Time at the top of the template detail page. The timeline will update to show both the start offset and the calculated clock time (e.g., “+30 minutes → 5:30 PM”). This doesn’t save to the template — it’s just for planning purposes.
Editing a Template #
- Rename the template: Click the template name field at the top of the detail page, type a new name, and click away to save automatically.
- Edit an event: Click the pencil icon on any event card to open the edit dialog, make your changes, and click Save.
- Delete an event: Click the trash icon on an event card and confirm.
Duplicating a Template #
If you want a variation of an existing template (e.g., a longer Cocktail Hour version), you can duplicate it instead of starting from scratch.
- On the Timeline Templates list page, click the copy icon next to the template you want to duplicate.
- Enter a name for the new copy and click Duplicate.
- The new template appears in the list with all the same events. Edit it as needed.
Deleting a Template #
- Open the template you want to remove.
- Scroll to the bottom and click Delete Timeline.
- Confirm the deletion.
Deleting a template does not affect any performances where the template was already applied — those timelines remain intact.
Applying a Template to a Performance #
Once your templates are set up, you can apply them directly from a performance timeline.
- Open a performance and navigate to the Timeline tab.
- If the timeline is empty, click From template (or look for the template option in the overflow menu if events already exist).
- Select a template from the dropdown list.
- Click Create Timeline.
BookLive will populate the timeline with the template’s events, scaled to the performance’s actual start time. You can then customize individual events — add or remove songs, adjust timing, mark events as TBD — without affecting the original template.
Tips & Notes #
- Templates are shared across all leaders in your group. Changes you make are visible to everyone.
- You can apply a template even after manually adding events — BookLive will add the template events to the existing ones.
- Use the TBD flag for moments like Unity Candles or Cake Cutting where the exact timing is client-driven.
- Build templates for your most common gig types (wedding ceremony, corporate dinner, jazz trio) to save significant setup time across bookings.
