diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/lib/ecs/scheduled-ecs-task.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/lib/ecs/scheduled-ecs-task.ts
index 6f28112031fab..b9b851ab7144f 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/lib/ecs/scheduled-ecs-task.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/lib/ecs/scheduled-ecs-task.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export interface ScheduledEc2TaskProps {
    *
    * @see http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/events/ScheduledEvents.html
    */
-  readonly scheduleExpression: string;
+  readonly schedule: events.Schedule;
 
   /**
    * The CMD value to pass to the container. A string with commands delimited by commas.
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ export class ScheduledEc2Task extends cdk.Construct {
 
     // An EventRule that describes the event trigger (in this case a scheduled run)
     const eventRule = new events.Rule(this, 'ScheduledEventRule', {
-      scheduleExpression: props.scheduleExpression,
+      schedule: props.schedule,
     });
     eventRule.addTarget(eventRuleTarget);
   }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/integ.scheduled-ecs-task.lit.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/integ.scheduled-ecs-task.lit.ts
index 91e8777fce627..080e00e1919ee 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/integ.scheduled-ecs-task.lit.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/integ.scheduled-ecs-task.lit.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import ec2 = require('@aws-cdk/aws-ec2');
 import ecs = require('@aws-cdk/aws-ecs');
+import events = require('@aws-cdk/aws-events');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 
 import { ScheduledEc2Task } from '../../lib';
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ class EventStack extends cdk.Stack {
       memoryLimitMiB: 512,
       cpu: 1,
       environment: { name: 'TRIGGER', value: 'CloudWatch Events' },
-      scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+      schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
     });
     /// !hide
   }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/test.scheduled-ecs-task.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/test.scheduled-ecs-task.ts
index 9ba2198d421d6..d1c4ba987318c 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/test.scheduled-ecs-task.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/test.scheduled-ecs-task.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { expect, haveResource } from '@aws-cdk/assert';
 import ec2 = require('@aws-cdk/aws-ec2');
 import ecs = require('@aws-cdk/aws-ecs');
+import events = require('@aws-cdk/aws-events');
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 import { Test } from 'nodeunit';
 import { ScheduledEc2Task } from '../../lib';
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ export = {
       cluster,
       image: ecs.ContainerImage.fromRegistry('henk'),
       memoryLimitMiB: 512,
-      scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+      schedule: events.Schedule.expression('rate(1 minute)')
     });
 
     // THEN
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ export = {
       memoryLimitMiB: 512,
       cpu: 2,
       environment: { name: 'TRIGGER', value: 'CloudWatch Events' },
-      scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+      schedule: events.Schedule.expression('rate(1 minute)')
     });
 
     // THEN
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ export = {
       cluster,
       image: ecs.ContainerImage.fromRegistry('henk'),
       memoryReservationMiB: 512,
-      scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+      schedule: events.Schedule.expression('rate(1 minute)')
     });
 
     // THEN
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ export = {
       image: ecs.ContainerImage.fromRegistry('henk'),
       memoryReservationMiB: 512,
       command: ["-c", "4", "amazon.com"],
-      scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+      schedule: events.Schedule.expression('rate(1 minute)')
     });
 
     // THEN
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codebuild/codebuild.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codebuild/codebuild.test.ts
index cfe94306d06d3..c0c422f747021 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codebuild/codebuild.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codebuild/codebuild.test.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ test('use codebuild project as an eventrule target', () => {
   // GIVEN
   const stack = new Stack();
   const project = new codebuild.PipelineProject(stack, 'MyProject');
-  const rule = new events.Rule(stack, 'Rule', { scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 min)' });
+  const rule = new events.Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
+    schedule: events.Schedule.expression('rate(1 min)')
+  });
 
   // WHEN
   rule.addTarget(new targets.CodeBuildProject(project));
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codepipeline/integ.pipeline-event-target.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codepipeline/integ.pipeline-event-target.ts
index fa95c28002bea..32d81c33dc046 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codepipeline/integ.pipeline-event-target.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codepipeline/integ.pipeline-event-target.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ pipeline.addStage({
 });
 
 new events.Rule(stack, 'rule', {
-  scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)',
+  schedule: events.Schedule.expression('rate(1 minute)'),
   targets: [new targets.CodePipeline(pipeline)]
 });
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codepipeline/pipeline.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codepipeline/pipeline.test.ts
index 455fd47fcf0a1..52126d994a8fe 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codepipeline/pipeline.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/codepipeline/pipeline.test.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ test('use codebuild project as an eventrule target', () => {
       artifactBounds: { minInputs: 1, maxInputs: 1 , minOutputs: 1, maxOutputs: 1, }})]
   });
 
-  const rule = new events.Rule(stack, 'rule', { scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 min)' });
+  const rule = new events.Rule(stack, 'rule', {
+    schedule: events.Schedule.expression('rate(1 minute)'),
+  });
 
   // WHEN
   rule.addTarget(new targets.CodePipeline(pipeline));
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/event-rule-target.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/event-rule-target.test.ts
index e26094f0354f8..d5e08d6995d9e 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/event-rule-target.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/event-rule-target.test.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ test("Can use EC2 taskdef as EventRule target", () => {
   });
 
   const rule = new events.Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
-    scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)',
+    schedule: events.Schedule.expression('rate(1 min)')
   });
 
   // WHEN
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ test("Can use Fargate taskdef as EventRule target", () => {
   });
 
   const rule = new events.Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
-    scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)',
+    schedule: events.Schedule.expression('rate(1 min)')
   });
 
   // WHEN
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/integ.event-ec2-task.lit.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/integ.event-ec2-task.lit.ts
index 9b5ee8fccfbff..2fa77dbe3d1e7 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/integ.event-ec2-task.lit.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/integ.event-ec2-task.lit.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class EventStack extends cdk.Stack {
 
     // An Rule that describes the event trigger (in this case a scheduled run)
     const rule = new events.Rule(this, 'Rule', {
-      scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)',
+      schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
     });
 
     // Use EcsTask as the target of the Rule
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/integ.event-fargate-task.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/integ.event-fargate-task.ts
index 8c286054620e1..473e451e3911b 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/integ.event-fargate-task.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/ecs/integ.event-fargate-task.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class EventStack extends cdk.Stack {
 
     // A rule that describes the event trigger (in this case a scheduled run)
     const rule = new events.Rule(this, 'Rule', {
-      scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)',
+      schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
     });
 
     // Use EcsTask as the target of the Rule
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/lambda/integ.events.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/lambda/integ.events.ts
index 1cb1ba0c003ae..44c0e12893f54 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/lambda/integ.events.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/lambda/integ.events.ts
@@ -13,10 +13,14 @@ const fn = new lambda.Function(stack, 'MyFunc', {
   code: lambda.Code.inline(`exports.handler = ${handler.toString()}`)
 });
 
-const timer = new events.Rule(stack, 'Timer', { scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)' });
+const timer = new events.Rule(stack, 'Timer', {
+  schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
+});
 timer.addTarget(new targets.LambdaFunction(fn));
 
-const timer2 = new events.Rule(stack, 'Timer2', { scheduleExpression: 'rate(2 minutes)' });
+const timer2 = new events.Rule(stack, 'Timer2', {
+  schedule: events.Schedule.rate(2, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
+});
 timer2.addTarget(new targets.LambdaFunction(fn));
 
 app.synth();
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/lambda/lambda.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/lambda/lambda.test.ts
index edef10526eef6..3f1dec6280d5f 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/lambda/lambda.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/lambda/lambda.test.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,12 @@ test('use lambda as an event rule target', () => {
   // GIVEN
   const stack = new cdk.Stack();
   const fn = newTestLambda(stack);
-  const rule1 = new events.Rule(stack, 'Rule', { scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)' });
-  const rule2 = new events.Rule(stack, 'Rule2', { scheduleExpression: 'rate(5 minutes)' });
+  const rule1 = new events.Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
+    schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
+  });
+  const rule2 = new events.Rule(stack, 'Rule2', {
+    schedule: events.Schedule.rate(5, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
+  });
 
   // WHEN
   rule1.addTarget(new targets.LambdaFunction(fn));
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sns/integ.sns-event-rule-target.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sns/integ.sns-event-rule-target.ts
index f5c8903779af5..244d7d9aec39d 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sns/integ.sns-event-rule-target.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sns/integ.sns-event-rule-target.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'aws-cdk-sns-event-target');
 
 const topic = new sns.Topic(stack, 'MyTopic');
 const event = new events.Rule(stack, 'EveryMinute', {
-  scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+  schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
 });
 
 const queue = new sqs.Queue(stack, 'MyQueue');
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sns/sns.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sns/sns.test.ts
index 868255b475e55..389cbe801b559 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sns/sns.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sns/sns.test.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ test('sns topic as an event rule target', () => {
   const stack = new Stack();
   const topic = new sns.Topic(stack, 'MyTopic');
   const rule = new events.Rule(stack, 'MyRule', {
-    scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 hour)',
+    schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Hour),
   });
 
   // WHEN
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ test('multiple uses of a topic as a target results in a single policy statement'
 
   // WHEN
   for (let i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
-    const rule = new events.Rule(stack, `Rule${i}`, { scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 hour)' });
+    const rule = new events.Rule(stack, `Rule${i}`, {
+      schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Hour),
+    });
     rule.addTarget(new targets.SnsTopic(topic));
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sqs/integ.sqs-event-rule-target.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sqs/integ.sqs-event-rule-target.ts
index c45554ca0c51c..6a0f14cd63a10 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sqs/integ.sqs-event-rule-target.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sqs/integ.sqs-event-rule-target.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const app = new cdk.App();
 const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'aws-cdk-sqs-event-target');
 
 const event = new events.Rule(stack, 'MyRule', {
-  scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)',
+  schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
 });
 
 const queue = new sqs.Queue(stack, 'MyQueue');
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sqs/sqs.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sqs/sqs.test.ts
index 5d109a07df444..388cf21e60af9 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sqs/sqs.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/sqs/sqs.test.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ test('sns topic as an event rule target', () => {
   const stack = new Stack();
   const queue = new sqs.Queue(stack, 'MyQueue');
   const rule = new events.Rule(stack, 'MyRule', {
-    scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 hour)',
+    schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Hour),
   });
 
   // WHEN
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ test('multiple uses of a queue as a target results in multi policy statement bec
 
   // WHEN
   for (let i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
-    const rule = new events.Rule(stack, `Rule${i}`, { scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 hour)' });
+    const rule = new events.Rule(stack, `Rule${i}`, {
+      schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Hour),
+    });
     rule.addTarget(new targets.SqsQueue(queue));
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/stepfunctions/statemachine.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/stepfunctions/statemachine.test.ts
index 5e29cd47b046c..902efb7ee5ed3 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/stepfunctions/statemachine.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events-targets/test/stepfunctions/statemachine.test.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ test('State machine can be used as Event Rule target', () => {
   // GIVEN
   const stack = new cdk.Stack();
   const rule = new events.Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
-    scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+    schedule: events.Schedule.rate(1, events.TimeUnit.Minute),
   });
   const stateMachine = new sfn.StateMachine(stack, 'SM', {
     definition: new sfn.Wait(stack, 'Hello', { duration: sfn.WaitDuration.seconds(10) })
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/event-pattern.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/event-pattern.ts
index 49e2e2ea3f96b..bdd586f7e0e78 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/event-pattern.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/event-pattern.ts
@@ -30,12 +30,16 @@
 export interface EventPattern {
   /**
    * By default, this is set to 0 (zero) in all events.
+   *
+   * @default - No filtering on version
    */
   readonly version?: string[];
 
   /**
    * A unique value is generated for every event. This can be helpful in
    * tracing events as they move through rules to targets, and are processed.
+   *
+   * @default - No filtering on id
    */
   readonly id?: string[];
 
@@ -44,6 +48,8 @@ export interface EventPattern {
    * that appear in the detail field.
    *
    * Represents the "detail-type" event field.
+   *
+   * @default - No filtering on detail type
    */
   readonly detailType?: string[];
 
@@ -58,11 +64,14 @@ export interface EventPattern {
    * CloudFront is aws.cloudfront.
    *
    * @see http://docs.aws.amazon.com/general/latest/gr/aws-arns-and-namespaces.html#genref-aws-service-namespaces
+   * @default - No filtering on source
    */
   readonly source?: string[];
 
   /**
    * The 12-digit number identifying an AWS account.
+   *
+   * @default - No filtering on account
    */
   readonly account?: string[];
 
@@ -71,11 +80,15 @@ export interface EventPattern {
    * the event. If the event spans a time interval, the service might choose
    * to report the start time, so this value can be noticeably before the time
    * the event is actually received.
+   *
+   * @default - No filtering on time
    */
   readonly time?: string[];
 
   /**
    * Identifies the AWS region where the event originated.
+   *
+   * @default - No filtering on region
    */
   readonly region?: string[];
 
@@ -88,12 +101,16 @@ export interface EventPattern {
    * instance ARNs, Auto Scaling events include ARNs for both instances and
    * Auto Scaling groups, but API calls with AWS CloudTrail do not include
    * resource ARNs.
+   *
+   * @default - No filtering on resource
    */
   readonly resources?: string[];
 
   /**
    * A JSON object, whose content is at the discretion of the service
    * originating the event.
+   *
+   * @default - No filtering on detail
    */
-  readonly detail?: any;
+  readonly detail?: {[key: string]: any};
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/index.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/index.ts
index 0409be7ae29d5..c7815e08b1c64 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/index.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/index.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ export * from './rule';
 export * from './rule-ref';
 export * from './target';
 export * from './event-pattern';
+export * from './schedule';
 export * from './on-event-options';
 
 // AWS::Events CloudFormation Resources:
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/rule.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/rule.ts
index 271490f69e2b0..8e2b5ef7c6665 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/rule.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/rule.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { Construct, Lazy, Resource } from '@aws-cdk/cdk';
 import { EventPattern } from './event-pattern';
 import { CfnRule } from './events.generated';
 import { IRule } from './rule-ref';
+import { Schedule } from './schedule';
 import { IRuleTarget } from './target';
 import { mergeEventPattern } from './util';
 
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ export interface RuleProps {
    *
    * @default - None.
    */
-  readonly scheduleExpression?: string;
+  readonly schedule?: Schedule;
 
   /**
    * Describes which events CloudWatch Events routes to the specified target.
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ export class Rule extends Resource implements IRule {
     this.ruleArn = resource.attrArn;
 
     this.addEventPattern(props.eventPattern);
-    this.scheduleExpression = props.scheduleExpression;
+    this.scheduleExpression = props.schedule && props.schedule.expressionString;
 
     for (const target of props.targets || []) {
       this.addTarget(target);
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ export class Rule extends Resource implements IRule {
 
   protected validate() {
     if (Object.keys(this.eventPattern).length === 0 && !this.scheduleExpression) {
-      return [ `Either 'eventPattern' or 'scheduleExpression' must be defined` ];
+      return [ `Either 'eventPattern' or 'schedule' must be defined` ];
     }
 
     return [ ];
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/schedule.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/schedule.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..766c3a0bd91ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/lib/schedule.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+/**
+ * Schedule for scheduled event rules
+ */
+export abstract class Schedule {
+  /**
+   * Construct a schedule from a literal schedule expression
+   *
+   * @param expression The expression to use. Must be in a format that Cloudwatch Events will recognize
+   */
+  public static expression(expression: string): Schedule {
+    return new LiteralSchedule(expression);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Construct a schedule from an interval and a time unit
+   */
+  public static rate(interval: number, unit: TimeUnit): Schedule {
+    const unitStr = interval !== 1 ? `${unit}s` : unit;
+
+    return new LiteralSchedule(`rate(${interval} ${unitStr})`);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Create a schedule from a set of cron fields
+   */
+  public static cron(options: CronOptions): Schedule {
+    if (options.weekDay !== undefined && options.day !== undefined) {
+      throw new Error(`Cannot supply both 'day' and 'weekDay', use at most one`);
+    }
+
+    const minute = fallback(options.minute, '*');
+    const hour = fallback(options.hour, '*');
+    const month = fallback(options.month, '*');
+    const year = fallback(options.year, '*');
+
+    // Weekday defaults to '?' if not supplied. If it is supplied, day must become '?'
+    const day = fallback(options.day, options.weekDay !== undefined ? '?' : '*');
+    const weekDay = fallback(options.weekDay, '?');
+
+    return new LiteralSchedule(`cron(${minute} ${hour} ${day} ${month} ${weekDay} ${year})`);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Retrieve the expression for this schedule
+   */
+  public abstract readonly expressionString: string;
+
+  protected constructor() {
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * What unit to interpret the rate in
+ */
+export enum TimeUnit {
+  /**
+   * The rate is in minutes
+   */
+  Minute = 'minute',
+
+  /**
+   * The rate is in hours
+   */
+  Hour = 'hour',
+
+  /**
+   * The rate is in days
+   */
+  Day = 'day'
+}
+
+/**
+ * Options to configure a cron expression
+ *
+ * All fields are strings so you can use complex expresions. Absence of
+ * a field implies '*' or '?', whichever one is appropriate.
+ *
+ * @see https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/events/ScheduledEvents.html#CronExpressions
+ */
+export interface CronOptions {
+  /**
+   * The minute to run this rule at
+   *
+   * @default - Every minute
+   */
+  readonly minute?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The hour to run this rule at
+   *
+   * @default - Every hour
+   */
+  readonly hour?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The day of the month to run this rule at
+   *
+   * @default - Every day of the month
+   */
+  readonly day?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The month to run this rule at
+   *
+   * @default - Every month
+   */
+  readonly month?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The year to run this rule at
+   *
+   * @default - Every year
+   */
+  readonly year?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The day of the week to run this rule at
+   *
+   * @default - Any day of the week
+   */
+  readonly weekDay?: string;
+}
+
+class LiteralSchedule extends Schedule {
+  constructor(public readonly expressionString: string) {
+    super();
+  }
+}
+
+function fallback<T>(x: T | undefined, def: T): T {
+  return x === undefined ? def : x;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.input.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.input.ts
index 4fe918f32e245..e5034d6e6fe47 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.input.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.input.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { expect, haveResourceLike } from '@aws-cdk/assert';
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 import { Stack } from '@aws-cdk/cdk';
 import { Test } from 'nodeunit';
-import { IRuleTarget, RuleTargetInput } from '../lib';
+import { IRuleTarget, RuleTargetInput, Schedule, TimeUnit } from '../lib';
 import { Rule } from '../lib/rule';
 
 export = {
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export = {
       // GIVEN
       const stack = new Stack();
       const rule = new Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
-        scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+        schedule: Schedule.rate(1, TimeUnit.Minute),
       });
 
       // WHEN
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export = {
       // GIVEN
       const stack = new Stack();
       const rule = new Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
-        scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+        schedule: Schedule.rate(1, TimeUnit.Minute),
       });
 
       // WHEN
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ export = {
       // GIVEN
       const stack = new Stack();
       const rule = new Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
-        scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+        schedule: Schedule.rate(1, TimeUnit.Minute),
       });
 
       // WHEN
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export = {
       // GIVEN
       const stack = new Stack();
       const rule = new Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
-        scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)'
+        schedule: Schedule.rate(1, TimeUnit.Minute),
       });
 
       const world = cdk.Lazy.stringValue({ produce: () => 'world' });
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.rule.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.rule.ts
index 5ed5cba222f5b..184ad3cb64479 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.rule.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.rule.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { ServicePrincipal } from '@aws-cdk/aws-iam';
 import cdk = require('@aws-cdk/cdk');
 import { Stack } from '@aws-cdk/cdk';
 import { Test } from 'nodeunit';
-import { EventField, IRule, IRuleTarget, RuleTargetInput } from '../lib';
+import { EventField, IRule, IRuleTarget, RuleTargetInput, Schedule, TimeUnit } from '../lib';
 import { Rule } from '../lib/rule';
 
 // tslint:disable:object-literal-key-quotes
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export = {
     const stack = new cdk.Stack();
 
     new Rule(stack, 'MyRule', {
-      scheduleExpression: 'rate(10 minutes)'
+        schedule: Schedule.rate(10, TimeUnit.Minute),
     });
 
     expect(stack).toMatch({
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ export = {
 
     // WHEN
     new Rule(stack, 'MyRule', {
-    ruleName: 'PhysicalName',
-    scheduleExpression: 'rate(10 minutes)'
+      ruleName: 'PhysicalName',
+      schedule: Schedule.rate(10, TimeUnit.Minute),
     });
 
     // THEN
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export = {
     const app = new cdk.App();
     const stack = new cdk.Stack(app, 'MyStack');
     new Rule(stack, 'Rule');
-    test.throws(() => app.synth(), /Either 'eventPattern' or 'scheduleExpression' must be defined/);
+    test.throws(() => app.synth(), /Either 'eventPattern' or 'schedule' must be defined/);
     test.done();
   },
 
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ export = {
 
     const rule = new Rule(stack, 'EventRule', {
       targets: [ t1 ],
-      scheduleExpression: 'rate(5 minutes)'
+      schedule: Schedule.rate(5, TimeUnit.Minute),
     });
 
     rule.addTarget(t2);
@@ -215,7 +215,9 @@ export = {
   'input template can contain tokens'(test: Test) {
     const stack = new cdk.Stack();
 
-    const rule = new Rule(stack, 'EventRule', { scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)' });
+    const rule = new Rule(stack, 'EventRule', {
+      schedule: Schedule.rate(1, TimeUnit.Minute),
+    });
 
     // a plain string should just be stringified (i.e. double quotes added and escaped)
     rule.addTarget({
@@ -298,7 +300,9 @@ export = {
     // GIVEN
     const stack = new cdk.Stack();
 
-    const rule = new Rule(stack, 'EventRule', { scheduleExpression: 'rate(1 minute)' });
+    const rule = new Rule(stack, 'EventRule', {
+      schedule: Schedule.rate(1, TimeUnit.Minute),
+    });
 
     const role = new iam.Role(stack, 'SomeRole', {
       assumedBy: new ServicePrincipal('nobody')
@@ -372,7 +376,7 @@ export = {
 
     // WHEN
     new Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
-      scheduleExpression: 'foom',
+      schedule: Schedule.expression('foom'),
       enabled: false
     });
 
@@ -388,7 +392,7 @@ export = {
     // GIVEN
     const stack = new cdk.Stack();
     const rule = new Rule(stack, 'Rule', {
-      scheduleExpression: 'foom',
+      schedule: Schedule.expression('foom'),
       enabled: false
     });
     rule.addTarget(new SomeTarget());
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.schedule.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.schedule.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..bb3bfabfde834
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-events/test/test.schedule.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import { Test } from 'nodeunit';
+import events = require('../lib');
+
+export = {
+  'cron expressions day and dow are mutex: given weekday'(test: Test) {
+    // Run every 10 minutes Monday through Friday
+    test.equal('cron(0/10 * ? * MON-FRI *)', events.Schedule.cron({
+      minute: '0/10',
+      weekDay: 'MON-FRI'
+    }).expressionString);
+    test.done();
+  },
+
+  'cron expressions day and dow are mutex: given month day'(test: Test) {
+    // Run at 8:00 am (UTC) every 1st day of the month
+    test.equal('cron(0 8 1 * ? *)', events.Schedule.cron({
+      minute: '0',
+      hour: '8',
+      day: '1',
+    }).expressionString);
+    test.done();
+  },
+
+  'cron expressions day and dow are mutex: given neither'(test: Test) {
+    // Run at 10:00 am (UTC) every day
+    test.equal('cron(0 10 * * ? *)', events.Schedule.cron({
+      minute: '0',
+      hour: '10',
+    }).expressionString);
+    test.done();
+  },
+};