Creating Your Wedding Timeline
Need help figuring out a wedding timeline? You’re not alone! These are just some questions you should consider when planning your day, the answers will help determine how long you will need a photographer for and plan out your itinerary!
When do we want the ceremony to start?
Later in the day is always better! Please don’t plan your ceremony time around noon. It is terrible for lighting (unless it’s overcast, or we are inside). It creates harsh shadows on literally everything and makes people squint, and it’s just not fun to be standing around at high noon in the hot sun.
If you are wanting golden hour/sunset photos, make sure you’re checking to see when sunset is and plan your day off that. If you want them at the end of the day, I would suggest you work your timeline backward. If you want your first look or wedding party photos to be during sunset, plan forward from there.
Do you want a First Look?
A pretty big factor in determining the timeline is if you and your partner want to do a first look. If you’re on the fence about it, I have thoughts! Check out my post, “Should We Have a First Look?”
Absolutely, that’s for us!
If you do decide to do a first look, awesome! They only usually take a few minutes, then we go straight into photos of the two of you, then straight into bridal party and family photos. We like to get these out of the way so you can go mingle as soon as you can after the ceremony!
No thanks, we are going traditional!
If you both decide you want to go traditional and wait to see each other until the ceremony, awesome! There are two ways we can do this; we can do photos of the wedding party with just the bride and groom separately and any family that is there before the ceremony. The rest of the wedding portraits will be done immediately after the ceremony; time depends on how many people are involved.
Or
We can do all of the couple’s photos, wedding party, and family/friend’s photos immediately after the ceremony before any drinks. Keep in mind - this option takes the most time away from being with your guests at the reception and people can start to get antsy wondering where you are.
When should all the little events happen?
From my standpoint, things like speeches, first dance, cake cutting, bouquet/garter toss should be done fairly early in the reception. I wouldn’t leave a ton of time in between each event because most people typically don’t stay until the very end. Some guests leave right after the ceremony, but the majority take their exit about halfway through the reception even if these little events haven’t happened yet. Plus, if there is alcohol involved, it’s always a good idea to do the important events earlier in the reception!
How long do photos actually take?
I can’t speak for other photographers; this is just a breakdown of approximately how much time I would allot for photos for each specific area. Every photographer and wedding are different, so this is not written in stone! You can adjust the sections and times to fit your specific needs!
Getting ready (30 – 45 minutes) – this is usually done at the tail end of the bride’s hair/makeup, putting on the dress, first look with bridesmaids, parents, etc. Also includes photos of the dress, jewelry, shoes, and décor/set up.
First look (15 minutes) – this allows time for the staging and instructions, the first look, then a few moments to yourselves (yes, I will be taking photos the whole time).
Wedding Couple Photos (30 minutes) – these can be done after the first look before the ceremony. If you opt out of a first look, these will be done immediately following the ceremony. Make sure you allow for at least 30 minutes so we can sneak away from the crowd and find those good locations and you can have a moment to just be with each other before the party!
Wedding Party Photos (30 minutes) – people like to wander, so we like to get these done and out of the way right off the bat! You can increase or decrease the time by 10-15 minutes depending on how many people are in the wedding party and if there are kids involved.
Family Photos (30 – 45 minutes) – these include the traditional photos with each side of the family, siblings, extended families, friends, etc. The bigger the families, the more time you will need. We can usually get it done fairly quickly, but just to be safe, you might want to schedule out an hour if you have big families.
Ceremony (15-30 mins) – ceremonies can vary in length because of how many people are involved, waiting until everyone is seated, how long the officiant is speaking, and if there are special traditions like unity candle, sand, tying knots, signing the certificate, etc.
If you’re having a Catholic wedding, or any other ceremony that takes longer, adjust the time accordingly.
Reception (120-180 minutes) – depending on what you have going on at the reception and how many photos you want, I typically stay until all the little events are done (cake cutting, toasts, etc.) and I tell every couple to try to plan those events for the beginning of the reception, if you can. This cuts down on people missing out if they need to leave and people won’t be wondering when things are going to happen.
The reception is a good time for candids and any photos that guests want but didn’t get earlier in the day. This is a great time for a speed photo round!
Travel time to and from different locations (if applicable) – if your first look, ceremony or reception are at separate locations, be sure to account for travel time for you AND your photographer, especially if you’re driving in separate vehicles!
Some couples are keeping their ceremony super short and/or opting out of garter/bouquet toss, first dances, etc. So, if that’s you, you can decrease photo time during the reception too!
For my LDS couples, we can get the photos done in a couple different ways, just make sure to let me know what you’re thinking!
Here is a free download for a 6-hour mock timeline!
Feel free to use it as a guide when planning your wedding!
How much photography coverage do you need?
*Add up all those minutes from above then divide by 60 (one hour) and you’ll have your estimate of how many hours you’ll need for photos! If you broke it down like I did above, you can just add up those times and voila! You have how many hours of coverage you need. If your wedding is bigger or smaller you can adjust times accordingly.
Based on my experience, 6 hours of photography coverage is plenty. This will cover the tail end of getting ready, all the way through to the reception. If you’re going for more of a micro wedding or elopement, 2-3 hours is good - photos go a lot faster when there are less people!
I hope this helps when planning your timeline!
**Please keep in mind that I work weddings on a timed basis. I cap the weddings I choose to do at 6 hours (usually).
Goals
My main goal as your wedding photographer is to help make your wedding day as easy and enjoyable as possible. No one wants to spend hours and hours taking photos, or to be pulled away from eating or mingling to get photos taken again and again.
I am a HUGE believer that you should be able to mingle with your guests and enjoy the wedding that you worked so hard to plan. I am quick, efficient, and adaptable without sacrificing the number of photos you will receive back. I pay attention to detail and will do everything in my power to make your wedding day enjoyable for YOU!
If you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
If you’re looking to chat with me about your wedding, check out my post Let’s Meet Before Your Wedding. You can also fill out the contact form and get the process started!
I look forward to hearing from you!
