Wedding Photography Timeline Tips
As a wedding photographer, I’ve walked so many couples through their wedding planning process. This is such a beautiful time full of anticipation and excitement and also can include very real moments of stress. Sometimes it can be hard to know where to begin when planning for one of the most beautiful and important days of your life! A tool that I’ve come to see as foundational in the wedding planning process is the creation of a wedding day photography timeline. Having a well-planned timeline ensures that your wedding day runs smoothly, and makes sure that all of the details of the day fall into place. It also helps ensure that your photographer can capture all the important moments you’ll cherish forever! In this blog post, I will share my insights on why a wedding day photography timeline is crucial, how to create a wedding day timeline, and what to expect on the big day. Let’s get started!
Things to Include In Your wedding photography Timeline
THE CEREMONY
The first thing to consider when planning your wedding day is the timing of the ceremony. This will set the tone for the rest of the day, and determines when all of the other events will take place. Important factors to take into account when planning your ceremony time include where the ceremony will be held, and how long you want your ceremony to be. If your ceremony is not in the same location where your wedding party will be getting ready, you’ll want to make sure there is extra buffer time to allow for transition and travel. I can’t tell you how many weddings I’ve been a part of where transition times were not considered! This is the sneakiest way that delays can occur, leading to delays in the rest of your day. Being clear on travel and transition times in advance is key!
When considering your ceremony timing, it is very important to take into account the time that will be needed for photos after your ceremony and prior to your reception. These will include family photos and the photos of just you and your partner, and typically require about an hour of time. This is definitely a piece of the wedding day timeline that is often missed, so including it here because these photos are so special and should not be rushed. From a photography perspective, I suggest timing your ceremony early enough in the day to allow time for these photos before the sun sets – that golden hour is just too magical to miss!
With the ceremony time set, you can now start to plan all of the other important elements of your wedding day!
GETTING READY
Photos of you and your wedding party getting ready can be some of the most candid, fun, and emotional images of the day. I absolutely love the energy that happens when the respective wedding parties get to enjoy each other’s company before the ceremony! These moments of laughter, excitement, and anticipation can make for beautiful and authentic photographs that really capture the spirit of your day! Including this in your wedding photography timeline helps everyone know where they need to be and when. This can also help avoid any last-minute chaos and ensure that everyone is prepared for photos, the upcoming ceremony, and the rest of your beautiful day! For your schedule/timeline, I suggest having wedding attire, hair, and makeup completed approx 2 hours prior to the ceremony to allow for ample time in case touch ups are needed or unforeseen hiccups occur.
FIRST LOOK AND WEDDING PARTY PHOTOS
The next big event that can influence timing is if you and your partner choose to do a first look prior to your ceremony. It’s totally a personal decision whether to have a first look or not, but it can provide a beautiful opportunity for you and your partner to take some intimate photos prior to joining your wedding party and guests! If you decide to create a wedding day timeline with a first look, it is important to ensure that there is enough time for these photos within the context of the ceremony and the surrounding schedule. I suggest allowing anywhere from 10-20 minutes for a first look - not a ton of time, but still important to include in your timeline!
On this note, most couples choose to plan wedding party/family photos prior to the ceremony instead of after. This is definitely a big time-saver and can allow for a more seamless transition between your ceremony and reception. Again, totally a personal decision that can be planned for in advance to help your day run smoothly! If you do plan to take photos after your ceremony, I recommend allowing at least an hour prior to the reception to make sure there is plenty of time to capture all the beautiful photos of you and your partner, the wedding party, and your families.
RECEPTION
Now to plan the party! When scheduling events within a wedding reception, it is so helpful to have a well-planned timeline because there are often quite a few individuals to communicate with. Having everything planned well in advance allows you to be able to relate clear expectations to key players such as your DJ, your catering company and staff, the cake maker, and bartender. A few moments you might want to detail in your wedding reception timeline include: timing of the wedding party entrance, when dinner will begin, the first dance, cutting of the cake, an allotted time for toasts, and when the DJ should get the dance party going!
While the reception is such a fun time for you and your partner to celebrate with each other, your wedding party, and your guests, I have seen first-hand how delays in any of the key wedding reception moments can lead to real stress (i.e. if dinner is delayed, or the toasts extend well beyond their desired time-frame). Discussing your pre-determined wedding day timeline with your vendors, wedding party, and photographer, can create such a collaborative energy toward making sure everything runs smoothly and you can relax, party, and enjoy!
GRAND EXIT
Last but not least, the grand exit! If you’re hoping to have a special send-off with your wedding guests, this will definitely be something you will want to include in your wedding photography timeline. As a photographer, I have a few suggestions regarding the timing for this special moment!
First, if you’re hoping to continue your dance party well into the evening, you may want to schedule a “faux sendoff” at an earlier moment in the night, before some guests might need to make their own exit. Having all of your favorite people included in these photos is just so beautiful, and makes for such a celebratory and memorable moment (even if you all head back to the dance floor right after!). If you choose to do a true sendoff at the end of the night, make sure in advance that this is within your photographer’s agreed-upon time commitment. Again, a seemingly small detail, but so important to ensure that you get to capture these special moments!
Additionally, if you hope to include any special send-off accessories like flowers, sparklers, or some good old-fashioned rice, having your grand exit time included on your wedding day schedule helps your wedding coordinator know when to have these items available and to start distributing them to your guests. These photos always end up being some of my very favorites, capturing all of the joyful energy of the wedding celebration!
A wedding photography timeline is one of the best tools I’ve found to help your wedding run as smoothly as possible, and ensures that there is time to experience and capture all of the moments you’ve dreamed of for your special day! Whether you’re planning a large wedding or an intimate ceremony, I hope these suggestions have been helpful for you! I’ve included two sample timelines to show how these strategies can be implemented:
Traditional Sample Wedding Photography Timeline
1:30pm Photographers arrive
1:30-2:00 Detail photos
2:00-3:00 Getting ready photos
3:00-3:30 Separate bridesmaid and groomsmen photos
3:30 Reception and ceremony detail photos
4pm Ceremony
4:30-5:00 Family photos
5:00-5:15 Full wedding party photos
5:15-5:45 Couple photos
5:45 Grand entrance to reception
6:51 Sunset
10:00 Grand exit
This is how it would change if you chose to do a first look:
Wedding Photography Timeline with First Look
1:00pm Photographer's arrive
1:00-1:30 Detail photos
1:30-2:30 Getting ready photos
2:30 First look
2:40-3:00 Wedding party photos
3:00-3:20 Couple photos
3:30 Reception and ceremony detail photos/ couple hides
4pm Ceremony
4:30-5:00 Family photos
5:45 Grand entrance to reception
6:30 Golden hour couple photos
6:51 Sunset
8:30 DJ and photography coverage
If you have any questions or comments at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out! I would love to chat about your wedding vision and help you create your dream wedding photography timeline!!
Are you looking to plan your very own wedding? I’d love to be a part of it and photograph your day for you! Get in touch now to check availability and for more information.
