Wedding Day Timelines
Your wedding day is a tapestry of unforgettable moments, and weaving them together seamlessly requires meticulous planning. So let’s talk timelines! Together we’ll delve into the art of crafting a flawless wedding timeline, ensuring your special day unfolds with precision and joy.
What to include in a Wedding Day timeline?
Step 1: Create a list of Wedding Events. Begin by envisioning the flow of your day with your partner. Make a list of your must have pre-ceremony, ceremony, and reception memories. Below are a few suggestions to get you started!
Pre-Wedding: Details, makeup/prep, gift exchanges, letter readings, vow writing, first look, etc.
Ceremony: Will you have special ceremony surprises (candle burning, knot tying, tree planting, etc.)?
Reception: Time for the fun! Introductions, first dances, parents dances, bouquet toss, cake cutting?
Don’t forget your exit! Bubbles, sparklers, champagne spray, flower petals, confetti.
Remember, this is your day! Go as wild or traditional as your heart desires.
Below you’ll find a few wedding day moments and roughly how long each moment takes to photograph. This can really help narrow time the hours of coverage you’ll need for your wedding day!
Details
(dress, shoes, rings, etc.)
The first thing we would like to capture when we arrive are the details to get them out of the way so we can focus on capturing the day! Typical details that we photograph on the morning of are the wedding dress, brides shoes, the rings, invitations, and anything heirlooms that are a part of the wedding that may mean something to you. We can also capture the grooms details such as shoes, watch, cufflinks, etc if desired. We ask that you please have any details that you would like photographed/video’d to be laid out or organized prior to our arrival so that we can grab them and take them where needed to photograph. Also, don’t forget to pick up a nice dress hanger! Ditch the plastic hanger that comes with the dress and maybe pick up a handmade hanger customized for you if you would like (you can find these on Etsy.)
Time Required: 30 minutes - 1 Hour
When: Upon Our Arrival
Where: Bride and/or Groom’s Suite
Morning Prep
Next up, we capture the fun chaos of wedding day morning prep! What we are looking to capture is any activities in the morning (ie golf, cornhole, or a stroll on the beach), hair and makeup, the couple getting dressed, and all of the candid moments in between. Often times these are the most emotional and fun parts of the day and we want to capture it all to add to your memory of the day. Also for the ladies, if you have robes for you and your girls… Right after hair and makeup is complete is a good time to get together for a fun, quick photo op before getting into your dresses!
Time Required: 1 hour - 3 hours
When: Morning
Where: Bride and/or Groom’s Suite
Individual Portraits
These are typically done right after you are dressed. These take only a couple of minutes and make for really nice album spreads later on! Plus, it is nice to have at least 1 or 2 photos of just you on your wedding day! We can always grab one more of just you later in the evening as well!
Time Required: 5 minutes - 30 minutes
When: Morning
Where: Bride and/or Groom’s Suite (or right outside)
First Look or “First Touch”
“Should we do a first look” is probably the most commonly asked question to us. My answer is it always the same:
If you think it will help keep the nerves at bay during the ceremony, or if you want the most possible portraits of just the two of you, then do a first look! If you feel like you would rather wait and be more traditional, then skip the first look and opt for something like a “first touch” instead. The first touch can be done around a door where you can talk to one another, but not see each other. During this part of the day is the best time to exchange letters or gifts as well! We can see the two of you and capture some really awesome photos this way.
Time Required: 30 minutes (just first look and a few portraits) OR 60 minutes (if you want to do all wedding party photos beforehand)
When: Morning
Where: Bride and/or Groom’s Suite (or right outside)
Wedding Party Photos
We start with the classic traditional photos and then move to just a couple fun and creative ones. We aim to stay away from cheesy unless specifically requested! We also aim to capture an individual photo with you and each wedding party member (ie bride with each bridesmaid, groom with each groomsman!)
If you are wanting to do you and your sides photos before the ceremony we require the bride to be ready 90 minutes prior to the ceremony time for these photos. We can capture groomsman photos 60 minutes prior to the ceremony. We like to allow 45 minutes prior to the ceremony for you to relax and for us to prep for the ceremony! If you are doing a first look, then we can capture the large group shots after. If you are not doing a first look, then we can capture the group shots after the ceremony.
Time - 45-60 minutes
When - Morning (after prep and/or first look) or Early Afternoon (after ceremony)
Where - On location of the ceremony or reception site. We look for shaded areas or having the sun at your backs (for all group shots).
Family Formals
The time it takes for family formals is going to be different for everyone depending on your family size and who all you would like to be in your family photos. Our advice is to keep these to immediate and close family only. We can always grab some photos of you and distant relatives during the reception! Also, if you were trying to do any family photos before the ceremony, we recommend keeping these to say parents and siblings. It’s always a struggle getting large amounts of family members together 2 hours prior to the ceremony as there is always someone who runs late and we end up having to do these photos afterwards anyway.
We require a family photo list from you prior to the wedding day to ensure we capture every family photo that you and your family desire! This makes things go by a lot smoother and quicker, trust us!!
Time - 30 minutes or less (our goal)
When - Immediately Following Ceremony
Where - On location of the ceremony or reception site. We look for shaded areas or having the sun at your backs (for all group shots).
Couples Portraits (Golden Hour & Sunset)
Who doesn’t want epic landscape style wedding portraits? We will deliver even if mother nature doesn’t cooperate, as we have a few tricks up our sleeve to still give you amazing wedding day portraits of the two you. This is the intimate and fun moments as you step away from everyone and have just a few minutes to yourselves. We will guide you into the best positions and poses and the rest comes natural!
What is Golden Hour? Golden Hour refers to the beautiful natural light that occurs 1-2 hours prior to sunset. Ideally we want this to be the time your ceremony ends and for all of the formal group shots and portraits to be finished up in.
The best time to pull you out for sunset portraits is around 15 minutes prior to the sun actually setting (time varies depending on time of year.) The beautiful colors typically come 5-15 minutes AFTER sunset. So plan for around 20-30 minutes for sunset portraits for the two of you.
Time - 40 - 60 minutes (15 minutes for golden hour portraits; 30 minutes for sunset portraits; 15 minutes for blue hour)
When - Depends on the season. During summer, we typically do this around 7:30 pm. est. During winter, we typically squeeze this in immediately following ceremony.
Where - On location of the ceremony or reception site. We look for shaded areas or having the sun at your backs (for all group shots).
Reception
During the reception, we just like to capture the action and shenanigans! We follow the DJ or planners timeline during this time and capture everything as it happens. However, if you want to sneak off and smoke celebratory cigars, or are popping champagne, please let us know ;)
The reception is also a good time to do any “grab and grin” photos with friends from college, cousins, or anyone else that you haven’t had a photo with. Just grab us at anytime!
Time - Party until the sun goes down if you want! Usually 4-6 hours.
When - Immediately Following Cocktail Hour/Portraits
Where - Reception Hall
The Exit
Another question we often get asked is “are there any good alternatives to the sparkler exit.” YES! We also love confetti, bubbles, and anything water related! No seriously, water guns (my dream), champagne spraying, jumping in pools all makes for a fun end of the night celebration if you don’t mind getting a little wet! Whichever choose, know that we will capture it with some awesome photos to show for it.
Time - Last 5-15 minutes of the night!
When - Immediately Following the Last Dance
Where - Reception Hall, street, dark alley.
Consult with Expert Vendors: Collaborate with key vendors such as photographers, videographers, planners, etc. Share your must have wedding moments with us and your planner and we will all work together to create a seamless wedding day timeline.
Finalize Your Ceremony and Reception Timeline: During the final stages of wedding planning, we as photographers and your planner will factor in travel time, special traditions, and buffer periods to gracefully handle any unforeseen delays.
Communication with Your Wedding Party: Ensure everyone is on the same page by sharing the finalized timeline with your wedding party. Clarity on roles and timing will keep everyone organized, contributing to a stress-free celebration.
Click HERE to access our Example Timeline
Crafting an optimal wedding timeline involves meticulous planning, collaboration with vendors, and effective communication with your bridal party. By embracing these steps and staying flexible, you’ll create a timeline that not only ensures a well-orchestrated day but also allows you to savor every magical moment. Strike the perfect balance between structure and spontaneity to make your wedding day full of memories.