How much time is needed for photos for each part of the day?
Before we get into timeline examples, here is a guideline for how much time is needed for photos for each part of your day:
Photographer arrive at venue: 1 Hour before starting with decor photos - I do some location scouting during this time and take photos of the surroundings.
Decor: 45min (this includes photos of the venue & ceremony area)
Bride prep: 30-60min (Bridal details & while hair & make-up is being done. This excludes bridal portraits)
Groom prep & portraits: 45min-1.5hours
Bride get dressed & portraits: 30-45min
Ceremony: 30-60min
Confetti & congratulations: 10min
Pre-drinks/Canapés: 15min (for a quick few photos, or more if you have added extra time for this)
Family photos 20-30min
Bridal party: 20-30min
Couple portraits: 1 hour
Reception: 2-3 hours
Timeline 1
Traditional Timeline - Afternoon Wedding
I am using the example that it is a wedding in summer that starts at 4 pm and the sun sets at 7 pm, with a 9-hour photography package. This is if everything is happening at one location. Include extra time for travel if your ceremony & reception are at different locations.
8:00/10:00 a.m. Hair and makeup artists arrive & start with bridesmaids/moms.
11:00 a.m. Vendors arrive for setup (DJ/Cake etc)
12:00 p.m. Photographer arrives at venue & location scout 12:00 p.m. Bride begins hair and makeup
1:00 p.m. Photographer begins shooting decor photos
1:45 p.m. Photographer with the bride to take details & getting ready photos 2:00 p.m. Second photographer arrive at groom & take detail & getting ready photos
2:30 p.m. Groom gets dressed
2:45 p.m. Groom portraits & group shots
2:45 p.m. Bride gets into her wedding dress
3:10 p.m. Bride portraits & with bridesmaids
3:15 p.m. Guests begin to arrive / pre-ceremony music starts- Groom & groomsmen welcome guests
3:50 Photographer leaves for ceremony & bride to follow
4:00 p.m. Bridesmaids & bride walk down the aisle & Wedding Ceremony Starts
4:45/5:00 p.m. Ceremony ends (confetti/signing of the register) / cocktail hour begins
5:00 p.m. Family photos
5:20 p.m. Couple spends time with guests*
5:40 p.m. Bridal party photos
6:00 p.m. Couple photos
7:00 p.m. Cocktail hour ends / guests are invited into the reception
7:15 p.m. Newlyweds' introduction and first dance/cut the cake
7:30 p.m. Starters served & cleared (if no starters then Welcome Toast) 8:00 p.m. Welcome toast & speeches
8:30 p.m. Main course is served
9:30 p.m. Parent dances (father-daughter dance and mother-son dance) 9:10 p.m. All guests are invited onto the dance floor/garter & bouquet toss at 10:00 p.m. Cake cutting/dessert is served
10:55 p.m. Last song
11:00/12:00 p.m. Guests depart
*Want to spend more time with your guests? Start the ceremony at 3:30 pm - the photographer's start time will also be earlier.
TIMELINE 2
First Look - Afternoon Wedding
Although this will break away from traditional weddings, I would encourage you to give this some thought, as you would only spend 20-40 min max away from your guests after the ceremony. Having a first look together before anyone else sees you is so special!
8:00/10:00 a.m. Hair and makeup artists arrive & start with bridesmaids/moms.
11:00 a.m. Vendors arrive for setup (Photographer/videographer/DJ etc) 12:00 p.m. Photographer takes decor photos
12:00 p.m. Bride begins hair and makeup
12:45 p.m. Photographer with the bride to take details & getting ready photos 1:00 p.m. Second photographer arrive at groom & take detail & getting ready photos
1:30 p.m. Groom gets dressed & portraits
2:00 p.m. Bride gets into her wedding dress & portraits
2:30 p.m. Groom ready for first look
2:40 p.m. Couples' "first look" and couple portraits
3:30 p.m. All wedding party members (bridesmaids & groomsmen & close family) arrive at the wedding venue
4:00 p.m. Wedding party and family (only immediate family) photos with the couple
4:30 p.m. Guests begin to arrive / pre-ceremony music starts
5:00 p.m. Ceremony start time
5:45 / 6:00 p.m. Ceremony ends / cocktail hour begins / photos with extended family*
6:40 p.m Couple sunset photos
7:15 p.m. Cocktail hour ends / guests are invited into the reception
7:15 p.m. Newlyweds' introduction and first dance/cut the cake
7:30 p.m. Starters served & cleared (if no starters then Welcome Toast) 8:00 p.m. Welcome toast & speeches
8:30 p.m. Main course is served
9:30 p.m. Parent dances (father-daughter dance and mother-son dance) 9:10 p.m. All guests are invited onto the dance floor/garter & bouquet toss at 10:00 p.m. Cake cutting/dessert is served
10:55 p.m. Last song
11:00/12:00 p.m. Guests depart
*Photos with extended family can also be taken at the reception.
Timeline 3
Morning Wedding
Morning weddings can be lots of fun too! Brunch receptions can be more affordable than evening weddings—venues might have lower venue hire fees since your event isn't during peak hours; plus, a brunch menu will probably be more affordable. Your alcohol tab will likely be lower. The only downside is you will have to get up early (but you don't have to wait until the afternoon to get married!). To ease the morning rush, it's best to get ready at the venue, if possible; schedule your hair and makeup artists to arrive at the wedding venue to minimize travel time. Here is a sample wedding day timeline if you are thinking of having a morning wedding.
7:00 a.m. Hair and makeup artists arrive/get ready
7:30 a.m. Bride begins hair and makeup + Photographer arrives; begins shooting getting-ready photos
8:00 a.m. Vendors arrive for setup
8:00 a.m. Photographer takes a few photos of the groom after he is dressed.*
8:30 a.m. Bride gets into her wedding dress
8:30 a.m. Second photographer arrives at groom**
9:00 a.m. Bride portraits & with bridesmaids
9:30 a.m. Guests begin to arrive / pre-ceremony music starts
9:50 a.m. Photographer leaves for ceremony & bride to follow
10:00 a.m. Ceremony start time
10:30 a.m Ceremony ends / mimosa bar opens
10:45 a.m. Couples' portraits***
11:00 a.m. Newlyweds' introduction
11:05 a.m. Brunch reception begins
11:10 p.m. Toasts & Speeches
11:40 p.m. Brunch is served
12:30 p.m. First dance
All guests invited onto the dance floor
12:45 p.m. Cake cutting/dessert is served
1:25 p.m. Last song
1:30 p.m. Guests depart
2:30 p.m. Breakdown complete
*If no second photographer is included
***You can also take couple photos before the ceremony (first-look), then you just have to get ready a bit earlier. This will allow for better light than after 10 am.
Hints & Tips
- Before you decide what time your ceremony should start; check what time the sun will set on your wedding day- I use www.timeanddate.com
- Once you know what time will set, you can minus 3 hours to know what time your ceremony should start (this is if you are going with the traditional timeline)
- Also, keep the location of your venue in mind; are the mountains nearby that will make the sunlight disappear earlier?
- If your venue does not have a bridal suite, try and get ready as close as possible to the ceremony location. It is best if the bride and groom get ready at the same location or within 10min of each other. This allows for the optimal time to be used for taking photos.
- Have your MC or a family member help to round up all the family for the family photos.
- Ask those who are doing speeches at your wedding to keep to a certain time (5-10min). Try to not have too many breaks in between speeches. If you want, you can divide it into 2 parts, a few before and after dinner.
- Want your reception to run smoothly? Try to finish all the formalities early on, then you can enjoy the rest of the evening.
- Want fun photos with any of your guests? Hire a photo booth for the cocktail hour or for 2 hours at the reception.
- If you are getting married Dec-Feb and the sun only sets at 8 pm - you can also include 15min sunset photos for later in the timeline.
- Make sure to send your final timeline to all your vendors, MC, family, or bridal party..
CEREMONY START TIME
SUMMER WEDDINGS
MAY-JUL: NO LATER THAN 16:00
AUG-SEPT: 14:30/15:00
WINTER WEDDINGS
DEC-FEB 13:00/15:00 IS ALSO FINE AT SOME VENUES.
MAY-JUL: 14:00/14:30. AUG-SEPT: 14:30/15:00
Remember; this is YOUR wedding day. So reach out to your planner/photographer if you want to do things differently. And let's see how it will best fit into the timeline so that you can have a stress-free day.
