Wedding Day Timelines: Where to Begin?

7/30/17

One of my favorite things about being a wedding photographer is getting to build real relationships with my couples over the span of a year (or more) as we plan their wedding together.

And during this year, the most common questions I hear are always about the wedding day timeline.

What time should my ceremony start?
How long will family portraits take?
How are we supposed to fit all of these things into this amount of time??

These are all great questions! Planning a wedding can be HARD y’all, and fitting all of your planned events and activities into one day can also be challenge. But here’s the good news. Your vendors (especially your coordinator, photographer, and venue) can handle anything that comes our way. We’ll do our best to answer your questions before you even have them!

But when making a timeline, it can be hard to get started. That’s why I create a custom photography timeline for all of my couples. But if you’re wanting a head start, this post is for YOU.

I’ve broken the timeline down into 3 sections, making it easier to tackle and a little less intimidating. I’ve also explained which vendors are the experts at each section, so you know who to ask first.

Ok, let’s dig right in.

1. Getting Ready

VENDORS TO ASK: PHOTOGRAPHER, HAIR & MAKEUP ARTIST

 

Different times of the day require different vendors to take the lead, and usually the photographer gets to lead first.

From a photographer’s perspective, the “getting ready” time before the ceremony can be the most important. During this time, I’ll photograph hair and makeup, individual portraits of the bride & groom, wedding party group photos, the First Look (if you choose to do one), most of the venue details and decorations, and all of the candid moments that happen before you walk down the aisle. That’s a lot!!

Before the guests even arrive, I’ve been taking photos for hooouuurrrrss. Because so much of this time is centered around photography, it’s best to ask your photographer how much time to allow for each of the main events.

 

I recommend this order of events:

  • Hair and makeup is finished
  • Photos of the girls together before getting in their dresses
  • Bridesmaids and Mother of the Bride put on their dresses
  • Bride puts on her dress
  • A First Look with a family member (if you want to)

(If you are NOT doing a First Look)

  • Groomsmen + Groom portraits
  • Bridesmaids + Bride portraits

(If you ARE doing a First Look)

  • First Look
  • Bride & Groom Portraits
  • Full Wedding Party Portraits
  • Bridesmaids + Bride portraits
  • Groomsmen + Groom portraits
  • 45 minutes to 1 hour before the ceremony, guests may start to arrive, so its best if we are finished with photos by then

Extra Tip: Have the bridesmaids and Mother of the Bride get dressed before the bride, so they can look great standing around the bride as she gets ready.

 

2. Ceremony + Cocktail Hour

VENDORS TO ASK: VENUE, PHOTOGRAPHER

If you’re having trouble deciding what time your Ceremony should start, stop and read THIS BLOG POST!

Ok, are you back? Let’s keep going…

During the Ceremony, it’s up to YOU to decide the order of the events. There’s no rule book, so be creative and don’t feel like you need to stick to any traditions that don’t feel right.

After the Ceremony, it’s best to head straight into family portraits. I always ask for a list of family group combinations, so I can simply call out the first names of the people in each group. Super easy.

 

I recommend this order of events after the Ceremony:

  • Ceremony ends
  • Immediate family members stay for family photos

(If you DIDN’T do a First Look)

  • Full Wedding Party Portraits
  • Any other wedding party combinations
  • Bride & Groom Portraits

(If you DID do a First Look)

  • You’re done! Go on to the Reception or Cocktail hour

Extra Tip: Make sure to tell all family members when and where they need to be for portraits. Dedicate one family member on each side to gather everyone who you can’t find.

3. Reception

VENDORS TO ASK: VENUE, CATERER, DJ

Much like the Ceremony, the order of events here is completely up to you! Your DJ, band, or whoever has a microphone will be in charge of directing guests and keeping everyone on schedule.

Make sure to communicate with your DJ ahead of time to create a detailed timeline of reception events. That way, you won’t have to worry about a thing during the party. If things fall a little behind schedule during the Reception, that’s no problem!

Depending on the type of food served, your caterer may have certain needs when it comes to space and time. Connecting your caterer to your coordinator and venue can let them work the details out together.

 

To sum it all up…

Work with your photographer, venue, and coordinator to plan your timeline sooner rather than later. Make sure everyone stays in the loop, and finalize your timeline a few weeks before your wedding to avoid last minute issues.

Make sure all of the key people (including parents and wedding party) have a copy of the timeline.

If you follow these easy tips and think ahead, you’ll never have to work about staying on schedule! Oh, and by the way, I never want the bride & groom to think about the timeline on their wedding day. Leave that to your vendors, and enjoy every second of your wedding 😊 More on that here >

If you want to keep reading…

Sample Wedding Day Timelines

What Time Should We Start Our Ceremony?

3 Tips for the Morning of Your Wedding Day

Wedding Photography: The Do’s and Don’ts

 

READ MORE ABOUT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

 

 

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