wedding day
timeline reccomendations
15-30 minutes for bridesmaids to get dressed
15-30 minutes to get into your dress, & put on your jewelry and shoes
20-30 minutes for bridesmaids + bride photos
20-30 minutes for groomsmen + groom photos
10-15 minutes for a First Look with a family member
30 minutes for your First Look + portraits afterward
20-30 minutes for full wedding party portraits
1 hour before the Ceremony, hide away while guests arrive
20-30 minutes for family portraits after the ceremony
ALLOW THIS AMOUNT OF TIME FOR EACH part of the day:
Be sure to schedule all hair & makeup to be finished much earlier than you actually need it to be finished. In my experience, this part of the day often takes longer than planned, even with talented hair & makeup artists.
If your hair & makeup does not finish on time, it will throw off the rest of the timeline. Of course, we'll add buffer time here-and-there on your timeline, so we should be able to make up this time somewhere else.
But, if it finishes 1.5 hours late (yes, I've seen this happen multiple times!), than it will be hard to make up that time. Your ceremony will likely begin late, and you WILL have fewer photos.
the most important timeline tip!
I RECOMMEND THIS ORDER OF EVENTS
These times are only estimates, and it’s always great to have a little cushion time here and there.
With an 8 hour timeline, I usually arrive 4 hours before the start of 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
after THE CEREMONY:
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
(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
BEFORE THE CEREMONY:
B&G + B’s mom, dad, siblings, grandparents from both sides
B&G + B’s mom & dad, siblings
B&G + B’s mom & dad
B&G + B’s siblings
B&G + B’s grandparents
B&G + B’s grandparents
B&G + G’s mom, dad, siblings, grandparents from both sides
B&G + G’s mom & dad, siblings
B&G + G’s mom & dad
B&G + G’s siblings
B&G + G’s grandparents
B&G + G’s grandparents
B&G + B&G’s parents
B&G + B’s mom, dad, siblings, grandparents from both sides
B&G + B’s mom & dad, siblings
B&G + B’s mom & dad
B&G + B’s siblings
B&G + B’s grandparents
B&G + B’s grandparents
B&G + G’s mom, dad, siblings, grandparents from both sides
B&G + G’s mom & dad, siblings
B&G + G’s mom & dad
B&G + G’s siblings
B&G + G’s grandparents
B&G + G’s grandparents
B&G + B&G’s parents
SAMPLE FAMILY PHOTO LIST
This is a time for photos with immediate family (parents, siblings, grandparents).
Photos with cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends are best to save for during the Reception.
