Creating a wedding timeline that works best for what you as a couple want your wedding day to feel like is so important. I cannot tell you how many times things run behind on a wedding day, so creating a timeline that 1) gives you enough time on your day to relax 2) spend time with your people and 3) not have to be pulled every direction for photos, all begins with your wedding timeline.
One of my biggest pieces of advice I give to my couples is to schedule in time for just you and your partner together. Yes, that is right, just you two! No parents, no friends, and no photographer! Your wedding day goes by in the blink of an eye and having time to soak in the fact that you just got married is so important! Here is a quick breakdown for the general events of a day and how much time I suggest for my couples to put into their wedding timeline. If you are interested in having me capture your wedding day, inquire here for more information on packages and pricing or check out my Instagram for more of my work here!
I. GETTING READY
I like to arrive at the prep location just as the bride is finishing hair/makeup—that way, we can get a few photographs of the finishing touches. I will also photograph some flat lays of your details (stationery, flowers, heirlooms, etc.) so remember to gather everything so that they are ready for me to photograph when I get there! Either my second shooter or I will photograph your partner’s prep.
II. CEREMONY
Ceremony length totally depends! A short and sweet ceremony might last 15 minutes; something more in depth (like a church service) more like 30-45.
III. FAMILY + WEDDING PARTY
The amount of time these take depends on size and family/group combinations. I recommend keeping the different combinations to a minimum—any more than 15 can start to eat into cocktail hour and/or the time we have set aside for couple portraits. If you have a first look, we can take the majority of wedding party photos prior to the ceremony, and this will save time!
IV. COUPLES PORTRAITS
I’ll take as much time as I can get with you two! But I typically recommend setting aside at least 20-30 minutes on your wedding day for couple’s portraits. I always like to steal you away at sunset for a few extra portraits if the light is right! This usually is about 10- 15 minutes for sunset photos (trust me it is worth it!)
V. RECEPTION
I typically only need to photograph about an hour or two of open dancing in order to get a good amount of variety of people dancing & having a good time! If you are doing a big exit at the end, consider doing a smaller “faux” exit I can photograph, so you are not paying for extra photography time that you do not really need!
