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An effortless wedding (and photographs that you love) is usually the result of an expertly-built wedding photography timeline. Learn how to more effectively create your wedding photography schedule and personalize it to your vision — and how we do all of that for you within our photography process.
We have refined this foundational timeline based on real weddings, our expertise, and our collaboration with other vendors. Our fave tips? Having buffer room, remembering how long transportation can really take, and the fact that unloading cars (with your people, rings, flowers, clothes, robes, etc.) can take a while. We all wish we could teleport, but we can’t. At your wedding, you have to remember that cars still need to be unloaded, there are parking lots to cross, and it’s better to have too much time, than not enough.
The foundation of your wedding photography timeline
As your wedding gets closer, you’ll find that you have more information, details, addresses, and lists to truly refine the timing of it all. So, we like to start with a base timeline that includes the major details such as the ceremony time, cocktail hour, first dance, etc. and then we build in more details such as arrival time, how long it’ll take to get ready, transportation time, and more.
Plus, as we learn more about your relationship, values, and vision for your wedding, our team will revisit your wedding photography timeline and adjust it accordingly. (Like how you cannot wait to try your signature cocktail, and therefore should probably attend your own cocktail hour. Or the fact that you’re planning an unconventional send-off in a getaway car, and need your photography team at the right time and place.)
A smooth wedding photography timeline also requires close collaboration with your wedding planner. As your planner, they will have the full picture of the event and a comprehensive wedding timeline. Your photographer will typically build their photo timeline based on the planners’ full wedding timeline to align visions, and plan out the photo needs.
Personalizing the photography timeline for your wedding
Incorporating breathing room into your wedding photography timeline
We also recommend reviewing your timeline to account for travel, preparation, and buffer room (this is key!). A smooth wedding is a wedding that’s on schedule (or close to it!), so we incorporate breathing room into our timelines so that things can run late without interrupting any plans.
For example, if your ceremony and reception venue are about a 10 minute drive from each other, our team will designate 15-20 minutes of travel time to help account for loading, unloading, and any unforeseen traffic that may arise. You’ll notice the difference and you’ll feel way more relaxed by just adding 5-10 minutes to each time block.
Inside tip: consider the distance between the getting-ready spaces for you and your partner. If the getting ready photos are a must for you, we recommend prepping for the day within the same building. This way your photographers (that’s us!) can have plenty of opportunity to capture all the excitement.
What's a First Look?
A first look is when the wedding couple chooses to see each other in their full ceremony attire before the ceremony itself. Although it is a departure from the traditional walk down the aisle, the first look has risen in popularity in recent years, and for good reason.
This intimate moment between the two of you can take the pressure off the ceremony itself and allows you to spend more time together. That being said, if you and your partner have been dreaming of that walk-down-the-aisle moment and prefer to hold to tradition here, the emotions will be just as impactful.
One of the biggest influences on your wedding photography timeline is whether or not you and your partner decide to have a first look before the ceremony.
Having a first look will allow time in the hours before your ceremony for formal couple and family portraits. As a result, you and your new spouse will be able to attend the entirety of your cocktail hour and spend the time interacting with your guests and making memories. Without the first look, part of your cocktail hour will be spent on formal portraits together and with your family.
The first look & your wedding photography schedule
How the first look can impact your wedding photography timeline
sample timeline without a first look
sample timeline with a first look
Yes — detail photos of your accessories and the flatlays require about an hour within the timeline. So while one photographer captures the getting ready moments, the second photographer will need to be close by to capture your invitation suite and other details. Keep in mind that if you have the photographers starting in 2 locations, this will require one photographer double the time to capture details and getting ready photos!
The details need their own moment
Depending on the size of your family and wedding party, family formal portraits can be either super quick, or they can take up an entire hour. We advise our couples to keep portraits to just your immediate family for this reason. Your extended family can be included during the reception!
Family formals can vary
Seriously! If you ask us, sparkler exits are way overrated (you can read more about our thoughts on those in our wedding exits blog). But if you have something special planned for the last two hours of your reception, or even if the dancing is just that important to you, your timeline will need to adjust accordingly.
Don’t count on using up the 30 minutes before the ceremony
During this time, you and your partner will likely be tucked away while the guests arrive. This can also be a great opportunity to quietly soak up the last few moments of anticipation with your wedding party and family.
Your wedding photographers don’t *have* to stay till the end of the night
More insights for your wedding photography timeline
(that you probably haven’t thought of!)
2:00 Photos of details and getting ready
3:00 Bride gets dressed
4:00 Bridesmaids and immediate family
4:30 Tucked away for guest arrival
5:00 Ceremony
5:30 Family formals
5:45 Wedding Party
6:00 Bride and Groom
6:15 Reception details
6:30 Reception opens to guests
10:30 Reception ends
1:00 Photos of details and getting ready
2:00 Bride gets dressed
3:00 First Look and Bride/Groom Portraits
4:00 Wedding Party (Family optional)
4:30 Tucked away for guest arrival
5:00 Ceremony
5:30 Family formals
5:45 Join cocktail hour/more Bride/Groom portraits
6:00 Reception details
6:30 Reception opens to guests
10:30 Reception ends
Please get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to share our recommendations for your wedding based on the vision you’ve shared with us. You can find more exclusive insights into our photography preparation process on our blog.
