Let’s talk about Wedding Timelines!
As a wedding photographer, I know firsthand just how vital it is to have a well thought out timeline for your wedding day. It’s so important to make sure you and all of your vendors are on the same page in order to make sure everything goes smoothly!
If you are working with a wedding planner, they will be able to help you create this timeline, but for those of you doing this on your own, I’m here to help. I’ve found that there are two general structures for a wedding day depending on if you decide to have a first look or not. Now, keep in mind these are very generic and should be adjusted to fit your specific needs! (PS: I have a blog with more specific details on deciding how much coverage you need here!) Let’s dive in.
Wedding Day Timeline (no first look)
First Dance
Parent Dances
Dinner
Speeches
Cake Cutting
Open Dancing
Grand Exit
Details/Getting Ready (for both sides)
Wedding Party Photos on Each Side
Ceremony
Family Portraits
Cocktail Hour
Newlywed Sunset Portraits
Reception Entrance
Wedding Day Timeline (with first look)
Reception Entrance
First Dance
Parent Dances
Dinner
Speeches
Cake Cutting
Open Dancing
Grand Exit
Details/Getting Ready (for both sides)
First Look
Wedding Party Photos
Couple’s Portraits
Family Portraits
Ceremony
Wrap Up Family Portraits (if there are any left)
Newlywed Sunset Portraits
Cocktail Hour
Like I said above, these timelines are very generic and you should be sure to adapt to your needs. Here are some other factors to keep in mind that could affect the flow of the day.
Hiring Talent: if you are having entertainment like dancers, a surprise performance, hosting a raffle, or doing late night snacks, these will all affect the timeline during your reception.
Outfit Change: this may seem like a quick thing and it could be, but getting out of your wedding attire and into a more fun outfit for the reception will add time to the day. You may also want to include hair and makeup touch ups if needed.
Family Portraits: do you have a large family? If you have a long list of family combinations, this will definitely add to the timeline.
First Look or None: there’s no right answer here, but if you do have a first look, you can get started on your couple’s portraits and family photos earlier and get to your cocktail hour earlier.
Off Site Photos: do you want to take your portraits off site? If so, you will need to factor in driving time and lighting into your timeline.
Special Traditions: do you want to include some unique traditions in your wedding day? Some couples like to include a money dance, tea ceremony, unity ceremony, loca hora, or other cultural event. If you want to include something special in your day, make sure to add it into the timeline!
Priorities: every wedding is different based on your priorities! If you aren’t too concerned about portraits, keep them short and enjoy your cocktail hour. If you want sunset photos, we need to time that around the lighting. The timeline will change based on your priorities.
Room Flips: another thing to consider is if you need to use the same room for your ceremony and reception. We refer to this as a room flip. Guests will be taken to another area for cocktail hour while the planner, venue team, or decor/florist switch the room from ceremony to reception.
Of course, everything is flexible. If you don’t want getting ready photos, you can use more time towards couple’s portraits or family portraits. Another thing to keep in mind is that as much as we love a good surprise, it’s important to let your vendor team know about everything going on for the day so that we are aware and can capture it. And lastly, you should always plan on having a little extra time rather than not having enough. No one wants a rushed day!
xoxo misterdebs
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