How to plan a perfect wedding day timeline!

Timeline questions are the first that come up during a consultation and during wedding planning.

How do I know how much coverage I need?

How much time do I need for each portion of the day?

It’s completely normal that you don’t know how your wedding day is going to flow! This is likely your first wedding. Even if it’s your third, in the scope of planning weddings, that’s still not a lot!

That’s where the professionals come in to help. After 200+ weddings, they come natural to me. I help each and everyone of my couples to plan their day to ensure it goes smoothly. Most photographers like to be a part of this process since they’re likely the only vendor (or two) that is going to be with you all day long. If you have a wedding planner, even better! We can all work together.

Here are some tips when thinking about the schedule for your wedding day…

GETTING READY

Have your photographer arrive 30 minutes before you get into your dress/attire. This way we can capture all of the little details leading up to that happening.

You will need approximately 1 hour of coverage during the getting ready portions of the day. More than an hour will give you more “chill” time for popping champagne or having a cup of coffee with Dad, but 1 hour is standard.

Try to keep a couple of rooms that you plan to use for photos, cleared from clutter. This will save your photographer(s) time on the day so they can focus on creating art instead of cleaning up.

This is when usually my second shooter and I will split up at two separate getting ready locations. If you have a unique situation this can be worked in. I’ve done a couple of weddings along the way where the couple have gotten ready in the same location and that was beautiful too.

FIRST LOOK

More and more couples are opting for this option. The First look is a great way to free up your timeline. Couples love that it removes the waiting time for their guests in between ceremony and reception, and I love that it gives the couple a really personal moment for photos!

First look leads into couple photos and bridal party (if you have one) photos. This is where we can be creative. This whole time is 1-2 hours depending on how many locations you’d like to include and how many people are in your party. The more people you have standing, the more time you’ll want to allot.

CEREMONY

Plan to be back at the ceremony location 30 minutes early so you can rest/freshen up/eat something and so I can capture details and guests arriving.

Ceremonies are anywhere from 15 minutes for a non-denominational or non-religious ceremony to up to 1.5 hours for an orthodox or roman catholic ceremony. Making sure you communication with your officiant and know this ahead of time is so important!

FAMILY PHOTOS

90% of weddings I photograph, the family photos are directly following the ceremony leading into a cocktail hour. This is best for most family situations. It means you aren’t awaiting multiple vehicles at a separate location as there is almost always one or two stragglers. It also means it’s less stress for the young and the old.

Family portraits are usually about 20 minutes. Keep in mind this is for immediate family only. If you’d like aunts, uncles, cousins, long lost friends etc., that will require additional time to be added.

RECEPTION

This is where timelines will depend largely on the venue you choose and your personal preferences. How long they take to serve a meal?How many courses? Are your speeches happening between courses? (I would definitely recommend this!) How much of your party would you like photographed?

The average reception is 3-4 hours. I like to make sure I stay to cover all of the important parts, first dances, speeches and for at least 15 minutes of the party.

Here is a sample wedding day timeline:

This is your average Windsor-Essex 9 hour coverage Wedding Day.

Additional time would be required for travel between locations, an earlier ceremony with no First Look, etc.

1:00pm Getting Ready Photos

2:00pm Travel to First Look Location

2:15pm First Look & Bridal Party Portraits

3:45pm Travel to Ceremony Location

4:00pm Photos of guests arriving and details of ceremony while couple freshen up.

4:30pm Ceremony

5:00pm Family Photos // Cocktails

6:30pm Reception

8:00pm Sneak Out for Sunset Photos

10:00pm Wedding Day Coverage is usually over at this point

Lastly, a couple of pro tips:

Don’t rush your timeline. A 15 minute buffer once or twice during the day will do wonders for your peace of mind!

Plan to start your ceremony time 15 minutes after the time listed on the invitation! This way you can avoid those who will inevitably arrive late and ensures all of your seats will be full!

If your wedding is during prime wedding season and the sun is still high in the sky, a mini break at sunset will give you a moment together to enjoy each-other and some extra special photos!

Start working on that timeline early in the game! This way there are no surprises!

Hope this helps to get you started on that timeline. I'd love to chat to hear more about your day!

Click here to inquire about my photography services!

4 Comments

Nov 22, 2021, 8:40:58 PM

Nicole Lehoux - Just wondering on your packages for 2023!

Nov 15, 2021, 9:15:57 PM

Nicole Lehoux - Hey there just wondering about a price list!

Sep 27, 2021, 2:57:37 PM

Emma Davidson - Hi Kelsey! Thanks for the message. If you don't mind sending me a message in my contact form (contact at the top of the screen) that would be fantastic :) I'd be happy to shoot you some information - Emma

Sep 27, 2021, 2:53:11 PM

Kelcey Lucio - We are getting married November 22, 2022 at Mastronardi’s. We are hoping for more information from you! We look forward to hearing from you!

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How to Plan The Perfect Wedding Day Timeline!

GETTING READY

FIRST LOOK

CEREMONY

FAMILY PHOTOS

RECEPTION

Here is a sample wedding day timeline:

Lastly, a couple of pro tips:

Archive

EXPLORE

LOOK

CONTACT