How to Create the Perfect Wedding Timeline

October 29, 2019

Blogs for Brides

If photography’s important to you, this is how to create the perfect wedding timeline with light, and your photo album, in mind.

Before you dive in, here’s a disclaimer: I’m biased. I love the outdoors and nature. And, I’m a photographer and am a sucker for good light. So, I will assume we’re doing most things outdoors, and will prioritize the absolute best light for the ceremony and bridal portraits, and for the beginning of the reception (first dance). This is how I create the perfect wedding timeline for my couples, broken down to help you create yours!

But first, please don’t put words in my mouth. And don’t assume I don’t like indoor stuff!! I’m not saying indoor ceremonies and receptions are not beautiful, they sure as heck are!! And can be totally stunning!! I’m just saying light is so important and most of the ceremonies and receptions I’ve done have been outdoors and well, you can’t get more ample light than outdoors… soo here we go!

Alright I’ve warned ya, if you’re still here, let’s dive in and teach ya how to create the perfect wedding timeline for your big day!

PREV. JOURNAL NEXT JOURNAL

1. Details & Getting Ready

Ideal Time Allotment: 1-1.5hrs

Ideal Time of Day: Morning or Afternoon

Ideal Location: Space with natural light; Room with either large windows or many windows to allow ample light to enter

Have the photographer arrive at the end of make-up application (so at this point you’re mostly ready)! Photos can be taken as the last details are being done, as well as the overall details (rings, other jewelry, wedding dress not yet on you, shoes, flat lay of invitation suite, bouquet etc.) while everyone else gets their hair and make-up done.

During this time, images of putting on the dress (if you wanted those), of bride portraits, of you and your bridesmaids (if there are any), and the groom, his details, and then photos of him and his groomsmen “getting ready” can be taken. This entire time should be used for the details that set the tone for the day. Here is where your story begins to unfold.

If after these photos are taken and the ceremony and reception area are ready, then details of that should be taken before any guests arrive!!

2. First Look

Ideal Time Allotment: 10-15 minutes

Ideal Time of Day: Afternoon – 4PM; in Daylight

Ideal Location: Outdoors! Venue Garden? If backyard wedding, then in front of home OR in the neighborhood streets

I just want to say first look’s don’t take away from the walk down the aisle!! It gives you a way to have more bridal portraits, allows you to get family photos out of the way before the ceremony, gives you some intimate time before the big moment, and allows the timeline to breathe a heck of a lot! Buuuuuuut I’m not telling you how to run your life, and not doing a first look is absolutely okay!!

3. If you decide to do a first look, then the Wedding Party photos and Family Photos will come after.

Ideal Time Allotment: 30-35 minutes

Ideal Time of Day: Afternoon – 4PM; in Daylight

Ideal Location: Outdoors! Venue Garden? If backyard wedding, then in front of home OR in the neighborhood streets

Here we’ll go down the formal family list, and then do our bridal party photos! This opens up the rest of the day for guests and gives us some time to do more bridals during sunset time (during cocktail hour)!!

If you decide against the first look, then you should move-up the timeline, and family photos, bridal party, and bridal portraits can be done during cocktail hour (in that order, keep bridal portraits ’till the very end because that’s the best light)! AND, to make even more time for bridal portraits without first-look, get individual families out of the way during the getting-ready photos!

How to Create the Perfect Wedding Timeline for Your Big Day

4. Ceremony

Ideal Time Allotment: ~15-30 minutes

Ideal Time of Day: ~2 hours before sunset time

Ideal Location: Outdoor Ceremony Location!! If it’s very bright out, try and find a shady area to do it if possible! And, if it’s an indoor ceremony, I’d suggest to do it maybe 3 or 4 hours before sunset so ample light can enter the location through the windows!

Tying the knot time!! You want some beautiful light during this time because vows will be spoken, and promises made, you want these images to be as perfect as can be. If the sun is way too high up in the sky, then it will cast unpleasant shadows on faces (this usually happens at around 12-3PM, but of course 3PM might be perfect during winter time.. just depends on the season and sunset time!). Anyway, if it has gone down too much, without flash these images will be grainy and darker, and if too close to sunset, then you don’t have light left for later!

5. Cocktail Hour

Ideal Time Allotment: ~25-35 minutes

Ideal Time of Day: ~1 hour before sunset time

Ideal Location: Different than family photos and bridal party photos, for variety

After the ceremony, while people are mingling, we will flee to catch some sun-set bridals! But if we already did some portraits of the two of you during the first look, we don’t have to spend much time here and you can get back to the party quicker!

6. Reception

Ideal Time Allotment: Rest of the night!

Ideal Time of Day: Preferably right during sunset time

Ideal Location: Outdoors, Venue garden

Grand entrance of bridal party, then bride & groom enter straight into their first dance!! You get some sunset/blue light for this time! Then dinner (about 1hr for everyone to get their food), toasts, special dances, cutting cake, bouquet toss, and any other special happenings! After the first dance, the rest of the night will be in flash! If your photographer knows how to work well with flash, then wohooo it’ll be beautiful! OH! Just a note! If you can add string lights to the reception area, it’ll be so dang pretty with flash! The end!!

And that is how you break down the day and create the perfect wedding timeline!

There are of course no rules to this magic but this is how I create my wedding timeline for my brides and grooms and it works out beautifully with the light of the day. On top of the wedding timeline, before I even start to create it, I always add three important things to refer back to: Date, Sunset Time, and Photo Coverage (hrs). That way I try and put all of their most important things that they want photographed in that time limit, and use light to my benefit during those hours.

If you have any questions regarding the way I create my timeline’s or anything else included in this blog post on how to create the perfect wedding timeline for your big day, please don’t hesitate to reach out!! Also, if you’re interested in booking me for your 2020 wedding, let’s talk!!

BOOK ME FOR YOUR WEDDING!