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The Timeline
Often during meetings with brides I am asked for suggestions on timeline of the wedding day and how much time will I need for photography. Preparation is very important to insure that everything goes smoothly on the wedding day and I cannot put enough emphasis on what an amazing help it is to have a professional wedding planner and coordinator. Their experience and feedback can be invaluable, and will save you the stress on your wedding day.
If a wedding coordinator is not involved with the planning, the flow of the day often ends up controlled by the wedding photographer. From many conversations with clients, my own experience as well as experiences of other fellow photographers and vendors, I have come up with what I hope is a balanced timeline (for this example the ceremony and reception are held at the the same venue).
2:00 p.m. Photography begins
- One photographer with bride, second photographer with groom
- Photos of rings, wedding dress, shoes, invitations, bouquet, etc.
- Hair and makeup (bride's final touch-ups)
- Preparation candids
3:00 p.m. Bride dresses.
- Candids of bride with mom and bridesmaids
- Candids of groom with father and groomsmen
3:30 p.m. First Look (optional - please, have a look at FAQ's to learn more about it)
- Bride and groom see each other before the ceremony for photos
- Seeing each other before the ceremony is especially beneficial if there is little time for photos after the ceremony
4:00 p.m. Bridal-party pictures
- Bride with her bridesmaids, group and solo photos
- Groom with his groomsmen, group and solo photos
- Entire group
4:30 p.m. Bride goes into hiding from early arriving guests
- Photographers shoot ceremony details and cocktail hour location, if available
5:00 p.m. Ceremony Begins
5:30 p.m. Ceremony Ends
- Receiving line outside the ceremony site to greet guests
5:40 p.m. Family pictures
- Assign one or two people who know everybody to help gather guests for desired shots
6:00 p.m. Cocktail Hour Begins
6:10 p.m. Sunset photos with bride and groom
- This time changes throughout the year and affects all other parts of the timeline. This could be either the main time for the Bride & Groom photos or, if the sunset is later, a perfect time to sneak out from the reception for about 20 minutes to take pictures in the beautiful natural light.
6:25 p.m. Photograph reception details
6:45 p.m. Guests seated for reception dinner
6:55 p.m. Grand entrance
7:00 p.m. First dance
7:05 p.m. Welcome and prayer, if applicable
7:15 p.m. First course served / Buffet line opened
7:30 p.m. Toasts
7:45 p.m. Second course served
8:15 p.m. Father/daughter & mother/son dance
8:25 p.m. Open dancing
9:30 p.m. Cake cutting
9:40 p.m. Bouquet/garter toss (culminates the program)
10:00 p.m. Photography coverage concludes
This is only a very general template and every wedding will require a number of individualized changes. If parts of a wedding such as make-up, ceremony, and reception, all take place in different locations, it will certainly extend the entire timeline. Time of the year will affect the sunset and the timeline may need to be moved to accommodate for it. It may be also a good idea to add a bit of extra time for any surprise gift exchanges and performances, just be sure to not keep it a secret from your photographer.
Photography