If you are stuck on how to go about creating a wedding timeline, you are in the right place. I want to help make this as smooth as possible for you. If you are one of my couples, enjoy the read but we will create your timeline together. If you are not one of my couples, hope this helps! An example timeline will be at the end. Creating your wedding timeline can be difficult, so let’s walk through it together.

Choosing a Ceremony Time

Once you have nailed down the location of your ceremony, it is time to pick a ceremony time. Timing can be based on a number of things which include : indoor or outdoor ceremony, if you want a morning, afternoon or evening ceremony, what the lighting is like at your ceremony location during the timeframe you may be looking at, and what would work best for your families and guests.

If you are having a church ceremony, talk with the coordinator at the church to see if they have time restrictions on when you can have your ceremony or the amount of time you are allowed to use the church for ceremony and photos. Typically, if you are having a church wedding, these ‘normally’ start between 2-4pm. But, don’t be afraid to try something new!

If you are having an outside wedding, make sure you look at your ceremony in all kinds of lighting scenarios in the same month you would be getting married. View the location when it is sunny, cloudy, and partly cloudy. Take notes on where the sun will be shining, who will have sun in their eyes, and if that lighting is your preferred lighting in all weather scenarios. This might help you determine a time that would work best. I have had morning weddings as early as 10am, evening weddings as late as 7pm, and everything in between. You can really get creative with your timing.

If you are having a wedding inside but not a church, the same goes as with the outside ceremony. Check your lighting. You can also be very creative with your timing as well. The ceremony can start at any time of the day.

Having a Plan

Once you have nailed down a ceremony time, what is your plan for your guests? Will everything flow one plan after the next? Will your guests have time in between ceremony and reception? If so, how much time? What will they do? Cocktail hour? Activities?

If you are having a wedding where your guests will have an extended amount of time in between ceremony and reception, make sure you have a plan for what they might be able to do. If the time between ceremony and reception is greater than 3-4 hours, I have had couples do a close family and friends only ceremony with a large reception of all family and friends. Just an idea to consider.

Planning Time For Portraits

Planning time for portraits heavily depends on size of family, wedding party, and shot list. I would recommend creating a shot list of desired people and groupings to be in photos, and send that to your photographer to get a better sense of how long they would need to accomplish your wants.

If you are the couple who wants the first look, couple photos, wedding party photos, and family photos to be done before the ceremony, I would allow 2-3 hours for photos to take place. The amount of hours also depends on size of wedding party and family. Allowing three hours will give you time to do photos without rushing, enjoying the time with your people, and allowing for wiggle room if things run behind.

If you are the couple who wants the first look to be walking down the aisle, I would allow 1 hour of photos prior to the ceremony to do separately with wedding party and family. I would allow 1-2 hours after ceremony to do photos with wedding party and family as a couple. As well as your couple photos.

If you are a couple who wants everything to be done after ceremony, I would allow anywhere from 1-3 hours for photos, depending on the size of your family and wedding party as well as the size of your shot list.

Knowing How Long to Book Your Photographer

With the information given above, now look at what time you and your partner could be ready by to either start photos or walk down the aisle. Whatever time that is, I would recommend having your photographer coming an hour before to get some getting ready photos and detail photos if desired. The next thing I would look at is when sunset is on your wedding day. If you want sunset photos, I would highly recommend booking your photographer until sunset. If you don’t care about the actual sunset and just want mid-reception evening photos, look at the events you want covered with photography and book your photographer until then. For example, dinner, speeches, cake cutting, dances, couple portraits, etc.

Sample Timeline

Here is an example of a timeline where the couple has an average size wedding party (10 total attendants) and an average size family (4 siblings and spouses on each side). The couple wanted all photos to be completed before ceremony, a first look, couple portraits, photos with all family and wedding party, and sunset photos.

11:30am – photographer coverage begins with details

12:30pm – getting ready

1:00pm – first look and couple photos

1:45pm – wedding party photos

2:30pm – family photos

3pm – rest + touch ups

4pm – ceremony

4:30pm – cocktail hour

6pm – reception entrances into couple first dance and speeches

6:30pm – dinner

7pm – mother/son and father daughter dances

7:15 pm – cake cutting

7:30pm – sunset photos while guests enjoyed dessert

8pm – dance floor opens

8:30pm – photographer coverage ends