A wedding day is one of the most important events of your life, so naturally, you would like everything to run smoothly! To get straight to it, the secret to not worrying about getting in time for any part of the day and enjoying yourself is having a well-thought wedding day timeline. But, how do you know how to plan everything? Worry not, if my photography experience has taught me anything extra, it is about how to efficiently create a time schedule that will guarantee you a stress-free wedding day experience.
Without further ado, here are my top tips to consider when curating the timeline!
1. GETTING READY
Always, and I mean ALWAYS plan a little extra time in your wedding day timeline for this part of the day. That way you will be able to savor every moment with your bridal party, get ready in peace and not rush about anything.
For the Girls: My number one tip for you is to have all your hair and makeup done before the photographer arrives. This will boost your confidence and make you feel amazing! That way, you will have time to do gorgeous pre-wedding photos, detail shots, putting on the dress session, celebrating with your bridesmaids, and enjoying fun moments with your friends and family!
For the Boys: What I would recommend for the groom and his party is to be already dressed and ready before the photographer comes. That will provide enough time for photographing the guys adjusting ties, adding cufflinks, putting on shoes, etc; while already looking sharp, ready, and most importantly – having quality boys fun!
Recommended time for Getting Ready:
- The Bride and her party – 60 – 75 min +
- The Groom and his party – 45-60 min +
2. THE CEREMONY
During the wedding planning process, consult with your celebrant to give you an estimated time of how long it will last. Based on this, I would recommend arriving 15 minutes after your guests arrive, which will assure that everyone is settled and ready. For after the ceremony, add another 15-30 minutes to the estimated time, which will allow your guests to congratulate you, plus it will cushion time for any late starts!
Recommended time:
- The estimated time to ad on post ceremony + 15-30 minutes
3. FAMILY PHOTOS
Help yourself by being organized and make a list of photos wanted before the wedding. Let the members of your family know that you want their presence for the photo session in advance, and make sure that every member is there. You can also ask someone to keep track of the list, rounding the party – especially if the family is large! Plan this in your wedding day timeline for after the ceremony because then everyone is at one place.
Recommended time for Family Photos:
- 30 minutes, depending on the number of photos wanted.
4. BRIDAL PHOTOS
Concerning this, take into consideration several things. Do you wish to go to particular locations? Is your bridal party large? What are the props or cars you would want to be included? Maybe you want some extra time to relax and unwind before heading to your reception?
Calculate extra time for any of the activities.
Recommended time for Bridal Photos:
- 60–90 minutes
5. THE RECEPTION
It’s time to party! During your wedding planning, you will choose your desired venue, which will partially dictate the time you need to plan in your wedding day timeline. Basically not much you can do here, plus it is your time to celebrate! Relax and enjoy!
Photography-wise, communicate with your photographer and tell them about the essentials you want to be captured. Depending on your booked package, work together and go over the details of the schedule and events during the reception. A photographer will always tailor their session in the course of your happenings and wishes.
Bonus tip! Sneak out from your reception to do some intimate golden hour photos! It will be worth it, I promise you!
