Easiest Way To Create A Wedding Timeline | By A Wedding Photographer
To help make sure that your wedding day runs as smoothly as possible, follow the guide below and use our time line template to help with your wedding day planning.
Creating a detailed, hour-by-hour wedding day timeline will help you stay organized, stress-free, and on time (because even running a few minutes late can throw the whole day off).
First, familiarize yourself with how long each wedding activity generally takes. To help, I’ve listed some of the key moments on a wedding day and how long each moment will take with photography included.
Hair & makeup: 3-4 hours (depending on the size of your bridal party)
Groom’s getting ready photos: 30 minutes
Bride getting dressed: 10 minutes
Bride getting ready photos: 45-60 minutes
First look: 10 minutes
Family & Bridal portraits: 15-60 minutes (depending on the size of the family & bridal party)
Bride & Groom portraits: 20-30 minutes
Ceremony: 30-60 minutes
Cocktail hour: 1 hour
Reception: 5-6 hours
Now, you'll be ready to create a wedding itinerary fit to your needs.
If you’d like us to personally help create your wedding day timeline, get in touch by contacting us and we’ll help create the best timeline that’s perfect for your wedding day.
A Traditional Wedding Day Timeline
8 Hours Photography/Videography
9:00 a.m. Hair and makeup arrive on-site
9:30 a.m. Hair and makeup prep begins
1:00 p.m. Photographer/Videographer arrives on-site
1:15 p.m. Groom’s details & getting ready photos
2:00 p.m. Brides details & getting ready photos
2:15 p.m. Wedding party gets dressed
2:30 p.m. Bride’s getting ready photos with dress
3:00 p.m. Couples first look
3:10 p.m. Wedding party and family shots
3:30 p.m. Shuttles from hotels begin
4:30 p.m. Wedding party arrives on-site
5:00 p.m. Ceremony starts
6:00 p.m. Ceremony ends/cocktails begin
7:00 p.m. Reception begins
7:20 p.m. Introduction and first dance
7:20 p.m. Guests take their seats and first course is served
7:25 p.m. Parent Dances
7:45 p.m. Speeches & Toasts
8:00 p.m. First course cleared and main course set
8:15 p.m. Dance floor opens for guests
8:45 p.m. Cake cutting
9:00 p.m. Photographer/Videographer leave
9:00 p.m. Dance floor opens for dancing
11:00 p.m. Couples make their exit
Key Take Aways
1.) Start early, like really early! There's no such thing as starting the getting-ready process too early, especially if you intend to take photos before your ceremony. Although starting that early for your wedding may seem absurd, keep in mind that a bride's hair and makeup might take up to 90 minutes to complete. Additionally, if your bridesmaids are having their hair and makeup done by a professional, it will add even more time to the process.
2.) Talk to a wedding planner or day of coordinator. When drafting your final wedding day timeline, wedding planners and venue event managers are typically the best people to turn to. Based on their professional expertise, they'll have a good idea of how to organize the day and how to modify your vision to suit the constraints of time. You should also ask your vendors how much time they will need for setup and preparation so that you can take that into consideration when booking them.
3.) Add some buffers. There might be some minor (but significant) details that you might forget to include in your wedding timeline, such as having breakfast (very significant!), signing the marriage license, and other things. Make sure that your schedule has plenty of room for unexpected events. Your wedding planner or the event manager at the venue should be aware of these and be able to assist you in scheduling them in. Allow at least a 15-minute buffer for any transportation arrangements (to the ceremony or from the ceremony to the reception) in case of unforeseen traffic jams or other delays.
If you’d like us to personally help create your wedding day timeline, get in touch by filling out the form below and we’ll help create the best timeline that’s perfect for your wedding day.
