Making a Timeline
Venue: Avent Orangery
Making sure your day goes without a hitch – well, except the one! – is crucial in any bride or groom’s planning process. That is why I love to bring the logistics of your timeline into the spotlight during our first meeting together. Each photographer paces their day a little differently, and unless you’re totally breaking the wedding day mold, there’s some cadences that we can anticipate and plan for. In this post, I’m going to share a typical “Full Day Photography Timeline” of mine so you can see how the average day flows. This schedule varies when discussing half day timelines, videography, and especially when foregoing a first look, but it’s an excellent starter guide to give you the basics! If you have any questions about best practices for your own wedding day, reach out via our Contact page and we’ll be happy to assist you.
Here’s a quick visual run down if you aren’t able to download the file! As you can see, it’s pretty go-go-go until the dance floor opens and you can finally let loose. I always try to budget some extra down time in between so you can still slow down and enjoy the day, however it’s also important to not have too much extra time during the reception as it can be deadly to your after party vibes. As a rule of thumb, it’s always good to factor in an abundance of time at the beginning of the day so even if you are running a few minutes behind early on, there’s ample chances to catch up before ceremony begins. And I feel like this always needs to be said – take every second you can to soak in that fresh married feeling and absorb the love that’s surrounding you on your wedding day. It’s so dang magical to feel that support and love from your family and friends whenever you stand up to marry your best friend, so take a deep breath, slow down, and savor it!
10 Hour / Full Day Photography Timeline
12:00pm –*Photography Arrives*
1:30pm – Bride’s Side (Getting Ready)
2:00pm – Groom’s Side (Getting Ready)
2:30pm – Hair & Makeup Finish
2:45pm – Bride Gets in Dress
3:15pm – First Look (Y/N)
3:45pm – Full Wedding Party
4:00pm – Bride’s Side (Formals)
4:20pm – Groom’s Side (Formals)
4:40pm – Couple’s Portraits
5:00pm – Tucked Away
5:30pm-6:00pm – Ceremony
6:00pm – Family Photos
6:00pm-7:00pm – Cocktail Hour / Couples Hour
7:00pm – Grand Entrance / Cut Cake
7:15pm – Dinner
8:00pm – Toasts
8:15pm – First Dances
8:30pm – Open Dance Floor
9:30pm – Final Photo Ops
10:00pm – Photographer Leaves
While this may be your average breakdown, this is not a one-size fits all! I regularly have elopements and Half-Day services that flip the script on this little outline. This draft can also change depending on the season you’re getting married in! As we’re based in the midwest and the sun sets at approximately 4:00pm in the winter, I would highly recommend the couple to do a first look, otherwise once guests arrive, we will have limited indoor photo spots available to us, and outdoors won’t be quite as pretty! And on the other hand, in the summer, the sun can set around 8:30pm or even later some nights! This is when it’s great to pencil in some time to duck off the dance floor and decompress a little with a few more portraits in the warm summer glow.
I hope this template is useful for you as you start checking off your planning to-do’s! Remember, everyone structures their day just a little bit differently, so talk in depth with your photographer and planner to see what their work flow is and how it aligns with your own unique timeline plans. Happy planning!
