There are a lot of things to consider when planning your Wedding Day Timeline. If you have no idea what you’re looking for in terms of wedding day coverage, mapping out a wedding day timeline is a good way to figure out what you need! But, where do you even start?!

Here are a few things you should consider when planning out your wedding day timeline:

Where do you want to get married?

This may seem pretty straightforward, but it can really make a big difference in your wedding day timeline. There are some wedding venues that book multiple weddings throughout the day, where some wedding venues will only have one event. This can really affect the flow of your day if you have to plan your wedding ceremony at 11 a.m. Make sure you know the specifics of when your venue is having you say your I dos!

Another thing to consider is travelling between your ceremony and reception locations if they’re different. Traffic in the city is usually busier midday on the weekends than it is during the week, so add a few extra minutes for any delays in traffic while driving.

Where do you plan on getting ready?

Knowing where you’re getting ready is a good start to planning your wedding day timeline. It will give you a good framework for determining how much time it will take you to get to your first look or ceremony.

If you’re planning on getting ready somewhere out of the city or far from your venue, it could eat up a good portion of your wedding day timeline. It may make more sense to get a hotel room or Airbnb closer to where you’re going to be spending the majority of your day.

Not sure what a first look is? Keep reading!

Do you want a first look?

First of all, if you don’t know what a first look is – check out my blog post here to learn all about it!

To incorporate the first look on your wedding day timeline, you and your honey would get ready separately. With the help of your photographer, you chose a photo worthy location to meet.

This location can be used for all your bride and groom photos, wedding party photos, and family photos!
So, first looks are the number one way to take advantage of an 8 hour wedding day timeline! If you plan accordingly, you can do all your family photos and group shots before your ceremony.

Is it important for you to spend time with your guests?

If you’re like most couples, a lot of your wedding guests are from out of town. You probably don’t see them a lot and want to take advantage of the time you have.
This is why I recommend first looks! So many times there are couples who don’t get to spend time with their guests because they spent all afternoon away taking photos!

Another great reason to do a first look? Your guests won’t have to wait around for 2-3 hours in between your ceremony and reception; you’ll all be able to go straight to cocktail hour!

But, if you really don’t want to the first look, make sure you schedule your wedding day timeline to allow for the newlyweds to spend time with the guests at a cocktail hour!

Do you want sunset photos?

As a natual light wedding photographer, I will always suggest a sunset session to end your wedding day timeline. Sunset photos are the last moments of the day that you get to spend with the love of your life. The light is flattering, the sun is warm on your skin, the nerves have worn off, and you get to watch the sunset with your best friend.

So, I don’t think I need to convince you on this one ;).

 

Did you like this blog post? If you did check out some more of my wedding planning tips here!

A Wedding Photographers Timeline

Wedding Photo Timeline: Ceremony and Reception @ the Same Venue

See why I became a wedding photographer here!

Oh, and check out my Instagram too! I am always sharing lots of wedding planning tips and tricks over there!