We know planning a wedding day can be very stressful because there is just so much to do! To help, we wanted to give you a sample wedding day schedule that has worked for our clients.  This timeline is based on an 8 hour wedding day that includes a first look with a ceremony start time of 3:30 pm. The majority of our couples choose to do the first look to have extra time with each other on the most important day ever!!  Remember all wedding days are different and your timeline may differ due to unique situations. Use this as a guide if you wish. It is your day! We will be happy to answer any questions you have regarding any of this information.

12 pm – 1:00 pm – Getting Ready Photos of Bride and Groom/Detail Shots

Who doesn’t love having beautiful detail shots from their wedding!?  After all, the details are where couples add their unique touch to their wedding day.  We L.O.V.E. having time to shoot the ring, flowers, jewelry, invitations, and the dress! Think about the amount of time and planning that goes into the details for the big day! We feel these shots are so crucial in giving our couples important memories that otherwise might easily be forgotten after the big day. We normally like to spend 30 minutes for this part of the day.  We love if you both (we like groom details, too) can have your details ready for us when we arrive so we can get right to work on those beautiful images. This is also a time when we like to capture shots of the bride and the girls getting ready if it works out that way.

One of us will head to wherever the groom is getting ready during this time to get some awesome shots of the guys getting ready for the big day. After we get the detail shots it is time for the bride to get her dress on!! EEKKK!! One of our favorite moments if the day.  How is this our job!? For this big moment, we usually ask that the mother of the bride and bridesmaids are dressed and ready to go. This way they look nice in these photos AND get to experience the moment with the bride. We will also get shots of the bride putting on her jewelry, shoes, etc.

1:00 pm-1:30 pm – First Look and Bride and Groom Portraits

This was our favorite part of each of our wedding days. For both of us, it felt like the most magical moment of the entire wedding day! No need to stress about where this will take place.  We will help find the perfect location to do this first look so the lighting is perfect! We like to find good lighting and a private location for you to spend this special moment together, as this is one of the only times they will be alone on your wedding day.  

After the first look, we will move on to taking some photos of you together and separate if you would like that. These photos are always full of life as the excitement and emotion from the first look is still in the air!  We will find the locations for these shots as well! Remember, the light determines where we shoot so we can’t decide on portrait locations until the day-of the wedding. As we are shooting these portraits, we ask that the wedding party begins to make their way to meet us for bridal party portraits.  This is a great responsibility for your personal attendant or a special guest. They can wrangle the wedding party together and get them to the location they are needed.

1:30 pm – 2:00 pm – Wedding Party Portraits

Now it’s time for the shots with the people you love and adore so much! We LOVE doing these before the ceremony and the bridal party (who you want to keep happy) loves us for doing them before the ceremony.  That way they can head to the party after the ceremony is finished. We like to remind the bridesmaids and groomsmen to have their boutonnieres and flowers ready to go for these photos.

We will make sure to get photos of the bride with each of her bridesmaids individually (these are the ones we see the most on social media) and the same with groom with each groomsman.  We love to hear any ideas you might have for these photos.

2:00 pm -2:30 pm – Family Portraits

Most of our couples do their family formals before the ceremony because most immediate family members are present at this time.  These are nice to get out of the way at this time rather than attempt to find all of these guests after the ceremony. They seem to get caught up talking to family and old friends. We like to do these formals outside, if possible, for best lighting.  We will send out a questionnaire before your big day to get a list of the photos you want to be sure we get them.

2:30-3:30 – Bride in Hiding

We like to allow a little wiggle room and time to get the bride into hiding before guests arrive.  The worst thing can be when guests start to arrive and see the bride. Once the bride is safe in hiding we will begin getting ourselves ready for the ceremony.

3:30pm-4:00pm – Ceremony

Most ceremonies last around 30 minutes.  We can adjust the schedule for weddings that take longer or wrap up shorter.  Enjoy every moment of the ceremony because it goes so fast. We will make sure to capture the most special moments of your ceremony as well as photos of things you might not see because you are busy staring into each other’s eyes.  

4:15 pm-4:45 pm –  Husband and Wife Portraits

First pictures as husband and wife!! How special is this!? Some like to do these right after the ceremony and then hop into the party with everyone else.  We like that this is the only thing we have to bug you with after the ceremony so you can join the party you spent all of this time planning. Some decide they would rather join the party right away and let us steal them when the sun is getting closer to setting (this would be during your reception time/before your dance).

4:45 pm – 6:00 pm – Social Hour

This is when we like to sneak into the reception hall and get the details (centerpieces, gift favors, cake, etc.) that you spent all of your time perfecting.  We try to sneak in before the guests do so that we don’t have to work around purses and jackets.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Dinner and Speeches

This is where we get photos of you and your bridal party making your grand entrance, the speeches, toasts, the cake cutting, etc.  We love to watch everyone lay back and have a good time!

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm – First Dance Photos

Our wedding package includes 8 hours of coverage so we can be present for all of the above events and the first dance photos (mother/son, father/daughter and first dance) as well as some fun dance photos for about an hour.  If you want more party photos, we can talk about extra hours of coverage.

GET YOUR FREE E-SQUARED RECOMMENDED WEDDING DAY TIMELINE HERE! 

Approximate Times:

Detail Shots/Bride & Groom Getting Ready: 45 Minutes to 1 Hour  

First Look/Bride and Groom Photos: 30 Minutes

Wedding Party: 30 Minutes

Family: 30 Minutes

Husband and Wife: 30 Minutes (as much time as you will allow us)