Your Guide to a Wedding Day Timeline | Sample Wedding Timeline Included
Are you knee-deep into wedding planning and wondering how to create the perfect wedding day timeline to ensure your day goes as smoothly as possible? I’ve got you covered!
I’m a professional wedding photographer and videographer based in Duluth, MN and I’m an expert in all things wedding timeline! I’ve helped many couples build a wedding timeline that works for them and their guests. I like to joke that I’m 51% wedding photographer 49% wedding planner!
In this blog, you’ll find some tips to consider when building your wedding day timeline, as well as a wedding timeline sample to help guide you!
Why is a Wedding Timeline Even Necessary?
Simply put, a well-organized timeline can be the difference between your day running smoothly or being very stressful and chaotic. Having a timeline ensures that all events on your big day are captured beautifully in photos (and video if you choose to have that!), but more importantly, it allows you to enjoy your wedding without needing to worry about what comes next.
It also helps you coordinate all the details with your wedding vendors so that everything is set up for the time it’s needed!
Getting Started with Your Wedding Timeline
First things first, you don’t have to plan things by the minute – it will only leave you more stressed! Plan things in 15 to 30-minute intervals. That allows you to have a bit of a buffer time and enjoy moments during your big day without feeling rushed.
Creating a wedding timeline is a unique process because no two wedding days are the same, however, most days follow a similar pattern. When I create the timeline with my couples, we take a deep dive into the vision they have for their wedding day.
These are some of the questions we go through that you should consider:
Are you planning to have a first look or first touch with your partner?
Are you planning to do a first look with your parents? Or maybe with the wedding party?
What time are you getting ready? Where are you getting ready? If it’s away from the venue, we must consider travel time to the venue.
What time is your ceremony? How long it’s expected to last?
Family photos – would you like to take them before or after your ceremony? How much of that you’d like to include?
Wedding portraits – how much time do we have for them? Will we need to travel off-venue? Do you want to take couples portraits at sunset? (The light is going to be gorgeous and it’s so romantic, so I definitely recommend doing it! BUT if you don’t want to be taken away from your reception then we will get beautiful portraits earlier before the party kicks off!)
What time are you planning to have dinner served?
What time is the cake cutting?
What time are you planning your wedding exit (if any)?
KEY NOTE: Your wedding day is, your, wedding day. So take what you want to do to make your wedding perfectly tailored to you, and leave behind what isn’t!
I also take note of all the fun activities planned at the reception and pencil them in approximately to make sure that I get to capture all those moments on camera!
Fine-Tuning Your wedding Timeline
Once the initial wedding timeline draft is ready, I like to check in with my clients about a month before the wedding to go over everything and ensure that it aligns with the vision, they have for their wedding day and the needs of the other vendors.
That’s when I fine-tune the schedule, add in any buffer times, or adjust it to accommodate any changes that might have come up!
Sample Wedding Timeline (10 hours)
Here’s a small peek at a sample wedding day timeline based on a real wedding I had the honor to be a part of recently! The timeline covers a 10-hour photography and videography service.
10:00: Start of the photo and/or video coverage
10:00: Getting ready photos and detail shots
12:00 – 12:30: Getting into the dress
1:00: Bridal portraits (Just Bride, think “editorial” vibes)
1:30: First look with private vows
2:00: Couples portraits
3:15: Family photos
4:00: Seating for the ceremony
4:30: Ceremony
5:15: Post-ceremony sunset wedding portraits/cocktail hour for the guests
[ check your sunset time then subtract 1 hour. That is when we should go out to take photos! ]
6:00: Reception starts and dinner is served
6:30: Speeches
7:00: First dances and cake cutting
7:30: A fun scavenger hunt musical chairs game
8:00: End of photo and video coverage
Your wedding timeline is also going to look different depending on the season you’re getting married in due to when the sun is setting. For example, typically summer weddings get started later in the day, and in the winter we want to use as much natural light as possible, so we plan to get a lot more done in the beginning to middle of the day. (Sometimes the sun can set before 4pm in Duluth in December!)
Remember, this is just a sample wedding timeline! Your wedding timeline will be uniquely tailored to your wedding day depending on your wants, needs, and season!
Asher James Creative | Duluth MN Wedding Photographer and Videographer
Your wedding timeline is not just a schedule. It’s a great guide to ensure that your wedding day flows effortlessly, and all the important moments are captured on camera! Your timeline allows you to make your day as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. If you’re looking for more tips to help you enjoy your wedding, read this blog!
Are you ready to start planning your wedding timeline? Get in touch here, and let’s make your wedding day the fairytale you’ve always dreamt of!
