What a Stress-Free Wedding Timeline Looks Like
When it comes to planning your wedding, most couples are overwhelmed with all of the information they find online. Building a solid, well-structured schedule for your wedding day that sets you up for success is one of the most important things you can do. It allows for a stress-free wedding day where you can soak in and enjoy every aspect of your wedding. Whether you have a wedding planner or not, understanding the flow of a wedding day and the reason behind why you need to schedule things at certain times is important. Not only that but you’ll be able to understand what your wedding photographer and videographers will be doing during this time.
Whether or not you’ve hired a wedding planner, it’s important to understand the flow of your wedding day, and why certain parts need to be scheduled during specific times. Not only does this help with logistics, but it also gives you a better understanding of what your wedding photo and video team will be doing throughout the day.
Here’s a breakdown of what a full wedding day timeline typically looks like. It’s a great starting point and gives you an idea of what you can expect. Keep in mind that depending on your culture or traditions, some parts of the day will need to be adjusted by approximately one hour.
Morning: Getting Ready: 7:30am – 12pm
One of the first things I tell my brides when they book me is to add one hour of buffer room for their hair and makeup. Hair and makeup takes a lot longer than expected and it almost always causes delays on a wedding day. The good news is you’re getting this advice for free without booking me. For example, for a typical Western white dress wedding, if your first look or ceremony is scheduled for 1:00pm, plan for makeup to be done no later that 12:00pm and tell your hair and makeup artists that’s the hard line. The best case scenario is that you’re finished early which allows for more time for your prep photos (or to relax). The ‘worst case’ scenario is that you’ll be on time. It’s a win-win. In addition to this, make sure your hair and makeup is done first. This way we can get a head start on your photos while we wait for your bridesmaids.
During this time you can expect your wedding photographer and videographer to be taking photos of your dress, accessories and taking candid photos. When your makeup is 80-90% done, that’s when we’ll start taking your prep photos. If you have two photographers booked, the lead photographer will be with the bride and the second photographer will be with the groom. If you only have one photographer, the general workflow is that the photographer will photograph the groom first, then head over to photograph the bride.
Pro tips
- As the bride, you’re the first priority, so make sure your hair and makeup is done first. Doing this allows us to get a head start on your photos.
- Make don’t forget to iron your bride and bridesmaids robes and steam your veil the night before so they’re wrinkle-free. For the groom, iron your suit and polish your shoes.
- Lay out your dress, shoes accessories etc the night before so it’s easier for your photographer to find them.
First Look: 1:00pm – 12:30pm
If you’re doing your first look, it will be scheduled right after your prep and before your ceremony. It’s a quiet and intimate moment that you and your fiancé get to share before you say your vows. If you prefer to have a private first look without anyone around, have your photographer let your family and bridal party know that from their experience, it’s best to keep this moment between the two of you so that it’s more relaxed. Countless time’s I’ve had brides tell me they don’t want to be ‘bad guy’, so I always take the lead when it comes to that.
If you’re keeping with tradition and saving your first look for the ceremony, we can use this time for group portraits and candid prep coverage.
Ceremony: 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Depending on traditions, ceremonies can range from 30-60 minutes. Make sure you’re tucked away while waiting for all of the guests to arrive.
Post-Ceremony and Portraits: 2:30pm – 4:30pm
Once the ceremony is finished, most couples request a group photo with everyone outside of the church or ceremony location. In addition to that, you can pre-arrange family photos in front of the alter after the ceremony.
Immediately after this we’ll go out for your photoshoot. Budget no less than one hour for your portrait session. In a perfect world, two hours is an ideal timeframe, especially if you have a wedding videographer. I recommend designating either your maid of honour or best man to follow us to carry any of your accessories and water to keep you hydrated.
Evening: Cocktail Hour and Reception Detail Shots: 5:00pm – 6:00pm
When we return from the photoshoot cocktail hour would already have started, so take the time to greet your guests and relax. During this time your wedding photographer will be photographing your wedding décor details and reception space.
Grand Entrance and Reception: 6:30pm – 10:00pm
Your reception will begin with your grand entrance, followed by dinner, speeches, first dance and then the party. Keep in mind that based on your festivities, how many speeches you have etc, your reception schedule will look entirely different. If there’s enough time in the schedule, I usually take my couples out for a quick ten minute sunset golden hour photoshoot. That being said, here’s a sample breakdown:
- 6:30 – Grand Entrance
- 6:40 – MC Welcome
- 6:50 – 8:00 Speeches and Dinner Service
- 8:00 – Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dance.
- 8:15 – Bride and Groom speech
- 8:30 – Cake cutting
- 8:35 – Dance floor opens
As you can see, a good timeline gives keeps the day moving in a way that gives you space to breathe. When a wedding day runs smoothly, you’ll feel more relaxed. The more relaxed you feel, the happier you’ll be. The happier you are, the better your photos turn out. If you’re not sure how to build your timeline, make sure to collaborate with your vendors as they’ll be your best point of contact.
I’m a Middle Eastern wedding photographer in Toronto. Throughout my career I’ve been fortunate enough to photograph almost every culture and religion so my experience allows me to provide you the information necessary to help you start planning a wedding. To look at what an Arab wedding schedule looks like, click here.
