When it comes to your wedding day, and you don’t plan on hiring a wedding planner, you may find yourself searching online for wedding timeline examples. If you are doing that very thing and find yourself on this page, be sure to read on! As a Colorado wedding photographer, I have helped numerous couples plan their wedding timelines to make sure their day runs smoothly and there is plenty of time for all the photo-worthy moments.

On each discovery call with my clients, I make sure to discuss how much time will be needed for the formal portraits– couple, bridal party, family. The amount of time slotted for each one of these can vary based on what the couple desires. In a more pure documentary-style photography coverage, there is little time set aside for these or maybe none at all. But generally my couples like to have a mix of classic portraits and candid coverage.

I’m going to go through a couple wedding timeline examples so you can get a sense for what your own wedding day could look like and get some ideas for your own planning.

Timeline 1: 6 Hours of Photography

10:00 AM Begin getting ready

1:00 PM PHOTOGRAPHY COVERAGE BEGINS

1:00-1:20 PM Bride/bridesmaids getting ready photos in outfits, Groom/groomsmen putting on ties

1:30-1:45 PM Bride and Groom First look

1:45-2:15 PM Groom + Groomsmen Photos / Bride + Bridesmaids Photos

2:15-2:30 PM Full Bridal Party Photos

2:30 PM Bride / Dad First Look

3:00 PM Ceremony

4:00-4:30 PM Family photos/sign marriage license

4:40 PM Grand entrance

5:15 PM Dinner

6:00 PM Cake Cutting

6:15-7:00 PM Toasts and special dances

7:00 PM PHOTOGRAPHY COVERAGE ENDS

7:00-9:00 PM Dance/reception

In this timeline, the 6 hours of photography is really only covering the essentials of the day– from the end of getting ready to the beginning of the dancing at the reception. This is a great photography option for those who are on more of a budget and care only about getting images of the big moments of the day. If you don’t care about having a lot of photos with your bridal party, you can budget just 20 minutes for those and spend more time taking portraits of the two of you. Or you can squeeze in family photos before the ceremony so you are free to head straight into the reception. Really there is flexibility in pretty much every part of a wedding day. Decide what matters most to you, and then start building your timeline.

Timeline 2: 10 hours of Photography

11:30 AM Photography coverage begins

11:30-12:00 PM Bridal/floral/invitation details photos, chapel and reception hall details 

12:00-12:30 PM Bride/bridesmaids getting ready photos

12:30-1:00 PM Groom/groomsmen getting ready photos

1:00-1:15 PM Bride/bridesmaids getting ready photos in outfits

1:30-1:45 PM First look

1:45-2:15 PM Groom + Groomsmen Photos / Bride + Bridesmaids Photos

2:15-2:30 PM Full Bridal Party Photos

2:30 PM Bride and Dad First Look

2:40-2:55 PM Immediate Family Photos

3:30/45 PM Ceremony, photo with officiant after

4:00/15-4:30 PM Extended Family photos/sign marriage license

4:40 PM Grand entrance

5:30 PM Dinner

6:15 PM Cake Cutting

6:30-7:00 PM Toasts and special dances

7:30 PM Golden Hour Pictures

8:00-9:30 PM Dance/reception photos, photos with friends

9:30 PM Photography coverage ends

With 10 hours of photography coverage, you will not miss any moment of your day. Each moment will be crafted into memories by your photography’s presence and beautiful images. This is the best for those who really don’t want to decide which parts of the day to get photos of, but want to remember it all. There’s breathing room in this timeline too, which makes your day feel less hectic. One thing couples often don’t think about is scheduling in a bit of time for those dreamy golden hour photos the hour before sunset. This is also a great opportunity to sneak away from the hubbub and have some time with your new spouse.

Your wedding will be what you make it. Be intentional about your timeline and build in time to just rest and soak it all in. When in doubt, ask your photographer if there is enough time for the photos you really want to get.

If you’re still on the hunt for your wedding photographer, visit my website and inquire! I’d love to build your timeline with you and make sure you hire me for the perfect amount of time for your day.