Planning Your Wedding Day
TIMELINES
Planning a wedding is no small task, and for most couples, it’s their first time navigating all the moving parts—it can feel overwhelming! There are so many questions: How do you create a day that flows seamlessly? What’s the best way to ensure you get everything you want out of your photography? How can you avoid common mistakes that throw the day off track? I’m here to help you tackle these challenges and make decisions that will set you up for success.
One of the biggest mistakes couples make is thinking they can handle keeping everyone on track by themselves—or that this responsibility can fall on their photographer. As your photographer, my focus is on capturing the moments that make your day special, not managing the logistics. That’s why it’s so important to designate someone whose sole job is to keep everything running on schedule. If you don’t have a wedding planner, choose someone who isn’t in the wedding party and is great at organizing and wrangling people. This allows you, your wedding party, and your family to enjoy the day stress-free while ensuring everything stays on track.
Ultimately, the most impactful decisions revolve around your wedding day timeline. A well-structured timeline can make all the difference—helping the day flow effortlessly and even saving the day when unexpected challenges arise. I’ve seen poor timelines create chaos, and I’ve seen thoughtful timelines turn potential disasters into smooth successes. If you focus your energy on just one thing during the planning process, let it be creating a strategic timeline—it will have the greatest impact on your day. Let’s get started!
When you’re planning a wedding day timeline, the best advice I could give is to ADD CUSHION TIME! Sometimes the most simple things can take an extra 20 minutes and then all of a sudden, the whole morning is thrown off. I have seen “getting the bride in her dress” take almost 40 minutes because of a button malfunction. It’s a smart idea to add in an extra ten minutes here and there so that we have some wiggle room to work with! This way, if one part of the day gets thrown off by 20 minutes, I can help you compensate for that time in other areas. There are so many different things to think about when you’re planning a wedding day, so here are some tips for the pre-ceremony timeline! I realize that every single wedding day is different and so not all of these tips will apply to every wedding day schedule. Something else to consider is that not EVERYTHING will go as planned, and I promise you, that is completely normal!!
Timing Tips
BOUQUETS + BOUTONNIERE
You will need your bouquet & boutonniere for your First Look! Have them delivered to the room where the bride is getting ready. (This is the perfect thing to assign whomever is in charge of keeping you on schedule.)
hair + makeup
I encourage brides to have at least their makeup done before I start because who wants a ton of shots without their makeup on?!
travel time
Be sure to think about the travel time and TRAFFIC to and from your getting ready location and your venue!
groomsmen prep
My second shooter will photograph the guys getting ready if they are getting ready in the same location as the bride. If they are not in the same location, we’ll need to plan for this travel time in the timeline.
getting-ready spot
Set aside a spot near a window that’s just for you. Clear out bags, cups, water bottles and bridesmaid things, and keep hair and makeup set up somewhere else, so you can get dressed while your girls do too.
your dress helper
Whoever is helping you into your dress should have their hair and makeup done early, so they’re dressed and ready to help. Then you’re off!
PRE-CEREMONY
9:00 AM: Bride arrives
9:00 AM – 1:30 PM: Hair and makeup
10:00 AM: Access to the reception room for setup
12:00 PM: Wedding party lunch
12:30 PM: Photographers arrive (Lead Photographer: dress and details; Second Photographer: venue and scene-setting shots)
1:30 PM: Bride gets into her dress (Lead Photographer); groom gets ready with his dad and brother (Second Photographer)
2:00 – 2:45 PM: First look and couple portraits
2:45 – 3:15 PM: Wedding party portraits (Lead Photographer: bridesmaids and full party; Second Photographer: groomsmen)
3:15 PM: Bride tucks away to relax before the ceremony
4:00 PM: Guests arrive
CEREMONY + COCKTAIL HOUR
4:30 PM: Ceremony
5:00 PM: Family formals (Second Photographer)
5:00 – 6:00 PM: Cocktail hour
5:30 PM: Reception room reveal and cocktail hour (Second Photographer)
5:40 PM: A few more couple portraits in the reception space (Lead Photographer)
6:00 PM: Bustle dress before introductions
Summer Wedding
First Look
RECEPTION
6:00 PM: Reception room opens
6:15 PM: Grand entrance
6:15 – 6:45 PM: Speeches
6:45 – 7:30 PM: Dinner (both photographers take a 30-minute dinner break)
7:30 PM: Parent dances, then the couple’s first dance
After the dances: Romantic portraits (sunset or indoors)
8:30 PM: Cake cutting
9:30 PM: Dance floor and late-night details
10:00 PM: Photographers depart
With a 4:30 ceremony, a 2:00 first look let me finish couple and wedding party portraits before guests arrived. After the ceremony I only needed family formals, so the couple still got to enjoy cocktail hour, and romantic portraits (sunset or indoors) fit right after the dances. Coverage: 9.5 hours, 12:30 PM to 10:00 PM. Both photographers cover every event unless a line names the Lead or Second Photographer. A third photographer can join when you want drone coverage or extra details.
PRE-CEREMONY
9:00 AM: Lead Photographer arrives and gets settled
9:30 AM: Bride’s details (Lead Photographer)
10:00 AM: Second Photographer arrives and heads to the groom and groomsmen; Lead Photographer stays with the bride
10:30 AM: Hair and makeup finish; guys get dressed; videographer arrives
10:45 AM: Bride gets into her dress (Lead Photographer)
11:00 AM: First look with Dad (Lead Photographer)
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM: Wedding party photos (Lead Photographer: bride and bridesmaids; Second Photographer: groom and groomsmen)
12:15 PM: Bride and bridesmaids leave for the church
12:30 PM: Arrive at the church; guests begin arriving
CEREMONY, PORTRAITS + TRAVEL
12:45 PM: Processional begins (Second Photographer catches the bride at the church doors)
1:00 PM: Ceremony (Catholic Mass)
2:00 – 2:30 PM: Family photos inside the church
2:30 PM: Military saber exit
2:40 PM: Couple lights a candle in memory of a loved one
3:00 PM: Wedding party and couple portraits at the church
3:40 PM: Wedding party leaves for the reception venue
4:20 – 4:40 PM: Arrive at the venue; private moment for the couple
Catholic Ceremony
Aisle First
RECEPTION
5:30 PM: Guests are seated
5:45 PM: Grand entrance and first dance
5:55 PM: Welcome from the bride’s dad and a blessing
6:05 PM: Salads served; photos at the sweetheart table
6:30 PM: Dinner and champagne
6:45 PM: Toasts and the couple’s thank-you speech
7:20 PM: Cake cutting
7:35 PM: Father-daughter and mother-son dances
7:45 PM: Group photo on the dance floor, then open dancing
8:00 PM: Romantic portraits (sunset or indoors)
8:30 PM: Photographers depart
This couple skipped a first look, and it worked because of the timing. The 1:00 Mass left plenty of time before the 5:45 reception for family photos, wedding party and couple portraits at the church, and the drive to the venue. The one thing to plan around is the next Mass: the church needs the space back, so I keep the family photo list focused to fit the time inside (here, 2:00 to 2:30). Coverage: 11.5 hours, 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM. Both photographers cover every event unless a line names the Lead or Second Photographer. A third photographer can join when you want drone coverage or extra details.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Winter weddings are gorgeous! However, they do take some additional planning simply because of the sunset time. The hard part about a winter timeline is the fact that the sun sets around 4pm. This means that all of your portraits have to be done before then! This isn’t a problem if you’re having a late afternoon wedding. However, if you’re planning on having a late evening wedding, you may have a bit of down time from 4pm until the start of the ceremony. You will also need more coverage time as well.
Fall weddings are my favorite! This is probably because Ben and I got married in the fall! I love the temperature and the colors! Most of my fall brides worry about color, and I just want to encourage you that all I need is one tree with some color in order to make it look like fall! A little bit of color can go a long way!! Your portrait time will vary depending on your wedding date! We’ll be sure to discuss this when we approve your final timeline!
Spring weddings are wonderful because they are the perfect temperature! However, I recommend having plenty of Claritin and Zyrtec on hand just in case allergies start to flare up during portrait time. Spring weddings normally mean the potential for some blooms! If we happen to find any type of blooming tree or plant, it will be worth it to give us a few minutes for portraits with it! You’ll LOVE the result!
Summer weddings are amazing! I love that there is so much daylight! In some months, the light will last until 9:30pm! So, if you’re having a summer wedding, you’ll need to plan on having a few minutes to slip out of the reception for your sunset portraits! You will NOT regret this! This is the absolute best light of the day and you’re going to want to have portraits during this time period. Usually these portraits happen during dinner or open dancing so that no one even notices that you’re gone for a few minutes!
Seasonal Portrait + Timing Tips
Day Of Reminders
If possible, collect all of your details before I arrive so that I can begin quickly and have more time for some “getting ready” shots of you and your girls!
Gather
The Goods.
Sometimes, depending on the theme and “look” of the wedding day, there may be some extra elements that you could include when you gather your details. This could be a linen from one of your tablescapes or some ribbon that you used on bridesmaids gifts. Anything that has great texture and flows with the theme of the day would be wonderful to have as options for detail shots!
Extra Elements
The most common detail missing when I arrive are the rings! Moms, officiants and planners will tell you to hand over your wedding band to the best man before the day begins. However, it’s actually better to hand it over during the bridal party portraits so that I can shoot some great ring shots at the beginning of the day! If you forget, no worries, I can always send someone to grab the rings we're missing.
Keep All Three Rings
Don’t forget the bouquet! Have the bouquets and boutonniere delivered to the bride before the first look so that she can have her bouquet in her portraits. No worries, if it’s hot, we’ll be sure to keep it in water as much as possible before the ceremony!
Bring The Bouquet
The Ceremony
Here it is! The moment everyone has been waiting for! The music is playing and the guests have been seated. Ushers make their way to the back of the aisle and the coordinator is lining up the attendants while giving the musicians a 5 minute warning. The couple is about to walk down the aisle to the love of her lives..... and if they are like most couples, they've dreamed about this moment for a long time! Vows will be shared and promises will be made... this is what it’s all about! In a world full of wedding blogs, Pinterest and wedding magazines, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and consumed by the “prettiness” of the event. While details do matter and planning is necessary, it’s important to never lose sight of the real purpose of this amazing day!
Unplugged
Imagine this with me for a second: You're in my shoes, and the most important moment of the day is about to happen. I've checked my camera settings, taken test shots, and I'm ready to capture the bride coming down the aisle to her groom. I want to get all the reactions, angles, and emotions in those few precious seconds. But just as everyone stands and the music begins, I see not one, but three family members and friends take a step out into the aisle with their iPhones, blocking my shot. I’m scrambling, trying not to miss a thing, but now I’m dodging guests who are unknowingly in the way of the beautiful moment I’m trying to capture. Their phones, arms, and heads are blocking my view of the bride and her dad, and it’s honestly one of the most stressful things a photographer can experience during a ceremony.
The good news is, this can all be avoided with an "Unplugged Ceremony." This simply means that you ask your guests to leave the photos to the professionals, allowing them to fully enjoy the ceremony without distraction. It ensures that no one gets in the way of those priceless moments, and it allows your photographer to do what they do best—capture the ceremony in all its emotion and beauty, without any distractions. Trust me, it's a game changer.
I hate to break it to you, but those cute signs asking guests to "put away their phones" aren't always as effective as you might hope. If your officiant isn't experienced with keeping things on track, they may announce the no-phone rule too late, and it can lead to chaos just when you want everyone to be focused on the ceremony.
The most effective way to make this happen is to have your officiant make a bit of a spectacle out of it right before the ceremony starts (maybe even a fun selfie with the guests!) and ask everyone to put their phones away. Then have an usher or your coordinator catch anyone who walks in late.
Family Formals
Sample List
I absolutely love meeting my couple’s families on the wedding day! Family formals are normally my first interaction with them and so I love to have a game plan for this part of the day! Eight weeks before the wedding, you’ll receive a questionnaire from me that will ask you to list out the family formals you want me to capture. Here is a sample family formal list to help you start preparing what shots you need. I do have to limit the family formal time in order to ensure that we have plenty of daylight for your romantic portraits. However, any large family group shots that we don’t accomplish during family formals, we can be sure to capture at the reception!
Bride + Her Parents
(one at a time, then together)
Add Groom
Add Siblings
Add Grandparents
(full core group)
Add Significant Others
(largest group)
Bride + Groom + Each Set of Grandparents
Groom + His Parents
(one at a time, then together)
Add Bride, then Siblings, then Grandparents
Couple + Both Sets of Parents
Couple + Everyone
Couple + All Siblings
RAINY
In Case Of A
Wedding day
One of the most frequently asked questions I get during wedding season is “Soooo, what do you do if it RAINS?!” At your timeline meeting, we are going to talk through the dreadful question together: what’s your wedding day rain plan? Saying “it won’t happen” isn’t an option, and it will only create more stress if the forecast changes. Here are a few things to think about:
1. Have a Plan B for photos and locations, especially your ceremony and family portraits.
2. Hopefully you picked a venue where the rain plan isn’t an awful one! If you haven’t, are you willing to get a little wet or use those cute clear bubble umbrellas?
3. Embrace the rain! It can make for some of the greatest memories, especially for your evening portraits at the end of the night. And overcast skies still mean beautiful, vibrant colors in your images!
Exits
If your coverage ends before the very end of your reception and you are hoping to have an “Exit” shot captured, you have the option of planning to do a “Controlled Exit” with your bridal party! This is more common than you may think. Instead of saving your exit until the very end, you can plan a controlled exit with just the members of your bridal party and a few family members right before introductions! This allows us to have more control over these shots and the party NEVER has to stop! Not to mention jackets, ties, boutonnières, and bouquets will all still be intact. In most cases, no one even notices it’s happening because they will all be in the reception area. Plus then you can still have beautiful light.
Three Reasons to Consider a Controlled Exit:
1. Multiple chances at an epic shot : When you do an exit shot at the very end of the wedding day, I only have one chance to capture the two of you as you run through sparklers or whatever type of exit you have planned. When you do a “controlled exit”, I have multiple chances to capture several awesome exit portraits for you!
2. You haven’t partied all night yet : This means that your makeup and hair are still intact for your exit shot! That’s a win right there!
3. Coordinated Colors : When you are surrounded by your bridal party instead of wedding guests that could be wearing distracting colors, you can expect to have beautiful exits shots surrounded by your wedding colors!
