Of all the details you have to plan out for your wedding, from the dresses to the centerpieces, the photography timeline often gets overlooked. Your wedding photos will exist long after your wedding day. You will want to ensure you have enough time to create the perfect picture at each event or milestone.
You only have one chance to get it right, so it is important to have the perfect wedding photography timeline to nail your wedding photos to capture every moment. Every wedding is different and will have its own special moments. Here is a quick guide on ideal times for your wedding photography.
Bride and Groom Preparations – 45 Minutes to 1.5 Hours – Getting ready for the big day is a momentous occasion where you celebrate with those you love the most. Capturing these moments is essential, and the time allotted should be between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.
Individual Portraits – 30 Minutes – After finishing getting ready, you and your partner should prepare for individual photos. This is the perfect time to catch you with fresh makeup and hair and beaming with joy as you see yourself ready for your big day.
First Look – 30 Minutes – The first look is a special moment when the groom gets to see his bride for the first time. It’s a moment of pure emotion and a special time to unwind and relax before you both walk down the aisle.
Wedding Party Photos – 45 Minutes – Now that you both have captured the first look, it’s the perfect time to gather the wedding party. Capture photos of both you and your partner with the important people you chose to walk down the aisle at your side.
Ceremony and Venue Details – 20 Minutes – Before the ceremony and as guests arrive, photos will be taken of the venue and the gorgeous details of the ceremony space. Details that were carefully curated and put together over months of planning.
The Ceremony – 30 Minutes – The ceremony timeline can vary for each person. The ideal time averages around 30 minutes to capture everyone walking down the aisle, saying the vows, and the bride and groom walking back down the aisle as husband and wife.
Photo Walk – 30 Minutes – After the ceremony and during the cocktail hour is the perfect time to take more photos as you both celebrate your newly committed lives together. It can be walking along the gardens or beaches and include family and friends if you’d like. You likely want to keep this short to get to your cocktail hour and enjoy the time before the reception begins.
Cocktail Hour and Reception Details – 30 Minutes – Cocktail hour is the time after the ceremony and before everyone hits the reception and the bride and groom take photos. Your photographer will capture all the reception details and your guests as they enjoy the celebration.
Reception – 2 Hours – The reception photos really depend on if you want your photographer to capture every detail. Two hours is traditionally enough time to capture the cake cutting, the important dances, and, of course, the speeches.
The ideal wedding photography timeline for you on your wedding day should be written out on a detailed schedule. Pad each photo session with a little extra time to wiggle room for emergencies or hold-ups. Ensure your wedding party knows the schedule to help things run smoothly. You can capture all the perfect moments with a well-laid-out schedule to help create memories you can look back on for a lifetime.
When you need a bay area wedding photographer, contact me, and I can help you plan out the perfect wedding photography timeline customized to your needs.