Sample Wedding Day Timeline

Before we start, you need to know this one thing about building your wedding day timeline…

[Scroll to the end to see our sample wedding day timeline!] When creating a wedding day timeline, our number 1 rule is that, no matter what you do, everything must have buffer time!

We’ve seen the most significant delays work out seamlessly because of buffer time.

Adding more time than you think you need takes any stress from delays off the table.

You build in buffer time, so when delays happen, you still have plenty of time for the next thing. And if nothing runs over? You have even more time to relax, enjoy, and soak it all in!

In this blog post, we’ll cover how to build your wedding day timeline. We also include a free sample timeline at the end!

• Get 4 Sample Wedding Day Timelines
• Starting Your Wedding Timeline
• First Look vs. No First Look
• Getting Ready + Details
• First Look Timing
• Start with the Ceremony
• Post-Ceremony Timeline
• Your Sample Wedding Day Timeline

Building your wedding day timeline can be a very intimidating part of the planning process. You’ve likely never done this before, you have no idea how much time you need for certain things. We get it!

As wedding photographers, we love helping our couples build their timelines because after so many weddings, we know exactly how much time is ideal for every part of the day.

We see what stresses couples out the most, what causes unexpected delays, and most importantly – what allows for the most relaxed, fun, stress-free timeline! 

4 Sample Wedding Day Timelines

Before I walk you through a sample timeline, I want to share one of my favorite resources with you.

We created a complete wedding day timeline template guide to help you create your wedding timeline.

You will get the exact timelines I share with our photography couples, so you can take them and use them as is. We also walk you through a bunch of variations and other tips, so you can make adjustments to the timelines to fit your wedding day.

Stop guessing and stressing about what your day is going to look like, and how much time you need. We’ve seen it all, and we’ve seen these timelines work so well for our couples over and over again. Click here, or grab the guide below! 👇🏻

Starting Your Timeline

When building a timeline, I always start with building the photography timeline, and then you can create the morning-of and evening timeline around that.

I do this because photographers have a set amount of coverage hours, so we need to determine what we can fit into that timeframe. Your hair and makeup end time will depend on what time you need to be ready for photos. 

In our free timeline template guide, first you’ll see our base suggestions for photography timelines – one where the couple *does* do a first look, and then one where the couple does *not* do a first look. 

These first two timelines show 8 hours of photography coverage, and assume that there is no travel time – that everything is at the same venue all day.

First Look vs. No First Look

The one thing that tends to influence the timeline the most is whether or not you do a first look. You’ll want to decide that before you make your timeline. Or create two timelines – one with and one without – and see what you like better. 

We give you first look and no-first-look timelines in our timeline guide, so you can see them side-by-side without having to figure it out yourself!

Getting Ready + Details

Our timeline as photographers usually starts with getting ready and detail photos. We show up at the tail end of hair and make up, shortly before the bride is ready to get dressed.

We suggest at least 45 minutes for detail photos – those photos of your invitation, rings, jewelry, shoes, dress, etc. and some getting ready photos. 

Then we suggest 30 minutes for getting dressed, and some bridal portraits. This includes pictures of your family members or friends buttoning your dress. We have seen some complicated getting dressed sessions – either due to an intricate dress or some technical difficulties. This is not always expected. Therefore, we never recommend less than a half hour for this time. 

First Look Timing

After this, we recommend 15 minutes per first look. If you do a first look with your dad or another family member and then your fiance, that’s a total of 30 minutes.

Will the first look with your family member take 15 minutes? Most likely not. But this includes time for the photographers to set them up in the right spot. For you to walk to them. And some buffer time, which is always, always important.

If you are not doing a first look with your fiance, you can include some optional time before the ceremony for separate wedding party photos.

It’s a good way to get all of your bridesmaid and groomsmen photos done before the ceremony, so you only have to take a few full wedding party pictures after the ceremony.

If you are doing a first look, you can schedule your portraits before the ceremony. If not, you can schedule your portraits for after the ceremony. In general, we recommend a minimum of 90 minutes for your portraits – family photos, wedding party photos and couples photos. 

Start with the Ceremony

To build your timeline, you can start with the ceremony time and work backwards.

Let’s say your ceremony is at 4 p.m. Work backwards from there – give yourself time to hide and rest while guests arrive.

Then plan out your pre-ceremony portrait time.

This will determine what time you need to be dressed. Give yourself time to get dressed, and time for details and getting ready photos.

You’ll arrive at your photographer’s start time! This will also help you determine what time you need to be done with hair and makeup. Ask your hair and makeup artist what time your wedding party needs to start to be done by this time.

Then you can work forward from your ceremony time to determine the rest of your day.

Post-Ceremony Wedding Timeline

Once your ceremony is done, you’ll either plan for your portrait time if you’re not doing a first look, or you’ll plan for cocktail hour. 

This will lead you into dinner, which traditionally starts with a grand march and opening prayer or toast.

Your family or wedding party can give speeches during dinner, and your first dances will likely fall about 90 minutes after the start of dinner. 

Your Sample Wedding Day Timeline

Here is a sample first look timeline, from the start of photography coverage to the end (8 hours of coverage).

The bride should be done with hair and makeup by 12, and all members of the wedding party done by 12:30, especially if you want them to be ready for any pre-ceremony photos!

The timeline for decorating your venue will depend on your venue rules – do they let you in the day before, or the morning of? Just make sure you delegate these tasks, and give yourself as much time as possible!

To see three more sample timelines, download our free timeline template guide here!

Sample Wedding Day Timeline – 8 hours – First Look