Wedding Timelines
THE BIG DAY
Here are some examples of timelines for your wedding day to correspond with the packages we offer. Your day is unique to you, and we can work with whatever structure you would like to work with! There will always be longer ceremonies or additional scheduled events - but these timelines may help you see the timeframes we often work with. We are always ready to pivot, and will be looking for special moments to capture from the moment we arrive until we leave.
Disclaimer - These timelines may not fit every wedding. A little wiggle room is always a good idea when you can add it in! Some things to consider when planning your schedule are things like travel, and any part of the day running late. (Common things we see...waiting on uncle Jim to show up to the family photo location, a spontaneous receiving line forming after your ceremony, speeches running long, dinner coming out late bumping back the rest of the evening schedule, etc.)
You can use these timeframes as recommendations for picking your wedding package. We are always happy to add on extra hours to your wedding package when needed for $400/hr. (The larger packages have discounts applied.)
6 hours
1pm-7pm
1pm photographers capture candid finishing touches of bride getting ready (consider travel time +parking and arriving at church early for photographers)
2pm ceremony
2:30 family photos
3-5pm leave for creative photos
(its nice to have a little wiggle room here in case anything runs a bit behind from the itinerary above.)
5pm Cocktail Hour (this can be a fun time grabbing your favourite people for photos, or we take candids we also love if we can get into your reception space before guests to get decor details!)
6-7pm Reception speeches, etc
(We are getting candids of guests laughing, cake, decor details.) You can consider having first dance and cake cutting upon arrival to start the reception off if you want this captured!
10 hours
11:00-9:00
11:00-11:30 groomsmen getting ready
11:30-11:45 guys formal photos together
11:45-1:45 bridal party prep (extra single cut flowers from florist, a printed invitation, pretty perfume, other little details can be nice to have around and set aside for documentary style detail photos.)
2pm Ceremony (add half an hour if you want to do a receiving line here, otherwise it can be helpful to get right to the family photo spot reserved for your smaller group of people)
2:30 family photos
3-5pm leave for creative photos
(its nice to have a little wiggle room here in case anything runs a bit behind from the itinerary above.)
5:30pm Cocktail Hour (this can be a fun time grabbing your favourite people for photos, or we take candids we also love if we can get into your reception space before guests to get decor details!)
6pm Dinner, speeches, etc
(We are getting candids of guests laughing, etc at this time)
8:00pm Cake cutting
8:10pm First dance
8:15pm Fathers-daughter
8:20pm Mother-son dance
8:25pm Dance floor opens
8:45 golden hour photos (dependant day of year)
9pm Photographers depart
12 hours
10:30am-10:30pm
*the extra time is often a good fit for those wanting to capture
-morning gift openings
-golden hour on longer summer days
-a more relaxed time between ceremony and reception, time to freshen up or go for icecream/bar with your bridal party (makes for cute photos!)
-more of the dance floor/candid images of your guests socializing
-sparkler exit/late night food trucks/fireworks
10:30-11:00 groomsmen getting ready
11:00-11:15 guys formal photos together
11:30-1:45 bridal party prep (extra single cut flowers from florist, a printed invitation, pretty perfume, other little details can be nice to have around and set aside for documentary style detail photos.)
2pm Ceremony (add half an hour if you want to do a receiving line here, otherwise it can be helpful to get right to the family photo spot reserved for your smaller group of people)
2:30 family photos
3-5pm leave for creative photos
(its nice to have a little wiggle room here in case anything runs a bit behind from the itinerary above.)
5:30pm Cocktail Hour (this can be a fun time grabbing your favourite people for photos, or we take candids we also love if we can get into your reception space before guests to get decor details!)
6pm Dinner, speeches, etc
(We are getting candids of guests laughing, etc at this time)
8:00pm Cake cutting
8:10pm First dance
8:15pm Fathers-daughter
8:20pm Mother-son dance
8:25pm Dance floor opens
8:45 golden hour photos (dependant day of year)
9pm-10:30 more dance floor/candids, scheduled departures/events