Wedding Timeline Examples
A good timeline on your wedding day is the key to feeling relaxed, getting breathtaking images and making sure everything you hope to! And for me, that’s my priority in every moment of your day. This is why I am super passionate about making sure your timeline is the best it can be. (Also, selfishly, I want to make sure you have amazing lighting and enough time to create beautiful photos).
In this blog I am going to give you a few examples of what I would do to create a timeline if it were up to me. These wedding timelines are based at various times in the year, baring in mind these are times based in Queensland Australia.
There will also be some tips to think about and reasons for why certain times are shifted around or why I’ve left certain time for things.
My hope is that this blog will make you see the importance of leaving yourself enough time for things that you care about, thinking about light as a key feature in your wedding photos and to help ease you in to creating a timeline of your own.
Please note - these timelines are based around photography and don’t have things included like hair and makeup timelines. But, I’ll include a few tips about those at the end of this blog.
A SPRING WEDDING TIMELINE - BASED ON AN 6:00PM SUNSET
11:30AM - Partner #1 Getting Ready
12:30PM - Partner #2 Getting Ready
2:00PM - Leave for Ceremony
2:30PM - Ceremony
3:00PM - Ceremony Ends + Congratulations Begins
3:15PM - Group Photos + Canapes
3:45PM - Wedding Party + Portraits on site
4:30PM - Guests start to be seated
4:45PM - Wedding Party Enter + Cake Cutting
5:00PM - Dinner Served
5:30PM - Speech #1
5:45PM - Sunset Photos (Golden Hour)
6:30PM - Dessert Served
7:00PM - Speech #2
7:15PM - First Dance, Garter toss, Bouquet Toss, etc. + Dancing commences
8:00PM - Nighttime Flash Shots
8:30PM - Photography Finishes
Spring Weddings are great, it is one of the most popular times of year to get married in. With the mild temperatures, blooming flowers, fresh foliage it is the perfect time of year for outdoor ceremonies and receptions, ensuring your guests and yourselves are comfortable throughout the day. Although, because it is one of the popular times of year to get married, vendors book out fast so if you are planning that fresh, Spring Wedding or Elopement, it’s time to book in your dream vendors!
TIP:
If you are up in the mountains with views all around then you will have more light in the evenings and might want to push back your Sunset portraits. Although if you are getting married where there is mountains to the west, it is a good chance that you’re sunset might be half an hour earlier then what the sun actually sets at, you will want to check with the venue on when their “Golden Hour” is just to make sure your timeline best suits your venue.
A SUMMER WEDDING TIMELINE - BASED ON A 6:45PM SUNSET
12:00PM - Partner #1 Getting Ready
1:00PM - Partner #2 Getting Ready
2:30PM - Leave for Ceremony
3:00PM - Arrive at Ceremony
3:30PM - Ceremony
4:00PM - Ceremony Ends + Congratulations
4:15PM - Group Photos + Canapes
4:30PM - Champagne Tower + Mingle with Guests
5:00PM - Wedding Party + Sunset Portraits
6:15PM - Guests start to be seated
6:30PM - Wedding Party Enter
6:35PM - First Dance
6:45PM - Dinner Course
7:00PM - Speech #1
7:15PM - Dessert Course
7:30PM - Speech #2
7:45PM - Table Dash Shots
8:00PM - Party Commences
8:30PM - Nighttime Flash Portraits
9:00PM - Photography Finishes
Summer weddings used one of the popular times to get married, it’s on holidays in Australia so most of your guests, if not all, will be available. Although it can be one of the more expensive times for booking hotels, airbnbs, etc. It can be one of the most beautiful times as the sun set doesn’t happen until later on the day meaning more beautiful light! Although this time of year can be extremely hot and humid for a Queensland wedding so it’s always good to have an indoor plan with aircon, plenty of refreshments… we all love drunk uncle Dan but not at 3:30pm just after ceremony. Uncle Dan will not look good in photos ;)
I also recommend having later couple portraits, if this means we need to sneak away just for fifteen minutes to get the perfect light then lets do it! Ceremony times being later in the day ensure there is some direction to the light which makes it perfect for you ceremony images!
AN AUTUMN WEDDING TIMELINE - BASED ON A 5:15PM SUNSET
11:00AM - Partner #1 Getting Ready
12:00PM - Partner #2 Getting Ready
1:30PM - Leave for Ceremony
2:00PM - Arrive at Ceremony
2:30PM - Ceremony
3:00PM - Ceremony Ends
3:30PM - Group Photos + Canapes
4:00PM - Champagne Tower
4:30PM - Wedding Party + Sunset Portraits
5:15PM - Guests start to be seated
5:30PM - Wedding Party Enter
5:45PM - Entree Served
6:00PM - Speech #1
6:10PM - Cake Cutting
6:15PM - Dinner Served
6:30PM - Speech #2
6:45PM - Dessert served
7:00PM - First Dance + Party Commences
7:30PM - Nighttime Flash Photos
8:00PM - Photography Finishes
You will notice in each timeline there has been adequate amount of time doing portraits, mingling with guests, etc. The reason is to allow plenty of buffer time in between moments to make sure it doesn’t feel rushes. This also ensures that you spend as much time with those you love.
You will also see Nighttime flash portraits in all timelines, this allows you to do those beautiful sparkler photos, or some high fashion flash portraits, or even to do a beautiful milky way portrait depending on where your venue location is and weather dependent.
WINTER WEDDING TIMELINE - BASED ON A 5:00PM SUNSET
11:00AM - Partner #1 Getting Ready
12:00PM - Partner #2 Getting Ready
1:30PM - Leave for Ceremony
2:00PM - Ceremony
2:30PM - Ceremony Ends + Congratulations
3:00PM - Group Photos + Canapes
3:15PM - Cocktail/Martini Tower
3:30PM - Wedding Party Photos
4:00PM - Guests to be seated
4:15PM - Wedding Party Enter
4:20PM - Entree Served
4:45PM - Couple Sunset Portraits
5:15PM - Cake Cutting
5:30PM - Main Course Served
5:45PM - Speech #1
6:00PM - First Dance
6:15PM - Dessert Served
6:30PM - Dancing Commences
7:00PM - Nighttime Flash Portraits
7:30PM - Photography Finishes
Winter Weddings are perfect for the outdoor Ceremonies, with the Reception having both the option of being indoors or outdoors - Just make sure there are heaters, no one likes cold guests!
ALTERNATIVE TIMELINE!
Lets change things up a little, wanting all the photos but not a photographer to be there for all day? This is a timeline that captures everything and misses those awkward eating moments when your photographer can’t do much for about an hour while people eat. So, let’s try this…
11:00PM - Partner #1 Getting Ready
12:00PM - Partner #2 Getting Ready
1:30PM - Travel to Ceremony
2:00PM - Ceremony
2:30PM - Ceremony Ends
2:45PM - Group Photos + Canapes
3:00PM - Cocktails + Band Starts
3:30PM - First Dance
4:00PM - Dancing
4:30PM - Wedding Party + Couple Portraits
5:30PM - Cake Cutting
6:00PM - Photography Finishes
6:30PM - Main Course Served
You will notice that dancing, partying with guests is a little earlier. This works amazing for when children are at weddings, your friends are parents and can enjoy themselves. Get their dance moves on because let’s be honest, it doesn’t have to be night time to get a little boogie on. In this timeline majority of the key moments is captured, you get more time for your money and not only that, you don’t have people in the post dinner slump. This can be a great alternative for most times of the year!
NOW TIME FOR SOME TIPS…
GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME THROUGHOUT THE DAY TO EXPEREINCE EVERY MOMENT + ENJOY YOURSELVES - Allowing yourself time for all the precious moments ensure you will feel less stress on your day! Simply think of what is important to you and your partner and don’t try to squeeze in all those tiktok trends. They’re great and if something resonates with you then go for it! But simply trying to get all those trends in will make you feel stressed and you won’t enjoy yourself, the images might not reflect this but you will remember how you felt in those moments, and that’s the most important thing. You want to relax, feel those beautiful butterflies of excited, feel the love and look back and remember just how much you enjoyed your beautiful day!
FOR EVERYTHING YOU ADD TO YOUR TIMELINES, THINK WHY YOU’RE DOING IT - I broached this topic a little above but i wanted to touch a little bit more on it. What makes the most beautiful, unique and intimate wedding images, it’s simple, doing stuff that is unique to the both of you. You like to part? Go wild with champagne towers, big champagne pop entrance. A little more intimate and relaxed? Put in a little extra time about 30minutes that is just for the two of you to leave your guests and have a little moment to yourselves. Artistic couple? Why not do the Italian tradition and build your cake on the night? It’s your wedding, make it unique to your relationship.
USE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER / VIDEOGRAPHERS TIME TO BENEFIT YOU - Now by this I mean making sure to not waste any time with travel if you can help it, meals, logistic things that would make your photographer or videographer miss moments. A few examples of how to do this would be…
Book accommodation that’s close together or make sure you (brides) use the bridal suite, that way you aren’t paying your photographer / videographer to just drive
Tell your photographer / videographer if there are any guests that are super important to you, like a friend who flew across the world or your sisters children who you have been for through every moment. That way we can focus our attention on them rather then ending up with a lot of images from your loud Uncle Dan.
Ask your caterers to feed your photographer / videographer when the wedding party and you get fed, not after all your guests. Most venues will try and push after guests but stand your ground for your own benefit. Usually we get our food 5 minutes before speeches, after all guests are fed, meaning that often we’re waiting around during the only time we don’t need to capture the day (literally no one wants footage of themselves eating). After hours of straight running around, no drinking, going to washroom or sitting… to not be able to take 15 minutes to eat… it’s not the best moral.
GIRLS vs. BOYS GETTING READY - Not to stereotype but guys have it waaaaay easier on a wedding day. Hair and makeup take at least an hour and a bit each and the wedding dresses make everything a bit more time consuming. For a guy, usually the hardest thing to do is to tie their bowtie or tie, or putting their boutonniere on correctly (which I am usually there helping with, and it’s a good laugh!)
For grooms, I would allow 1 hour for getting ready photos. This allows for photos before you get ready, photos of details, getting ready then having a drink with your friends.
For brides, I would allow 1.5 hours to 2 hours to allow for a bit of hair and makeup photos, details, the girls hanging out, getting dressed (allow for at least 30 minutes) then being able to have a drink, first looks, etc.SPEAKING OF HAIR AND MAKEUP ALLOW 1.5 HOURS FOR EACH - Your hair and makeup artist will let you know how long they will need for hair and makeup, it depends on how many people they are needing to do to, but I would suggest adding at least 20minutes to the time they gave you. The number one thing that makes a day start to run late is getting ready going over what has been allowed, which is usually affect by the morning events.
FIRST LOOK - ADD 30MINUTES BEFORE YOUR CEREMONY - I love a first look whether that be with your bridesmaids, parents or future marital partner. I would recommend adding an extra 30 minutes so if you’re running late you don’t have to rush away to the ceremony - Remember we want you relaxed and enjoying every moment, no rushing. This ensures you can take your time and truly be in the moment.
GIVE YOURSLEVES SOME BUFFER TIME, AT LEAST 30MINUTES ON EITHER SIDE OF YOUR CEREMONY TO SIMPLY JUST BE - The whole point of your wedding day is to be with the people you love, so make sure you allow yourself 30 minutes before the ceremony to either be at the venue and welcome guests or spend time in your gown at your accommodation with the people you chose to get ready with. This will allow you to remember each moment of your day!
DON’T MAKE YOUR GROUP PHOTO LIST TOO LONG - Personally I think 12 group photos is a good maximum to shoot for. Anything after that, it starts to take way too much time and people are wanting to have some drinks and nibbles. It can also be a very stressful time when people walk off when waiting too long. For your timeline allow 3 minutes per group photo when creating your list.
START YOUR TIMELINE FOR WHEN YOU WANT TO EAT - It can feel a bit daunting to start a wedding day timeline, so if you don’t want to use one I’ve created above, I’d recommend starting with when you’d like to eat then work backwards. Dinner is very much in the middle of your day and no one likes to be hungry, so starting with when to eat will put the rest of your day in to perspective.
ASK YOUR CATER HOW LONG DINNER SERVICE WILL TAKE - That way you know how long to allow for it in your timelines, and when and where you can add in your speeches, cutting of the cake, sunset photos.
BREAK UP YOUR SPEECHES IN GROUPS OF TWO OR THREE - More then 2 long speeches in a row will make people feel restless and usually their drinks are empty from all the toasting. The most common why of splitting them up is this — Speeches before dinner - the parents, speeches in the middle of course - maid of honour, best man, speeches after dinner - the couple
KEEP IN MIND THAT SUNSET IN QUEENSLAND VARIES ON LOCATIONS - Depending on the season you get married in sunset varies from a couple of hours, along with location. Best way is to ask your venue or photographer if they have shot at the venue before on when the sun sets there, as the sun sets differently from up on the range to the hinterland to the beach.
ONLY HAVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER / VIDEOGRPAHER STAY FOR 30 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR OF DANCING - I totally understand the idea of having your vendors stay until the very end of your dancing or at least longer then what I’m suggesting… Just think about how many images you are really wanting of the dance floor and do you really want images of people sweating, spitting drinks or getting a little too excited and possible damage of vendor property.
If you’re unsure about anything or have any questions feel free to reach out to me over on Instagram or have a look through my other blogs!