Wedding Timelines

So you are trying to figure out how long things take and what order to do it in? Awesome! Here is our 2 cents on the structure of a wedding day. First things first, there is no ONE right way to do this. I have broken this down into two sections, with first look and without. The standard day (where you see each other for the first time down the aisle is SO charged with emotion and there is just nothing like it! You don't need to worry about people getting bored, these days there are lawn games, card games, hire-mini-golf (seriously that one is awesome!) and people generally don't mind mingling, drinking and chatting in the sun dressed up in their best dresses! However flip side is, The first look allows you to have ALL the time with the guests, way more flexibility about where you have your photos as well as that beautiful intimacy from your first view of each other on your wedding day being ALL yours. We love both!


Hannah x

Classic timeline

  1. Pre-Ceremony cover. If you are with us, then Hannah will rock up to the girls 2 hours before the bride leaves her pre-ceremony location, Matt generally drops her off and then goes to the boys. This gives 2 hours with the girls which allow for finishing makeup, details, dresses, getting dressed, all the things, without having photos BEFORE makeup. Speaking from experience, those photos can be a bit funny, they will be the first ones in the gallery, and if the first view of your "wedding day" is a completely scrubbed no make-up version of you its not great! Matt usually has about an hour, hour and a half with the boys which works perfectly for them because of boys.
  2. The ceremony is usually 20-40 mins, and yes bride we will be a little late and you want to be!
  3. Then we recommend an all-in group photo, followed by mingling/greeting. The reason is that often it can take about 30 seconds per person to congratulate you on your way out after the ceremony. If you have 100 people, that can be WELL over half an hour, by which time everyone's dispersed, and getting people back for a group photo can be a mission!
  4. Family photos: Have your MC prepped to help us get the right people in the right photos and check the family photo suggestion list a bit closer to your wedding date :) it will take on average 1-2 mins per photo if it's organised. SO, if you have 30 photos allow 45 mins :)
  5. Bridal party shoot. In an ideal world allow 1 1/2 hours of shooting time (not including any driving). This means no stressing and rushing, and way more relaxed and fun had by all. We usually split it as 45 mins with the bridal party and 45 mins with the couple, if we run tight on time, the bridal party photo time is often cut shorter.
  6. Reception! This has so many variations, but for the most part, people are pretty ready to sit and eat when the reception starts, so it's generally a good idea not to have an hour's worth of speeches before dinner.
  7. SUNSET PHOTOS! Depending on when your wedding date is, we will be on board with adjusting things based on what time sundown is and working a break in your reception to sneak out and make the most of this
  8. In terms of an actual example timeline:
  • 3pm ceremony
  • 4pm Family photos
  • 4:30 bridal party shoot
  • 6pm Reception entrance
  • 6:30 dinner served
  • 7.30 Speeches (OR sunset)


First Look before Ceremony

  1. Pre-Ceremony is the same: 2 hours give or take, but sometimes a little less.
  2. First look: anywhere from 30 mins -2 hours. We help set this up, Matt normally gets there first with the groom and gets in position, then we co-ordinate and bring in the bride for the "first look" which is just the two of you! Normally we do a handful of photos of you two together and then often have the bridal party join us and do a bridal shoot here too. You have the option to do all your photos now, so more couple ones too, or else some people leave this and do just couple of ones after the ceremony.
  3. The groom will need to leave so he can be at the venue to greet 30 mins before the ceremony time.
  4. Ceremony the same!
  5. Family photos the same:
  6. Bridal shoot: we generally will sneak the couple off for half an hour here to just get a few more photos if the timing works, but it doesn't need to be done, and can be skipped all together (especially if sunset is a given and we can sneak that in later!)
  7. The reception is the same!
  8. In terms of an actual example timeline:
  • 2pm First look
  • 3.30pm Groom and groomsmen arrive at venue.
  • 4pm Ceremony
  • 5pm Family photos
  • 5:30 potential couple photos
  • 6pm Reception entrance
  • 6:30 dinner served