Not sure how much time to allocate on your wedding day for wedding photos? Here is the ultimate wedding photography timeline to help!
Wedding photographers have a lot of pressure on them. It’s up to them to not only photograph key moments such as the cake cutting and first kiss but also to capture the emotion of the big day. In order to get the best wedding photos its important to give your wedding photographer enough time to take the shots they need. Every wedding is different, but here are the ideal time frames to consider when planning your wedding timeline.
Wedding Accessories & Outfits
Before the bride and groom get all dolled up, your wedding photographer will snap a few pics of all of the accessories and details. This includes the rings, shoes, dress, tux, and even additional details such as stationary like the invitation.
Ideal Time Allotment: 30 minutes
Getting Ready
Getting ready shots are some of our wedding photographers’ favorite. They really capture the excitement leading up to the big moment. This is also when we get some amazing candid and bridal beauty shots. Since the bride and groom often get ready at the same time, you’ll want two photographers to capture both.
Ideal Time Allotment: 60 minutes
Individual Bride and Groom Portraits
The best time to take individual portraits of the happy couple is right after prep. A bride’s makeup will be fresh, and the couple won’t be too busy yet. These can usually be done right after getting ready shots in the hotel or bridal suite.
Ideal Time Allotment: 30 minutes
First Look
Not every couple has a first look, which is when the groom sees the bride before the ceremony. Some couples prefer to stick to tradition and wait until the bride walks down the aisle. There are pros and cons to both, but if you’re doing a first look, you’ll want your wedding photographer there to capture it.
Ideal Time Allotment: 45-60 minutes
Wedding Party Photos
You’ll want to capture group shots of the wedding party on your special day. After all, there’s a reason you chose to have them stand up there next to you! These photos can happen either before the ceremony or right after. There’s usually a combination of formal and fun pictures.
Ideal Time Allotment: 45-60 minutes
Family Portraits
Your wedding photographer will try to capture as many family moments as they can during the day. Most couples opt for formal family portraits as well. How long these take really depends on how much family you include. These shoots tend to have a lot of different combinations. TO make it go smoother we recommend making a shot list ahead of time of combinations you absolutely want. In general, it takes about 3 minutes per group.
Ideal Time Allotment: 45-60 minutes
Couple Session
The couple session is when we get the truly stunning photos of the bride and groom. This usually happens after the ceremony while guests are enjoying the cocktail hour. Depending on the ceremony time, our wedding photographers tend to try to make use of the golden hour, just before sunset, to get the best photos.
Ideal Time Allotment: 60 minutes
Reception Venue & Details
There is so much that goes into planning a wedding, and you’ll want to capture it all. Wedding photographers usually slip into the venue before guests arrive to get some shots of everything all set up. This includes wedding details such as the table settings, the venue, wedding cake, and more.
Ideal Time Allotment: 30 minutes
Reception
The reception is when your photographer will be a little looser. They’ll be there to capture the big moments like the cake cutting, first dance, father-daughter dance, speeches, and bouquet toss. However, they’ll also be snapping some candids of all of the guests. How long the wedding photographer stays at the reception depends on your photography package. Sometimes photographers only stay for the first hour to capture key moments, other times they stay until the end. It’s all up to you!
Ideal Time Allotment: 60 minutes+
Additional Shots
In addition to the ceremony and these other moments, you may want your wedding photographer to capture additional events. This is often the case for cultural weddings where there may be important events leading up to the ceremony. This could things such as a tea ceremony, lighting the sacred fire, and more. Just be sure to let your photographer know ahead of time.
