The wedding photography timeline and venue go hand-in-hand. When they’re not in sync, you risk missing some of the most beautiful moments of the day. Imagine seeing the sun setting, but when you looked for your photographer, they’d already packed up because the wedding photography timeline and venue didn’t match.
Many couples overlook the importance of timeline synchronization. However, with the proper coordination and points to note before booking your venue or photographer, you can ensure all your best moments are saved on camera.
In This Article:
Creating a Wedding Photography Timeline and Venue
You must consider several things when planning your wedding photography timeline and venue. These include the season of the year, which will affect the time of sunset. The internet can help you with this. Open your browser and type your wedding date, followed by ‘sunset’, and it’ll tell you the exact time.
Ceremony Start Time
When booking a wedding venue, you’ll be given start time options. Consider the choices and count the extra time you need to celebrate with your loved ones afterward, and others in your preparation process.
However, venues can sometimes take a while to respond to your queries due to the overwhelming volume of inquiries. Using platforms like Breezit, WeddingWire, and Wedding Spot will be more effective. Still, many platforms rely on pop-up offers and may feature inaccurate listings.
The all-inclusive wedding venues on Breezit make timeline planning easier. In addition, the platform keeps information up-to-date and always responds to queries immediately. Thus, you can quickly plan your best day without delay.
First Look
Many couples decide to have a pre-ceremony first look, which can be significant in your timeline. It’s one of the best moments to capture during a wedding day, and it’s also a good way to ensure you have a great couple’s photo if the schedule is too tight for extra pictures later in the day.
Sunset Timing
The sunset can significantly affect your schedule if you’re having an outdoor wedding. The golden hour presents natural light that makes pictures look warm and romantic, perfect for timeless and intimate wedding pictures.
Many photographers will encourage you to include a sunset photo, which you should incorporate into your wedding photography timeline and venue if you accept the offer. Then, you should do deeper research about the sunset at your wedding location and the season of your wedding day for accurate timeline planning.
How Much Time Should I Allocate for Each Part of the Photography?
Depending on the occasion, you can estimate how much time you would spend during each photography session. Here’s a wedding photography timeline guide for making a timeline that aligns with your venue.
Getting Ready and Preparations
You may not spend time getting ready at the venue, but it’s essential to inform your photographer if you’d like your getting-ready process to be documented. Then, ask your photographer to come one to 1.5 hours before you leave for the venue.
If your partner is getting ready at the same location, you should spare two hours for your photographer. If not, consider how long it takes for your photographer to get to your partner’s location and the timeline.
Although this process doesn’t happen while you’re at the venue, knowing how long it’ll take to prepare can help you determine the starting time of your ceremony. It’ll also help you ensure you get all your getting-ready pictures taken and won’t have to rush to the venue.
The Start of the Ceremony
When synchronizing the wedding photography timeline and venue, ensure you’ve included the time it takes for you and your photographer to arrive at the venue from the getting-ready space. Your guests also need time, so spare at least five minutes before you start.
Spare times aren’t just needed at the beginning. You should also add some extra time for small celebrations like the confetti, hugs, and kisses from your loved ones. Give your photographer 45 to 60 minutes to snap all your moments during the ceremony!
Family Photos
Family photo time can be messy when you’re not thorough with the wedding day photo planning. One of the best methods to plan an efficient family photo session is to limit each group to around 10 people. Then, make more time for casual photos later.
Spare 20 to 30 minutes for this part. In addition, it’s always best to put a family photo session at the end of the ceremony or during cocktail hour.
Wedding Party and Couples Photos
The duration of this wedding day photography schedule is entirely up to your preference. However, consider the light when planning this part of the event. For an ideal picture, it’s best to prepare the couple’s photo session one to 1.5 hours before sunset.
It’s not always possible to do this, so the alternative is to skip the wedding party photographs, especially if you’ve already done individual photos pre-ceremony. If not, you can spare 15 to 20 minutes to take pictures of the wedding party.
The main goal of a couple’s photo session is to snap a picture where only you and your partner are in the frame. A couple’s photo session typically takes 20 to 30 minutes to finish, but if you have more time, spending 40 minutes is better to get a more relaxed experience. Your photographer is usually open to suggestions, so discuss this with them while you consider your venue schedule.
The Reception
If your reception is in the same venue as your ceremony, photographers usually require 1.5 hours between the end of the ceremony and group shots or the couple’s photos. This timeline will give you and your photographer time to take a break and dine.
Your photographer will usually take some photos of the other moments occurring during the reception. So, if you have a special event or something specific, you want your photographer to capture, such as speeches, add more time for them to go around and snap the best moments.
Cake Cutting and Dances
One of the wedding photography tips that photographers often recommend is cutting your cake, doing your first dance, and letting your guests get on the dance floor consecutively. That way, you can give your guests smooth wedding day photo logistics without having to stand up, sit down, and stand up again to join the events.
These three events typically only take 10 minutes. Depending on your chosen photographer’s package, you can add up to 20 more minutes for more pictures of the busy dance floor.
