One of the most stressful things you’ll do during your wedding planning is creating your Wedding Timeline.

There are a million things to think about, and how do you make sure they’re all taken care of? We’ve got a few tips, and a few printables to help take some of the stress away.

Tip #1 – let your photographer help you with your timeline.  😉 I’m biased … but seriously. Yes, we can photograph quickly, but if you have ideas you want to try or if you want us to really get creative and not cookie-cutter, our advice will help a lot.

Things you’ll need to know right up front:

• What time do you have access to your venue?
• What time do you need to be out of your venue (cleanup included)?
• What time does sun set (approximately) on your wedding day?
• What activities do you need to include?

Examples:

Bride Makeup & Hair, Bridesmaids Makeup & Hair

Getting Dressed – Bride, Groom, Bridal Party

First Look (if you’re choosing to do one, read what we recommend here)

Photos: Bridal Party, Couple, Family

Ceremony & Signing Marriage Certificate

Toasts

Dinner

Bouquet Toss, Garter Toss

First Dance, Father Daughter Dance, Mother Son Dance, Bridal Party Dance

Open Dancing

Cake Cutting

Special Exit

 Cleanup

From these things, you’ll get a better idea of when and how things need to happen. It’s easier to work backwards, so the first things you’ll note is what time you get access, and what time you need to be out.

Next, you’ll decide when you want your ceremony to start. A few things to keep in mind for this:

The later your ceremony, the later your dinner.

Mid day ceremonies (1pm to 3pm) in the summer make for really harsh lighting. White dress + sunshine = a white blob of a dress (unless you’re saying your vows inside or under a shaded area).  Tip: Visit your venue in the same season you’ll be married in, and at the same time of day, before choosing your ceremony location or position.

How creative do you want your photos to be? If you want them to be fun, playful and unique we recommend choosing to do photos before the ceremony (which also means you’re not away from the party too long).

Remember that you have a LOT of things to pack into your reception.

Made a decision? Good! Pencil that in. I think you’re ready to see a few sample timelines (download links will be at the bottom of the post).

Photos Before

Click the link to open the larger image.

Photos After

Click any image to see the larger version

Photos Split

Click any image to see the larger version

DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSIONS OF THE TIMELINE SAMPLES

A few things you might notice:

Plan for about 2 hours for bridal hair & makeup

Plan 30 minutes to an hour for each type of photos needed. We may not use all that time, but better to have more than less.

Plan plenty of time for extended family photos. Getting 20+ people in a single photo organized and focused takes time.

Make sure to give your cleaning team time to tidy up before you need to be out of the venue. No one wants overage charges because of cleaning.

Remember that the timeline is just a guideline.

Life happens, and the only one who will know we’re off schedule is the bridal party. It’s your day, so go with the flow and enjoy it as it unfolds.

You can always call us for help. We’re happy to hash it out over email or phone.

Now the goodies – Timeline Samples

DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSIONS OF THE TIMELINE SAMPLES

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should we finalize our wedding day timeline?

Share a draft with your photographer and coordinator 4-6 weeks before the wedding, then finalize it about 2 weeks out once vendor arrival times are confirmed. The biggest reason timelines fall apart is vendors showing up without knowing the schedule – your caterer, DJ, florist, and photographer should all have the same document. Build it early enough that if something doesn’t work, you have time to adjust without stress.

Should we do a first look, and how does it affect the timeline?

A first look typically saves 30-60 minutes in your post-ceremony portrait window because you can complete family and bridal party photos before the ceremony while everyone is still fresh and ready. Without a first look, all portraits happen after the ceremony while guests wait at cocktail hour – which works, but creates a tighter window. Most couples who do first looks say the private moment before the ceremony is one of the most emotional of the day.

What is the most common timeline mistake couples make?

Not building in buffer time between events. Every transition takes longer than expected – guests move slowly, bridal parties scatter, vendors need setup time. A timeline with back-to-back events and zero buffer will run late by the ceremony and stay late the rest of the day. We recommend at least 15 minutes of buffer between each major block and a total of 30-60 minutes of cushion across the full day.

Kate of GSquared Weddings Wedding Photographer & Certified Wedding Coordinator

Kate Gansneder has documented 640+ weddings since 1997 and has a reputation for making camera-shy couples forget the camera exists. Couples consistently describe her as someone who knew what they needed before they did, felt like a trusted friend rather than a vendor, and made them feel genuinely calm on a day that could have been overwhelming. 380+ five-star reviews and 11x WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards later, she is still the person who arrives 30 minutes early with everything you forgot you needed.

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GSquared Weddings Wedding Photography Snohomish Weddings Seattle Weddings Wedding Coordination Wedding Business