A Stress-Free Wedding Day Timeline
Consider the Time of Year (and Sunset!)
The time of year plays a massive role in how your wedding timeline should be structured — particularly when it comes to natural light. Sunset times can vary by more than two hours between seasons, which can dramatically affect your ceremony and photo plans.
If you’re getting married during daylight savings (typically October to April), you’ll enjoy longer afternoons and later sunsets — sometimes as late as 7:45–8:00 PM. This gives us more flexibility with location shoots and means you can have a 3:00 PM or even 4:00 PM ceremony and still get plenty of golden hour photos before heading into your reception.
But during the cooler months (May to August), the light fades much earlier — often by 5:00 PM or even earlier in some locations. That means if you’re planning a winter wedding and want beautiful natural-light photos, we highly recommend having your ceremony earlier — ideally around 1:00 PM or 2:00 PM. That way, you’ll have time afterward for your formal photos without racing the setting sun.
Remember: once the sun’s gone, it’s gone — and no amount of editing can replicate the magic of soft, golden hour light. We’ll always check sunset times for your date and location, and help plan a timeline that gets the best out of the season you’re in.
Don’t Forget Travel Time
One thing that’s often overlooked when planning a wedding timeline is travel time between locations. While the ceremony, photos, and reception might each seem well-timed on paper, things can quickly fall behind if you haven’t accounted for how long it actually takes to move between them — especially with bridal parties, family, and traffic involved.
For example, if your prep location is 20–30 minutes from the ceremony, and your photo location is another 30+ minutes from there, that’s a solid hour or more just in driving — not including getting in and out of cars, parking, or any delays. And if your reception venue is somewhere completely different again, that adds another leg of travel to factor in.
We always recommend checking the real-world distances between each location and adding generous buffer time. Even if it feels like “just down the road,” wedding days move slower — dresses take time to gather, bridal parties often travel in convoy, and things rarely run minute-for-minute. Adding travel time into your schedule ensures you stay relaxed, arrive safely, and don’t have to cut into your photo session or key moments later in the day.
When we help build your timeline, we’ll ask where each part of the day is happening and map it out with realistic timeframes — so you get the most out of every location and every moment.
One of the best ways to ensure your wedding day runs smoothly — and that you can actually enjoy it — is to have a clear, well-structured timeline. A thoughtful timeline isn’t about being rigid; it’s about creating space. Space to breathe, laugh, cry, hug your people, and not feel like you’re being rushed from one thing to the next.
Here’s a sample wedding day timeline based around a 3:00 PM ceremony. This flow gives you the time you need for meaningful moments and beautiful photos, while making sure you actually get to enjoy the day you’ve been planning for so long.
1:00 PM – Getting Ready & Final Touches
This is when the day really starts to feel real. Hair and makeup are being completed, the dress or suit is about to go on, and there’s a mix of nerves and excitement in the air. As your photographer and/or videographer, we arrive around this time to begin documenting the day — capturing not just the aesthetics, but the emotion.
We’ll photograph all the little details: your rings, invitations, shoes, perfume, cufflinks — anything meaningful to you. Then we move on to candid moments with the bridal party and close family. If time allows, we might even capture a quiet moment for a letter reading or a gift exchange between the couple.
The goal here isn’t just beautiful images, but to help set a calm, confident tone for the day ahead. We aim to have everyone dressed and ready by 2:30 PM so there’s no rush getting to the ceremony.
3:00 PM – The Ceremony
This is the heart of your day — the reason for all the planning and the gathering of your nearest and dearest. Whether it’s a traditional ceremony or something short and sweet, we allow up to an hour for this part of the day. This gives us time for any last-minute arrivals, a few moments before you walk down the aisle, and of course, the ceremony itself.
After you’re officially married, we’ll capture that first joyful embrace, the signing of the certificate, and the walk back down the aisle together. We also usually take a few quick group photos immediately after the ceremony while everyone is still gathered, such as a full guest photo or confetti shot, depending on your preferences.
4:00 PM – Formal Photos & Location Shoot
Once the hugs and congratulations are done, we move into formal portraits. This part of the day often includes family photos, bridal party groupings, and, of course, romantic portraits of just the two of you.
This session is usually done at a nearby location or within the ceremony grounds if it’s particularly scenic. We work with you to plan this out ahead of time, ensuring we get the key people and must-have shots, while keeping it light and enjoyable.
We recommend allowing 60–90 minutes for this section. It gives us enough time to capture stunning images without you feeling rushed or missing too much of your reception. We also plan this shoot to make the most of available light, especially if golden hour is around the corner.
5:30 PM – Travel to Reception & Freshen Up
By this time, we aim to wrap up the location shoot and get you to your reception venue. This short window lets you regroup, freshen up, or even just have five minutes together away from the crowd — something couples often say was one of their favourite parts of the day.
It also allows us to get to the venue a bit earlier to photograph the setup, details, and guests arriving. That way, when you make your entrance, we’re ready to capture the celebration as it unfolds.
6:00 PM – Reception Begins
With guests seated and energy high, the reception begins. This part of the evening usually kicks off with your grand entrance and leads into dinner, speeches, and other formalities like the first dance or cake cutting.
Every couple chooses to do this differently — some keep it light with just one or two speeches, others have choreographed dances or surprise entertainment. Whatever your style, we’ll coordinate with your MC or venue to make sure we’re in the right place at the right time to document it all.
This is also a great time for candid guest shots, laughter, toasts, and relaxed moments with your favourite people.
9:30 PM – Formalities Complete
By this point in the evening, we aim to have all official moments completed — speeches done, cake cut, first dance danced. This opens up the night for dancing, socialising, and celebrating without needing to pause for any more scheduled activities.
Having the formalities done by 9:30 PM also means your guests are more relaxed, the dance floor can stay alive, and you’re free to enjoy the party knowing all the big moments have been beautifully captured.
11:00 PM – Reception Ends
As the night draws to a close, the final hugs are exchanged, the last dance winds down, and you head off into married life. Whether you’re planning a sparkler exit, a private last dance, or a casual farewell, we can be there to capture those final, emotional moments that close out the day.
This timeline is just a starting point — every wedding is unique, and we always help tailor your day to match your vision, venue, and vibe. With the right structure and a little buffer time built in, your wedding won’t just look amazing in photos — it’ll feel amazing too.