How to Create Your New York or New Jersey Wedding Day Timeline (Or ANY City!)
Not all weddings are the same. Each wedding is customized to fit the needs of my couples. Some weddings are short, like an elopement, and some weddings have a longer timeline from the getting ready, ceremony, and reception. So as a bride and groom, how would you plan your wedding day timeline? Yes, the thought of it sounds daunting and impossible, but that’s what a professional photographer is for, so let me help you (you can also have an experienced wedding planner, which I do recommend to ease your wedding planning!).
As a professional wedding photographer with over ten years of experience, I’ve helped hundreds of couples plan their photography wedding timeline. If a couple has a wedding planner, they may send me a sample of the timeline for the day, or I send them my photography timeline, and we work around the timeline schedule I laid out. My couples often ask me to help with the timeline and help guide them through the process. I send them my questionnaire that asks about where they are getting ready, where the ceremony will be, and where the reception will be. Based on the answers, I would analyze the locations (where the bride and groom are getting ready), if they’re doing a first look, and how far the getting ready location is from the ceremony location. Also, I look at the ceremony location to the portrait location and then to the wedding venue reception. I always add time for traffic, driving, travel, and the “what if?” to make sure there’s ample time for the couple’s photos, in addition to ensuring the entire day falls into place.
Not only that, I ask how many people are in the bridal party, how many people will help the bride and groom dress, approximately how long hair and makeup will take to take care of the entire bridal party. This way, I can have an understanding as to when photography should start, when the bride should have her hair and makeup done, and based on how the women’s timeline goes when the men should start getting ready (because it’s faster for the men to get ready than the women).
I also take into consideration if the couple has a first look. This is when the bride and groom will see each other for the first time. Once the emotional moment happens, the full bridal party gets photos done, and maybe the VIP family members. Sometimes, it’s just the family photos taking place, and the bridal party photos happen after the ceremony. Oftentimes, no first look happens, and all the photos happen after the ceremony, so now I’m creating a timeline that determines how to fit all the photos between the ceremony and the reception. It’s not feasible to have only 60 minutes between the end of the ceremony, portraits of the couple, the bridal party, families, AND drive to the reception location. It could be doable if the getting ready, ceremony, and venue are all taking place in one location, but again, everything is customized to the couple’s needs. There are many factors to consider, so I make this as painless as possible for my clients.
Photography isn’t the only thing to consider on the wedding day. You’d have to consider when the flowers should arrive when the cinematographer/videographer will start, the limo pickup time, and many more. Once I create, or you create, a draft of a timeline, it can still be adjusted based on any new factors.
Here’s a sample of a timeline with a First Look:
12 pm: Bride starts hair and makeup
1 pm: The photographer arrives. Takes photos of details and getting ready. 2nd photographer arrives at the groom’s location.
2 pm: bride puts on the dress; the groom puts on a suit. The bridal party helps with whatever the couple needs.
2:15 pm: Quick solo shots of bride/groom by the window.
2:30 pm: First Look.
2:40 pm: Family portraits - immediate family only.
3:00 pm: Bridal Party photos.
3:30 pm: Bride and groom photos.
4 pm: Travel to ceremony.
4:30 pm: No photos.
5 pm: Ceremony starts.
6 pm: Bride and groom take photos inside/outside of the church.
6:20 pm: Travel to reception.
7 pm: Cocktail Hour. The photographer takes photos of the couple inside the reception area for 15 min. The photographer takes detailed shots of the reception.
8 pm: Reception begins.
11:50pm: Sparkler exit.
12am: Reception ends/photography ends.
Here’s a sample timeline without a First Look:
12 pm: Bride starts hair and makeup.
1 pm: photographer arrives. Takes photos of details and getting ready. The 2nd photographer arrives at the groom’s location.
2 pm: Bride puts on the dress; groom puts on the suit. The bridal party helps the couple with whatever they need.
2:15p: Quick solo shots of bride/groom by the window.
2:30pm-3:15pm: Travel to ceremony.
3:30 pm ceremony begins.
4:30 pm: Family portraits.
4:50 pm: Bridal Party photos.
5:15 pm: Bride and Groom photos.
6 pm: Travel to reception.
7 pm: Cocktail Hour. The photographer takes photos of the couple inside the reception area for 15 min. The photographer takes detailed shots of the reception.
8 pm: Reception begins.
11:50pm: Sparkler exit.
12am: Reception ends/photography ends.
There are still many details that can go into a timeline. For example, the timeline for the reception can usually be created with the help of the DJ/Band/Emcee and the venue. Sometimes the wedding planner makes it with input from the venue when certain meals will be served. Again, many factors are involved, but don’t worry! It will all fall into place once you have details from your various vendors. Just remember, your timeline does not have to be finished in one day. Oftentimes, a timeline is created 1-2 weeks before the wedding day, so rest assured you will have time!