You're engaged! You're hiring your wedding photographer! And you have no idea where to start when it comes to the timeline...
Don't worry–I don't expect you to know this! That's why I'm here. My name is Alaura and I'm the owner of Alaura Creative, a fine art & wedding photography studio based in Chicago. I've been photographing for 10 years and spent a chunk of time in the luxury wedding design and floral industry before launching my own business.
I've seen weddings of all sizes, budgets, cultures, religions, styles, and more–so whether you have hired a wedding planner or not, know that I'm here for you to help your planning go smoothly. I want you to actually enjoy your engagement and feel comfortable chatting with me, so you're in the best space possible on your big day!
I've prepared the following wedding day timeline info and advice for you, broken down by "scene" in the most common chronological order I encounter. Each wedding is unique and your timeline may vary, but this should help you get a general idea of time allotment, as well as some helpful wedding day tips!
PRE-CEREMONY
GETTING READY & DETAILS
Ideal Time Allotment – 60-120 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – Morning or Early Afternoon
Ideal Location – Bridal Suite or Hotel Room
During this time, I'm capturing details (dress, shoes, rings, invitation suite, accessories, bouquet, etc.) and getting photos of the couple and the wedding party getting ready. These shots include makeup application and “finishing touches” like putting on shoes, ties, cuff links, and perfume/cologne. In addition to candids, this is also when I capture matching robe moments, sibling moments, parent/child moments (ex: mother helping with the dress or father helping straighten tie). If the couple is planning to read letters/open gifts from each other, that can also be captured during this time.
If a second photographer is booked, they will be with one partner while I am with the other. Otherwise, I will bounce back and forth from the couples’ individual getting-ready rooms.
Advice: Pack all details you’d like captured in a box—including some extra blooms from your florist for styling—and have it ready to go in the bridal suite so I can capture them first. Hang the dress on a nice hanger (it will be photographed!) and be sure to clear the room of any cups, trash, or anything else you don’t want in photos before I arrive.
INDIVIDUAL PORTRAITS
Ideal Time Allotment – 30 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – Morning or Early Afternoon
Ideal Location – Bridal Suite, Hotel Room, Venue, or Outside
Advice: Right after prep is the best time for individual portraits of the couple, so makeup and hair is fresh! If the couple is planning to read letters/open gifts from each other, this is also when that will be done.
FIRST LOOK & COUPLES SESSION
Ideal Time Allotment – 30-60 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – Morning or Early Afternoon
Ideal Location – Hotel, Venue, Outside, Off-site Location
Advice: A "First Look" is a scheduled moment before the ceremony in which the couple sees each other for the first time. It's not essential, but couples often do a First Look because it's a quiet, private moment and allows them to take couple's portraits before the ceremony, which frees up some time later. First Looks typically take around 30-60 minutes, consisting of the actual moment (5-10 minutes) and some photos of the couple. Most couples opt to take more portraits together after the ceremony to allow for a backdrop change/golden hour lighting (see “couples session” in the "During/Post-Ceremony" section below), but you can allocate another hour here if you'd rather do them all during this time
WEDDING PARTY PHOTOS
Ideal Time Allotment – 45-60 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – Morning or Afternoon
Ideal Location -Venue, Outside, Off-site Location
Advice: During this time, Alaura will capture photos of you two and your wedding party, both classic and fun! She will also be sure to get pictures of you with each of your party members individually.
IMMEDIATE FAMILY
Ideal Time Allotment – 30-45 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – Morning or Afternoon
Ideal Location -Venue, Outside, Off-site Location
Advice: It’s important to have additional images with your parents, grandparents, and siblings beyond the formal portraits (taken post-ceremony, see below), and this is when we do that! Plan on 3 minutes per group, on average. If you choose to skip this, all immediate family photos will be taken during formal portraits.
CEREMONY DETAIL AND VENUE
Ideal Time Allotment – 30 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – Morning or Afternoon
Ideal Location – Ceremony Site
Advice: Allow 30 minutes for pictures of the fully set-up ceremony site with no guests belongings on chairs or vendors in the area.
DURING / POST-CEREMONY
CEREMONY
Ideal Time Allotment – Ceremony lengths vary based on cultural and/or faith-based practices.
Ideal Time of Day – Morning or Afternoon
Ideal Location – Ceremony Site
Advice: Sometimes ceremony venues have photography restrictions, and sometimes couples have personal preferences when it comes to flash, etc. Please inform me if this applies to you, or if you have any special moments planned throughout the ceremony you'd like me to be aware of! I'll be capturing everything anyway, but it always helps to have a heads-up.
FORMALS (EXTENDED FAMILY, IMMEDIATE FAMILY, AND FRIENDS)
Ideal Time Allotment – 30-60 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – Morning or Afternoon (Post-Ceremony)
Ideal Location – Ceremony Site or Outside
Advice: Formal portraits typically take 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your family/number of guests you want photos with. Plan on 3 minutes per group on average, and be sure your selected guests know they wanted for photos after the ceremony. We recommend having a list of groups you want photos with, with assigned helpers from each side of the family to help round people up.
COUPLES SESSION
Ideal Time Allotment – 1 hour
Ideal Time of Day – Late Afternoon (Sunset), typically during cocktail hour.
Ideal Location – Venue, Outside, Off-site Location
Advice: The couple session should ideally take place during cocktail hour, 30 to 45 minutes before sunset for beautiful “golden hour” lighting! This time frame isn’t essential if your wedding is exclusively downtown/in an area with tall buildings, but you may want to plan for it if you selected your location for its lakeside or scenic views. If you DID NOT do a first look, plan to add another 30 minutes-1 hour here to allow for more portraits/location changes.
RECEPTION
RECEPTION DETAIL AND VENUE
Ideal Time Allotment – 30 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – Early Evening
Ideal Location – Reception Site
Advice: Please allow 30 minutes for us to take pictures of the fully set-up reception site, with no guests belongings on chairs or vendors in the area. Similar to the ceremony details, this is the only opportunity we have to capture the beauty of the reception room prior to guest arrival.
RECEPTION FIRST LOOK
Ideal Time Allotment – 10-15 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – At the end of Cocktail Hour before doors open for guests
Ideal Location – Reception Site
Advice: This is when the reception space is revealed to the couple. It’s a great opportunity to capture a reaction to your vision come to life, but also provides a moment alone to practice your first dance—another great photo opportunity!
COUPLES SESSION – RECEPTION SNEAK OUT
Ideal Time Allotment – 20-30 minutes
Ideal Time of Day – Dusk to Night Time
Ideal Location – Areas with interesting lights, fountains, cityscapes, etc.
Advice: Plan on sneaking out of the reception for 20-30 minutes for a couple of romantic night shots. You could do this after you eat, during a dance break, or at the end of the night after all guests have left—whichever you prefer.
Want to book me/already booked me and need timeline advice? Shoot me an email (alaura@alauracreative.com) and let's chat about it!