Wedding Timeline Template
We took our experience with wedding and event planning and crafted a basic wedding timeline template to help our couples get a basic understanding of the flow of the wedding day. Madison and I encourage all of our clients to talk with their vendor teams and consult with their planners and coordinators. We hope our wedding timeline template is a good starting place for your wedding planning.
Getting Ready
9:30 a.m. Bride and Bridesmaids Start Hair and Makeup
As wedding videographers, we suggest encouraging your hair and makeup professionals to do your hair and makeup by a large window with natural light. If none is available with your venue that is ok, but it is always best to be near a large window!
10:00 a.m. Groom and Groomsmen arrive to get ready
11:00 a.m. Photographer and Videographer Arrives
The wedding photographers and videographers should arrive about 30 minutes before the bride is done with hair and makeup. During this time, your vendor team can get detail shots of the dress, rings, invitation, finishing touches of hair and makeup, etc
11:40 a.m. Bridesmaids are dressed and ready, the bride’s hair and makeup is complete
12:00 p.m. Quick Lunch
Don’t forget to eat something on your wedding day!
12:15 p.m. Bride Gets Dressed
Most professionals will be prepared and even stage this moment with the best lighting.
12:45 p.m. First Look
Let this be a special moment with just the bride and groom, and have your bridal party and families wait in the getting ready locations while you go with your photographer and videographer.
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. Bride and Groom Couple Photos
1:30 – 2:00 p.m. Wedding Party Photos
2:00-2:30 p.m. Break and Relax
Go inside and relax. Take some time to get out of the heat or cold a minute or two.
2:30-3:15 p.m. Family Photos
Communicate with your photographer on how these would work!
The Wedding Ceremony
3:15-3:45 p.m. Flex Time {Extra Time if Needed}
5:00 – 5:30p.m. Ceremony
This is the time block that varies most for weddings. The time really depends on the type of ceremony you’re having.
5:30-5:50 p.m. Couple Alone Time + Dinner
5:50p.m. 6:15 ish Sunset Photos
This depends on when the sunset actually is happening of course.
The Wedding Reception
Photograph: Vision in White Events
5:30 – 6:15 p.m. Cocktail Hour
6:15 p.m. Guests invited to Dinner
6:30 p.m. Entrance and First Dance
*From here you just need to space out the items listed above that work for you! Here is what we suggest!
6:35 p.m. Formal Dances
6:45 p.m. Toasts (If applicable)
7:00 p.m. Cake Cutting
7:05 p.m. Open Dancing
9:30 p.m. Exit
**This would be a 12 hour wedding day with your photographers and videographers on-site for 10.5 hours. This can be adjusted for your wedding, but it is a great place to start! As we said above, we cannot stress it enough. Talk to your vendor team and see what works best for you and your wedding.
