Timing your wedding day
The number one question I'm asked is about timing and when things happen on a wedding day. Below is a step by step guide through a usual wedding day from our perspective. I've covered all of the usual things we do on a wedding day but feel free to pick and choose the bits you want us there to cover. Throughout the process, send through any drafts that you might work on and I can check over it to help out.
I can't be sure about everyone else but I know that I work best when things are organised and under control. I'm a long way from being a control freak, I just know that the results are much better when things run to plan. Or at least close seeing we're talking weddings here.
So here we go, looking at timing to start with.
The start of your big day is a difficult thing to plan. With makeup and hair, delivery of flowers, hire cars and me, it’s important to put some time into planning your morning.
I usually start with the boys getting ready and then move onto the girls. I then get to the ceremony location 30 minutes before to have some more time with the boys greeting family & friends. Travel times need to be added in between each part too. The best tool I use is just Google maps to work out the travel times between each location.
Here's what a typical 8 hour wedding looks like
1.00pm - Getting Ready Location 1
2.00pm - Getting Ready Location 2
3.30pm - Ceremony
4.00pm - Group & Family Portraits
4.30pm - Wedding Party Portraits
5.00pm - Couple Portraits
5.30pm - Rest/Prep for Reception
6.00pm - Intro & Cake Cut
6.15pm - Entree
6.45pm - Speeches Round 1
7.00pm - Mains
7.30pm - Speeches Round 2
7.50pm - First Dances
8.00pm - Party Time
8.40pm - Sunset/Night Time Portraits
9.00pm - Finish Up
Here's what a typical 12 hour wedding looks like
11.00am - Getting Ready Location 1
12.15pm - Getting Ready Location 2
2.45pm - First look & Portraits
4.00pm - Ceremony
4.30pm - Group & Family Portraits
5.00pm - Wedding Party Portraits
5.30pm - Couple Portraits
6.00pm - Rest/Prep for Reception
6.15pm - Intro & Cake Cut
6.20pm - Entree
6.45pm - Speeches Round 1
7.00pm - Mains
7.30pm - Speeches Round 2
7.50pm - First Dances
8.00pm - Party Time
8.40pm - Sunset/Night Time Portraits
9.00pm - Dancing
9.30pm - Guest photos/mingling
10.00pm - Garter/Bouquet Toss
10.45pm - Prep for exit
10.50pm - Sparkler exit
11.00pm - Finish up
Getting Ready Photos
Brides
Typical Duration: 90 minutes
We usually start work on the Brides details first such as dresses, shoes, flowers and jewellery. If there’s any action with hair and makeup happening, We’ll cover that too. Once we're finished detail, we move onto getting ready. Once you're in your dress we'll capture the back of it being done, jewellery going on as well as some portrait and photos with the bridesmaids.
Tips: If you can, try to have all of your details together for us when we arrive. Keep all of your jewellery off as well. We'll come in, set up shots of your dress which may be indoors or out. We'll also get photos of your shoes, flowers, jewellery, garters and any other detail you've got for the day.
Check out a gallery of getting ready photos here
Grooms
Typical Duration: 60 minutes
This part is fairly quick and it starts with details and moves onto getting ready, shots of the boys all together as well as family and a few shots of the groom on his own.
Tips: The best idea to be prepared for this part is for all of the boys to be in their pants, shirt and socks by the time we arrive. We start by photographing the rest of their details such as cuff links, watch, tie and jacket etc. We then ask the boys to put on the rest of their outfit and we'll shoot that. Once they're finished getting ready we generally shoot all of them together, the groom with any family if they are there as well as a couple of portrait shots of the groom by himself.
Check out a gallery of getting ready photos here
Ceremony Timing - based on a usual wedding day
Religious Ceremonies: 30 to 45 minutes
Non-Religious Ceremonies: 25 to 40 minutes
Timing varies quite a bit with the different formats of a ceremony.
Group Photo: 5 to 15 minutes
Getting a group photo of everyone isn't a big deal to us. With a bit of help, they can be done pretty quickly. Start with asking your celebrant or priest to announce there will be a group photo and where it will be so that your guests know where to go. If this doesn’t happen, it can take a lot longer for me to round everyone up and get them into position. We will always do our best of course. We try not to venture too far because of the various mobility issues with elderly relatives.
Family Photos: 15 to 25 minutes
Some couples get them done, some don't. If you do, there are a few things I've learnt along the way but the following pages will show you how to get the best out of these and make them pain-free.
First Look/Formal Photos/Portraits: 45 to 60 minutes
If you're going with both photos and film, allow a bit of extra time. Somewhere between 60 to 90 minutes.
The key is to allow as much time as you possibly can without going overboard and having your guests wait hours until they see you again. How much time depends on where you are and whether it requires transport from location to location. Some venues require only a walk around the grounds and then there are days where we are in and out of cars multiple times.
Reception Timing
There’s no set formula for timing a reception and a lot of it comes down to how long you have booked me for. If you’ve allowed only the first two hours of the reception, then you might want to squeeze all of the formalities into this time. If you have more time allocated for me, then you can be more laid back and spread things out.
Factor in a bit of time after we arrive back from your formal photos to get my equipment set up ready for you to be introduced. If time works out, we will photograph the decorations around the room as well as the cake and other important items.
Here's a rundown of a typical reception.
6.00pm Introductions
6.05pm Cutting of Cake
6.15pm Entrée
6.40pm Speeches (first lot)
7.00pm Mains
7.20pm Sunset photos*
7.30pm Speeches (second lot)
8.00pm First Dances
8.15pm Party time
10.30pm Bouquet & Garter Toss
10.45pm Farwells
10.55pm Exit & Finish
I have a stack of articles about the different wedding traditions so that you become aware of their history and decide if they're right for you.
If we're at the reception for long enough, one of the cool photos we do is a night photo using remote flash, coloured smoke, sparklers, champagne etc.
I may have mentioned that another option for portrait photos is a night shot where we will find a place, set up our remote lighting and get everything ready before we come and steal you away for 5 minutes. We're always playing with ideas using coloured smoke, confetti launchers and light painting so if you're prepared to let us get creative, the results will hopefully be something different to add to your collection from the day.
