13 Tips to Create the Best Timeline for your Wedding Photography

Your wedding timeline is the order in which your special day plays out. Every wedding day is different. From religion to preferences, your wedding timeline can be exceedingly different than anyone else’s. Your timeline also differs based on which traditions you choose to follow. Capturing your wedding timeline through photos is a great way to plan your wedding photo album.

With so many different possible timelines, it is important to get a base idea for how to lay out your photography schedule to fit your own timeline. There are many important parts of your wedding that you will likely want to capture within your wedding photos. Therefore, we have put together a few ways you can create the perfect timeline for your own wedding photography, so be sure to continue reading to discover more:

Rings, dress, shoes, and other details.

These details make up your entire wedding ensemble. It is such a wonderful opportunity to be able to remember every little detail through photos. You can set aside half an hour, before your ceremony, for your photographer to capture all of these details through photos.
Getting ready.

For such an important day takes a lot of work. Capturing you and your bridesmaids, and do not forget your partner and their wedding party, is an opportunity to give your photo collection a “behind the scenes” approach to your big day. Setting aside 45 minutes, each, for your photographer to capture these photos should be an acceptable amount of time.

Individual portraits.

After spending so much time to ensure that you look your best, surely you will want individual photos for your wedding collection. You can set aside 20-30 minutes, each, to capture beautiful and handsome shots before you begin your hectic day. These are best captured in the morning or early afternoon, pre-ceremony.
First looks and daytime couple session.

The moment you and your partner see each other in your wedding attire can be such an emotional moment. Capturing that raw and pure emotion is a great way to remember just how you both felt in that moment. Allowing yourself half an hour to an hour, in the morning or early afternoon, to capture these beautiful emotions makes a great addition to your collection.
Wedding party.

Your wedding party is made up of your closest friends and loved ones. They have supported you through thick and thin. It is important to set aside about an hour, in the morning or afternoon, to capture as many wonderful photos with them as possible.
Immediate family.

Your immediate family is always there for you. Capturing photos with them is a great way to add the element of family into your wedding collection, after all they love and support you. Planning for 45-60 minutes should give you enough time for formal and informal photos with your family.
Venue and ceremony details.

Your ceremony is the main event of your wedding day. This is where you and your partner commit to each other. Allowing your photographer 20-30 minutes before the ceremony, to capture these beautiful details is a great way to add the beauty of your venue to your wedding collection.
Extended and immediate family, and friends.

If you would like to capture photos with your extended family, it is important to set a slot of time aside. The amount of time needed depends on the size of your family. The average amount of time, per group of family members, is about 3 minutes.
Couples session.

After saying your “I do” with your partner, it is likely that you have not had any alone time as newlyweds. Celebrate your new commitment with a photo session of just the two of you. Spending an hour, in late afternoon, allows you and your partner to get an acceptable number of photos together and captures the beautiful skies.
Reception detail and venue.

You put a lot of work into finding the perfect venue and creating the best possible reception. You can have your photographer capture all the beauty and décor of your hard work. Allowing your photographer 20-30 minutes to shoot the reception area and venue, before your guests get their hands on it, ensures that you have photos of all that hard work.
Reception sneak out (newlyweds).

Planning to take 20-30minutes and sneak out of your reception, is a great way to ensure that you and your partner have a handful of heartwarming photos as newlyweds. This is best done at dusk or early night, perhaps before you grab a bite to eat.
Keep in mind.

An important part of your wedding is the point in time where you visit each of your guest’s tables. There are two ways that you and your photographer can approach these photos. One point of view is to capture formal shots with all guests at the table. The second option is to capture the more organic moments, such as you embracing your guests in a hug or the happy smiles as you personally greet them. These are wonderful for including all your guests in your wedding album.
Additional details.

For cultural weddings, such as an Indian wedding, there are details that require more allotted time. A tradition, such as the Baraat, is a special point in the wedding that will produce unique and special photos for your collection.