It’s time to understand all the aspects that make up your wedding day timeline. There are three main factors you need to know to start building the foundations of your day — 1. Sunset Time, 2. if you want a First Look with your future spouse, 3. Dinner time.

Keep reading to learn the best practices on how to design your day-of timeline:

Pro Tip

“Sunset” is when the sun is completely gone, or when the sun disappears over the horizon — an hour before sunset is when you will get the prettiest light for photos. However, if you’re getting married in a location with mountains or tall buildings, the sunset time may be much earlier.

Sunset Time

determines when photos need to end

For a high-quality aesthetic in your wedding portraiture, you need to take the majority of your portraits during the daytime when natural sunlight is your light source. Knowing when sunset time is on your wedding date and location is paramount to determining when photos need to end outside.

Sunset Calculator

I use this Sun Calculator to find the exact time of sunset for my weddings. “Sunset” is when the sun is completely gone, or when the sun disappears over the horizon — an hour before sunset is when you will get the prettiest light for photos (unless you are at a higher elevation, then it could be 2-3 hours before sunset).

First, you’ll start off by choosing the location of your wedding on the map, then scroll down to select the month and year. Last, scroll down until you find your date, then click to see an expanded view of the sun’s path on that exact day!

Here’s a video tutorial below…

One Hour Before Sunset Time

In the example above, you can see the sunset time is 7:22 pm. For most weddings, I typically subtract one hour from the sunset time (6:22 pm), and that’s the absolute latest that portraits can take place outside. But because I use 30-minute increments when designing the wedding timeline, I would probably round down to 6:00 pm just to be safe!

***If you’re getting married in a location with mountains or tall buildings, the sunset time may be MUCH earlier. Use Google Maps in 3D mode to visualize the terrain, or simply ask your photographer for help.

The First Look

this determines the order of events of the day

Now that you know your sunset time, the next factor that influences the order of events is choosing whether or not you want a First Look. A First Look is a private moment before the ceremony where the bride and groom get to simply see each other. Though I do value the traditional method of waiting to see each other down the aisle, there are many benefits to choosing a First Look that can make your day easier! Here are some examples…

Only One Thing On Your Mind

As you walk down the aisle, there’s a lot more happening than you may imagine — you’re walking, blinking, trying not to trip, nervous because all eyes are on you, elated because your dad is walking with you, stiff because you notice you’re also on camera, excited because the man at the end is holding back tears, delighted as you hear the music you so carefully chose — and last, you feel like you’re in a movie because it all doesn’t seem real. It’s a LOT that all happens in a matter of seconds.

I have captured some really sweet moments in this example above. However, a First Look allows you to have one thing on your mind — simply seeing your future spouse!

More Time to Express Emotions

It’s an absolutely beautiful moment when you get that perfect shot of your groom bawling his eyes out as you walk toward him down the aisle. However, walking down the aisle may not provide enough time for you both to truly express your emotions. Some are nervous, some are in shock, and some just don’t know what emotion their face is trying to make.

In my personal experience, I’ve captured more tears at the First Look, and most of them happen about 5-10 minutes in. With the pressure off and no one else around, you get to truly be yourself with your spouse and take in all the feels! You can even add in sweet moments like reading letters to each other or opening gifts to add more depth.

More Time Together on Your Wedding Day

You and your groom rarely get alone time together on your wedding day. I believe it’s so important to have a few moments to yourself to take it all in — cry together, pray together, or simply just relax & crack some jokes. That’s why I love giving you 5-10 minutes of alone time after the First Look.

If you opt out of a first look, the only time you see each other on the wedding day is the ceremony and reception. On one of the most important days of your life together, wouldn’t you want to spend as much time together as possible?!

Witness Each Other’s Individual Portraits

After the First Look, I love moving into capturing individual portraits of the bride and groom. My favorite is when the groom gets to stand next to me, googlie-eyed looking at his future wife! Talk about sweet!

Double the Number of Portraits + Insurance Plan

If you choose a First Look, you get TWO opportunities for portraits together on your wedding day — the Bride & Groom Portraits at the First Look and the Husband & Wife Sunset Portraits after the ceremony! PLUS, if there is bad weather or major schedule setbacks, then a First Look is a great insurance plan since you will have two opportunities for portraits.

Finish 90% of Photos Before the Ceremony

If you choose a First Look, you can maximize the amount of time with your guests during the cocktail hour and reception by taking formal Family Portraits before the ceremony! This allows for 90% of the portraits to be taken before the ceremony.

Multiple Location Weddings — Portraits at Both

If your wedding day contains a multitude of locations — for instance, you’re getting ready at a hotel, married at the church, then the reception at a venue — if you choose a First Look, then you have way more time to get portraits at BOTH the Church and the Venue.

Unique Alternative — A First Touch

If your heart is still set on being traditional, there’s another alternative that allows you to have your cake and eat it too! A First Touch is a private moment for the bride and groom to lean against a door or corner and touch hands without having to actually see each other before you walk down the aisle. You can read letters, pray together, or even just talk for a bit to calm the nerves. This is a super sweet moment that can be just as precious as the First Look.

First look or not, the first time you see each other on your wedding day will be super special! Choose what is best for you.

Dinner Time

Depending on the formality of your wedding and the time of year that you’re getting married, you may actually need to choose a First Look in order to have time for well-lit portraits. As you learned in the earlier post, How to Determine Your Wedding Aesthetics, your dinner time affects the formality of your event and is a contributing factor when designing your day-of timeline. Think back to which option you decided on.

Casual — Daytime ceremony with simple meals and refreshments.
Semi-Formal — Early evening ceremony with a light meal or cocktail hors d’oeuvres.
Formal — Evening ceremony with plated dinners and multiple courses.

For instance, if you are having a formal winter wedding, keep in mind that sunset happens much earlier in the day. If you want naturally-lit photos for your portraits, you may need to do a first look.

Design Your Timeline

choose one of three options

Now that you have the three most important factors decided, it’s time to start building your wedding day-of timeline! Below, I’ve broken down three different variations of timelines that I use for my Lele & Beane Photography brides. Decide which timeline is best for you, then we’ll start building out the exact time of each milestone.

Timeline 1: First Look with Family Portraits Before Ceremony

Wedding Accessories (1 hour)
Bridal Getting Ready Process (1 hour)
Dad First Look + Immediate Family Photos (30 minutes)
Groom Getting Ready Shots (30 minutes)
First Look + Bride & Groom Portraits (1 hour)
Full Wedding Party (30 minutes)
Family Portraits (30 minutes)
Ceremony Detail Shots (30 minutes)
Music Starts, Guests Arrive (30 minutes)
Wedding Ceremony (30 minutes)
Husband & Wife Sunset Portraits (30 minutes), then cocktail hour
Cocktail Hour (1 hour) & Reception Detail Shots (15 min)
Reception (3-4 hours)

Timeline 2: First look with Family Portraits After Ceremony

Wedding Accessories (1 hour)
Bridal Getting Ready Process (1 hour)
Dad First Look + Immediate Family Photos (30 minutes)
Groom Getting Ready Shots (30 minutes)
First Look + Bride & Groom Portraits (1 hour)
Full Wedding Party (30 minutes)
Ceremony + Reception Detail Shots (30 minutes)
Music Starts, Guests Arrive (30 minutes)
Wedding Ceremony (30 minutes)
Family Portraits (30 minutes)
Husband & Wife Sunset Portraits (30 minutes)
Cocktail Hour (1 hour) & Reception Detail Shots (15 min)
Reception (3-4 hours)

Timeline 3: No First Look

Wedding Accessories (1 hour)
Bridal Getting Ready Process (1 hour)
Dad First Look + Immediate Family Photos (30 minutes)
Bride & Bridesmaids + Bridal Portraits (30 minutes)
Groom Getting Ready Shots (30 minutes)
Groom & Groomsmen + Groom Portraits (30 minutes)
Ceremony + Reception Detail Shots (30 minutes)
Music Starts, Guests Arrive (30 minutes)
Wedding Ceremony (30 minutes)
Family Portraits (30 minutes)
Full Wedding Party (15 minutes)
Husband & Wife Sunset Portraits (30 minutes)
Cocktail Hour (1 hour) & Reception Detail Shots (15 min, must be done by a second shooter)
Reception (3-4 hours)

Determine the Time for Each Milestone

Each bullet point above represents a photography milestone throughout your wedding day. Once you’ve chosen the timeline that works best for you, it’s time to figure out the exact time to schedule each event for!

Start at the end of the day and work backward:

Dinner Time. If you have a preference for the time dinner should start, add that in first. If that includes a cocktail hour, add that in as well.
Portraits end time. Subtract one hour from sunset time and that’s when portraits need to end. Then subtract the amount of time the milestone takes to determine when that milestone should start. For instance, if sunset is at 7:00 pm, then 6:00 pm is when portraits outside need to end. If Husband and Wife Sunset Portraits take 30 minutes, then they need to start at 5:30 pm.
Use math to go backward in the day. Using the amount of time each milestone takes, subtract time from each milestone to figure out when it needs to take place.
Add in logistics time. If you have multiple locations that your wedding party and family will be traveling to, you will need to account for how long it takes to get from point A to point B. If it takes 10 minutes, I usually factor 30 minutes to the schedule in case of traffic or other schedule setbacks. It’s ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry.
Look at the Big Picture. Now you can see the overall picture of your day! This is the absolute LATEST you can host your ceremony. You can always push it earlier in the day depending on the formality of your wedding.

Finalize Your Day-Of Timeline

As you are compiling all of this information, you may find some variables that you’re unsure of just yet. For instance, the getting ready location may not be confirmed OR you may not have chosen if you want guests to have a cocktail hour as portraits finish.

It’s okay to finish your timeline slowly throughout the wedding planning process. You must have it completely finalized 2 months before the wedding to make sure that all vendors know when they need to be ready by.

Last Thoughts

Now that you’re understanding the milestones that make up your timeline, let’s break down each one so that you can understand what all goes into each one!