Cheers To You! Volume Four: Wedding Timeline Prep

Before We Get Started! Communicate With Your Photographer

This wedding planning series started as a way for me to communicate with my couples as they planned their wedding day. From there, though, things evolved! While communicating with my couples is the main goal of this series, I love that this is a fun + informative series that couples can find when planning their wedding, even if we’ve never met. So! Before we really dig into this topic, I just wanted to remind everyone: communicate with your photographer. Whether it’s for wedding timeline help or just to understand their process, communication is so important!

When writing this series, I’m 100% just giving my perspective. I am a very carefree, somewhat messy shooter. Like, I like weird light and crave in-between moments, candid photographs, and photographs that just feel like life. I’m a photographer who thrives in chaos; not a photographer who thrives in control. I save the control for editing, lol. All of this is going to impact the way I create my timelines and the way I interact with my couples and even the way I connect with other wedding vendors. Your photographer’s personality will impact this, too! While you are more than welcome to share this article with your wedding photographer, know that it most likely is not necessary. If you are working with an experienced photographer, they’ll have their own system, too!

Alsooooo not going to lie: One reason I’m writing this series? I have, like, four years of weddings that I haven’t blogged. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to blog all of these – think of them as my missing online years, hahaha – but writing this series is so enjoyable for me and a great way for me to revive my blog, too! Sound good? Let’s go! I’m so excited about this topic!

Here’s a Few Things We Discuss In This Episode!

Think About What Matters To You and Your Partner, Too!

Prioritize The Things That Are Important To You

Wedding Timelines Almost Alway Run Away With Themselves

Which Timeline Looks Best To You?

Can Photographers Really Shoot For Ten Minutes And Get Good Photos?

Wedding Timeline Prep: Bringing It Together!

This episode is so much fun because there’s just, like, so much territory to cover. If you are looking for a photographer – or photography advice! – that is a little rigid or stiff, this advice might not be the best fit for you. Love being a little carefree, a little messy, and super flexible? Fantastic! You are in the right place and I’m so excited to share my thoughts with you!

A Note On Sample Timelines

Before we get to the timelines! I just had to say: Don’t take these two examples as gospel.

What I mean is this! Every wedding is going to be slightly different. For these two timeline examples, I imagined a wedding at one location (same venue for ceremony + reception) with eight hours of wedding coverage. Keep in mind that every wedding is different and every couple is different. These two timelines are for y’all to have a starting off point to compare and contrast how wedding day timelines can differ when a first look is included v. when a first look is not included. Ready for those sample timelines? Let’s go!

Sample Wedding Timeline: Eight Hours, No First Look

2:00 | Photographers Arrive! Detail Photographs

2:30 | Getting Ready Photographs

3:00 | Bride Gets Dressed

3:30 | Bridesmaid Photographs

4:00 | Groomsmen Photographs

4:30 | Bride and Groom Both Hidden

5:00 | Get Hitched!

5:45 | Family Photographs

6:15 | Full Bridal Party Photographs

6:30 | Bride and Groom Photographs

6:50 | Wrap Photographs, Head to Reception

7:00 | Reception Begins!

8:00 | Sneak Out for Flash Photos!

8:10 | Back to Reception

9:50 | Start Moving to Exit

10:00 Exit (Real or Fake!), Photographers Leave

Sample Wedding Timeline: Eight Hours, With First Look

2:00 | Photographers Arrive! Detail Photographs

2:30 | Getting Ready Photographs

3:00 | Bride Gets Dressed

3:30 | First Look + A Few Couple Photos, Too!

3:50 | Bridal Party Photographs

4:30 | Bride and Groom Hidden

5:00 | Get Hitched!

5:45 | Family Photographs

6:15 | Bride and Groom Photographs

6:30 | Wrap Photographs, Head to Reception

6:40 | Couple Mingles at Cocktail Hour or Takes a Quick Breather!

7:00 | Reception Begins!

8:00 | Sneak Out for Flash Photos!

8:10 | Back to Reception

9:50 | Start Moving to Exit

10:00 Exit (Real or Fake!), Photographers Leave

Tying Timelines Together

Y’all! Keep in mind that there is never one right way to do anything. If you look at these timelines and think “nope!”, that is totally valid! Just be sure to talk with your partner, your photographer, and your planner to make sure everything flows the best it can! As a wedding photographer in Arkansas, I freaking love everything about photography. Timelines are never perfect but I love the way they can help the flow of the day! Thanks so much for being here and I hope this post was so helpful, too!

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Based in Fayetteville, Arkansas Lissa Chandler is a portrait and wedding photographer. Lissa is also the owner of Opal and June where she offers mockup photographs, bookish + history merch, and the dreamiest photoshoot dress rentals. Additionally, Lissa is the host of the podcast Your Photographer Mom. As a creative photographer in Northwest Arkansas, Lissa doesn’t niche down on a genre. She niches on a feeling instead! That feeling? The huge, happy feeling of hope and excitement that you feel as a kid opening up a huge box of 120 crayons. Sound like a feeling you remember? Let’s shoot!