Building your wedding day timeline for beautiful photos (without the stress)
A good timeline is one that lets you breathe. Here's the order I build it in with my couples, and the mistakes I see most often.
Wedding- We start with the fixed times (ceremonies), then travel, then the light.
- Group photos always come before couple portraits.
- For couple portraits, we aim for about 45 minutes before sunset.
Your wedding day timeline has a huge influence on your photos. Not because everything has to be timed to the minute, but because a timeline that's too tight has you rushing all day, and it shows on your faces. Here's the method I use with every couple.
The order I build the timeline in
- The fixed times: the town hall first (in France, the legal wedding takes place there), then the religious or symbolic ceremony. These are the only times I ask you for right at the start.
- Travel between each venue, always with some buffer.
- The photo moments: getting ready, congratulations, group photos, couple portraits.
- The light: the time of sunset on your date, and how the venue faces.
- The proposal: I send you a timeline and we adjust it together until it feels right.
Key benchmarks
- Getting ready: about an hour per partner, not counting travel. Hair and makeup start at least an hour and a half before getting dressed and finish 30 minutes before.
- Congratulations: 15 to 30 minutes depending on the number of guests.
- Group photos: always before couple portraits, so your guests are free to enjoy themselves.
- Couple portraits: 30 to 45 minutes, ideally starting 45 minutes before sunset, earlier if there are trees, hills or buildings around.
- The evening: we separate your grand entrance, the start of dinner service and the speeches. The first dance stays an estimated time.
You want couple portraits, but you don't want to vanish for an hour during cocktail hour.
We split it up. A few images right after the ceremony, in beautiful light, then 20 to 30 minutes at sunset, often while guests are being seated or between courses. You enjoy your cocktail hour, and you still get your golden images.
Picture a wedding in late June, sunset around 9:15 pm, at a venue surrounded by hills. The sun will slip behind the ridges earlier, so we plan couple portraits around 8 pm. Group photos happen right after the symbolic ceremony at 6 pm, cocktail hour stays free for candid shots, and dinner starts at 9 pm. Everyone has time, nobody rushes.
The mistakes I see most often
A timeline is a guide, not a contract. It will shift on the big day, and that's normal. My job is to keep an eye on the clock for you, so you don't have to.
Frequently asked questions
When should you take couple portraits on your wedding day?
Ideally starting about 45 minutes before sunset, earlier if the venue is surrounded by trees or hills. Allow 30 to 45 minutes.
Should group photos be taken before or after couple portraits?
Before: it frees your guests to enjoy cocktail hour.
How much time should you allow for congratulations?
Between 15 and 30 minutes depending on the number of guests.
Want to talk about your session?
Tell me about your plans: I reply personally, with advice tailored to your date and location.
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