3 Tips for Creating an Awesome Wedding Day Timeline

A bride and groom with matching purple sunglasses hold hands and walk towards the came in the middle of a street while smiling

Congratulations on your engagement! This is such an exciting moment in your life and your relationship!! After the excitement starts to settle a bit though and it comes time to plan your wedding day, things can feel a little intimidating sometimes. One of the biggest factors in creating the wedding day of your dreams is structuring out the timeline of your day. The importance of your wedding day timeline really can’t be understated, which is why I decided to put this article together. Not only to show you how important a wedding timeline is, but also 3 tips I have as a Colorado wedding photographer to create one that fits your vision for your wedding day!

The Importance of a Wedding Day Timeline

First off, why is a wedding timeline so important? Don’t you just show up to your ceremony, say I do, and then eat and celebrate with your guests? These events are only a small portion of your wedding day, and there is A LOT more that you’ll need to consider. First and foremost your venue(s) likely have a timeframe of their own you need to work with, whether it’s when your ceremony has to be done by, your reception’s end time, etc. You’ll also need to take into account every little detail of the day, the time each of them takes, and travel time from event to event. Everything from when you start getting ready, to when you’re taking newlywed portraits, and even what time you’re having your first dance ALL needs to be planned out.

Your timeline is your roadmap, not only keeping you on track for your day, but also helping you keep your sanity as your wedding day can get a little crazy! Having a detailed and thorough timeline will keep you, your wedding party, guests, and vendors on track so that you can ensure your day runs exactly how you envision!!

A bride looks over her shoulder to the camera while standing in a forest, in front of her is the groom with his back to her before their first look happens

3 Tips for Your Wedding Day Timeline

1. First Look or No First Look?

Whether or not you have a first look on your wedding day is a HUGE factor in determining the layout of your timeline! While it might not seem like it at first, trust me this impacts a lot more than just when you two see one another for the first time, mainly when you’ll fit in time for portraits in your day. With a first look you’re able to then take newlywed and wedding party portraits prior to your ceremony leaving only family portraits and sunset portraits for afterwards! If you opt for no first look the only portraits you’ll be able to do are with your respective wedding parties, group photos as well as all other portraits will need to wait until after your ceremony.

When it comes to deciding whether your wedding has a first look or not, remember there is NO wrong answer! It comes down to your vision, and what you hope to experience on your wedding day!! If you’re having trouble deciding whether to have a first look or not on your wedding day you’re in luck, as I have a full blog covering this topic in greater detail to help guide you.

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom posing atop a mountain in Colorado with fall colors all around them, the right is a black and white photo of them kissing holding sparklers at night

2. Build in Some Buffer Time

Do not, I repeat, do NOT cram too much into your timeline! It’s so exciting planning your wedding that it can be tempting to try and fit in as much as possible to your day. After all, you want to celebrate this next chapter in your relationship together! I’m here to tell you though that while you can fit a ton into a single day, in the end there are only so many hours in the day. If you fill every minute of your wedding day with activities and travel time between those activities you’re not going to be left with any time to actually take in and enjoy your wedding day.

No matter what you include in it, your wedding day is going to FLY by, which is why planning in some buffer time in your timeline is crucial. It not only gives you flexibility in the case of any unforeseen complications coming up, but it also gives you time to exist! To take in all the wonderful moments and details that make your wedding day the incredible, once in a lifetime experience it is!!

A bride and groom stand atop a rock in a field with snow covered mountains behind them and kiss one another

3. Plan Around the Sun

My last timeline planning tip is to plan your portraits around the sun. What I mean by this is to make sure to schedule time into your wedding timeline for you to take portraits with the sunset. Sunset portraits, especially in my gorgeous state of Colorado, will oftentimes be some of your favorite photos from your wedding album. There’s something so magical about golden hour and the feeling it brings you towards the end of your wedding day!

It’s important then to keep in mind when sunset will happen on the day of your wedding. This time will change throughout the year, and you’ll want to avoid scheduling any other events during golden hour so that you can for sure capture these incredible photos! When working with my couples I make sure to bring this up with them and help plan out their timeline so we can be sure we’re getting the most out of golden hour on their wedding day!!

There is SO much to consider when planning your wedding day timeline! This article covers some of the most important aspects of it, but there’s still so much to plan out and prepare for!! If you’re looking for more help with planning your wedding day timeline be sure to check out this blog that covers some other important areas of a wedding timeline. If you’d like to see more of my work be sure to check out my Instagram, and if you’re ready to book me for your wedding day send me an inquiry here. I’d love to hear from you and help you plan out the perfect timeline for your wedding day!!