2 Hours
4:00 Gretchen arrives
4:15 Ceremony
4:30 Family formals
5:00 Cocktails, Toasts
5:30 Couple’s photos at sunset
6:00 Gretchen departs
4 Hours
3:00 Gretchen arrives
3:10 First look
3:15 Family formals
3:45 Couple & wedding party to hide away
4:00 Ceremony
4:30 Cocktails
5:30 Invite guests to dinner
5:45 Welcome speech and dinner served
6:15 Couple’s photos at sunset
6:45 Return for 2 toasts
7:00 Gretchen departs
6 Hours
2:20 Gretchen arrives
2:30 First look
2:45 Wedding party formals
3:15 Family formals
3:45 Couple & wedding party to hide away
3:45 Gretchen photographs ceremony space and guest arrival
4:00 Guest arrival
4:30 Ceremony
5:00 Cocktails for guests
6:00 Guests invited to be seated
6:15 Grand entrance and welcome speech
6:30 Dinner served
7:00 Couple’s photos at sunset
7:45 Return for 4 toasts
8:15 First dance and parent dances
8:20 Open Dance / Gretchen departs
8 Hours
1:15 Gretchen & Second Shooter arrive
2:30 First look
2:45 Family formals
3:15 Wedding party formals
3:45 Couple & wedding party to hide away
3:45 Gretchen photographs ceremony space and guest arrival
4:00 Guest arrival
4:30 Ceremony
5:00 Cocktails for guests and couple
6:30 Guests invited to be seated
6:45 Grand entrance and welcome speech
7:00 Dinner served
7:30 Couple’s photos at sunset
8:00 Return for 4 toasts
8:30 First dance and parent dances
8:45 Open Dance
9:15 Gretchen departs
10 Hours
10:30 Gretchen & Second Shooter arrive
12:00 Hair and makeup complete
12:00 Photograph bridal parties separately (robes, cigars, bubbles, whiskey / other fun things)
12:30 Couple dresses in wedding attire
1:00 First look, private vows, gifts
1:30 Family formals
2:00 Wedding party formals
2:45 Couple & wedding party to hide away
2:45 Gretchen photographs ceremony space and guest arrival
3:00 Guest arrival
3:30 Ceremony
4:00 Cocktails for guests and couple
5:30 Guests invited to be seated
5:45 Grand entrance & welcome speech
6:00 Dinner served
6:30 Couple’s photos at sunset
7:00 Return for 5 toasts
7:45 First dance and parent dances
8:00 Open Dance
8:30 Gretchen departs
Full Day Coverage
7:30 Gretchen arrives
7:45 Coffee in bed, quiet morning portraits, window light
8:30 Morning walk together before the day begins
9:00 Part ways
9:15 Breakfast with loved ones, morning swim, yoga, all sorts of options here
12:00 Hair and makeup complete
12:00 Photograph bridal parties separately (robes, cigars, bubbles, whiskey / other fun things)
12:30 Couple dresses in wedding attire
1:00 First look, private vows, gifts
1:30 Family formals
2:00 Wedding party formals
2:45 Couple & wedding party to hide away
2:45 Gretchen photographs ceremony space and guest arrival
3:00 Guest arrival
3:30 Ceremony
4:00 Cocktails, games, apps, entertainment for guests and couple
6:00 Guests invited to be seated
6:15 Grand entrance & welcome speech
6:30 Dinner served
7:00 Couple’s photos at sunset
7:45 Return for 5 toasts
8:20 First dance and parent dances
8:30 Open Dance
9:15 Late night snacks, special performance
10:45 Grand Exit
11:00 Gretchen departs
Which timeline do most couples choose?
8 or 10 hour coverage seems to be the most common among couples. The biggest difference happens between 6 and 8 hours. Generally cocktail hour is enjoyed with guests by the couple during an 8 hour day and they have some coverage of getting ready ceremonies and the dance party. Cocktail hour is occupied with family and wedding party formals during a 6 hour day OR 6 hour clients miss getting ready & dance party photos. This isn’t a rule but is the most common difference that I see.
What if I’m having a micro wedding?
I have photographed weddings that have hosted 30 guests for 8 hours and 100 person weddings for 4. It just depends on what you’d like covered. Do you have a brunch or daytime activities you’d like documented during your 30 person celebration? Do you have a special performance by a friend in the evening? These are all parts of your day and some folks opt for bare bones and others want to document the day beginning to end regardless of the number of guests. It’s a personal question but I’m more than happy to help you decide based on your wedding day vision.
