The Wedding Day Timeline That Actually Works

Every bride I’ve worked with has asked some version of the same question: “How much time do we actually need for photos?”

Honest answer: more than your venue coordinator probably told you, and less than you’re stressing about.

Getting ready: build in a 30 minute buffer.

Something always runs long. Hair, makeup, a button that won’t cooperate, a bridesmaid stuck in traffic. Build in thirty extra minutes before you need to be fully dressed. I’m there while you’re still getting ready anyway, and that’s honestly some of my favorite time to shoot. But the buffer means nobody’s panicking when it actually counts.

First look or no first look: 20 to 30 minutes.

If you’re doing a first look and seeing each other privately before the ceremony, give it 20 to 30 minutes. It’s one of the most intimate parts of the day, and it means you walk down the aisle already having had that moment together. If you’re going traditional and waiting for the aisle, that’s completely valid. Just know we’ll need to bank that portrait time after the ceremony instead.

After the ceremony: 45 to 60 minutes.

This is the block most couples underestimate. Family formals go fast when we have a shot list (and we will), but we still need time for wedding party photos and then just the two of you. Give me at least 30 minutes alone with you for portraits. 45 is better. An hour is a dream. If your cocktail hour is happening during this time, it works out perfectly. Your guests are taken care of, you’re getting great photos, and you walk into your reception actually relaxed.

Golden hour: don’t skip it.

If there’s any way to sneak away from the reception for 15 to 20 minutes around sunset, do it. I know it feels like you’re leaving your own party. But that light is unlike anything else, and those 15 minutes usually end up producing some of the most beautiful photos of the entire day. Your guests will barely notice you’re gone.

The biggest thing I tell every couple: build in more time than you think you need, then let go of the rest. When you’re relaxed, everything works. When you’re watching the clock, it shows. If you want to map out your specific day together, that’s something I do with every couple I work with. Reach out at andrewgrangerphoto.com.