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There are so many things to organise for your wedding day. From booking the venue and suppliers, to choosing your outfits and entertainment. Often, amongst the frantic build-up, the timings of your special day can be overlooked. However, take it from me, your wedding day will fly by. The best advice I can give you is to plan your wedding photography timeline. It gives you moments when you can slow things down, breathe, and soak up every incredible moment of your wedding day. As a Bedfordshire wedding photographer, I’ve captured weddings of all shapes and sizes, and this one important, often overlooked, bit of planning makes a huge difference.
Whether you’re having a country barn celebration (Like The Tithe Barn in Bedford) or a chic garden ceremony (Like the ones offered at Amberleigh Gardens), here are some handy hints on how to create a wedding photography timeline that will ensure your day runs smoothly.
1. Start Your Morning with Buffer Time
Your morning sets the tone for the entire day. The last thing you want is to feel rushed while getting ready! Hair and makeup almost always run over (yes, even with a schedule). So factor in a buffer time to your wedding photography timeline (say 30minutes), ‘just in case!’
Top tips:
- Aim to be in your dress at least 30 minutes before your photographer needs to leave for the ceremony
- Have your details (shoes, jewellery, invitations) ready for flat lay photos
- Keep your space tidy, it makes a huge difference in your getting-ready shots!
2. Build in Time for Travel and Transitions
You might live just 5 minutes from the venue, you might be getting ready at the venue; however, consider factoring in an extra 15 minutes! Even short journeys to your ceremony can eat into your wedding photography timeline. Between traffic, parking, and herding guests, a quick 5-minute drive often takes 20!
Likewise, if your ceremony venue is in a different location from your reception, estimate timings generously. Here are a few top tips:
Things to include:
- Travel time between ceremony and reception
- Guest mingling after the ceremony
- A few minutes to freshen up and regroup
A good rule of thumb? Overestimate, not underestimate. More time = more photos and less stress.
3. Prioritise Your Couple Portrait Time
Your portrait session is one of the few chances you’ll have to pause, breathe, and really connect on the day. Plus, it’s where some of your most treasured photos will come from! You may wish to have some first look photographs done before the ceremony. You may want some portraits at the ceremony and the reception, particularly if these are separate venues.
Discussing everything with your photographer and planning these moments into your wedding photography timeline will ensure none of these precious moments are forgotten.
Two key periods for my wedding couples are:
- 20–30 minutes after the ceremony (once guests are enjoying drinks)
- Again later in the day — golden hour (just before sunset) is magical
Bonus: I’ll guide you every step of the way. There’s no awkward posing, just relaxed, natural moments in time, capturing your new life as a married couple.
4. Plan Your Group Shots in Advance
Group photos are important, but they don’t need to eat into your drinks reception. With a little planning, they can be quick, fun, and painless!
How to keep them smooth:
- Prepare a list of your must-have group combinations
- Limit to around 10–12 groups to keep things moving
- Assign a helper (someone who knows both families) to help gather people
Trust me, the more organised this is, the quicker you can get back to the fizz!
5. Leave Space for the Unscripted Moments
Some of the most beautiful images I capture aren’t on your shot list. They’re the spontaneous hugs, bursts of laughter, and quiet glances you didn’t even realise were happening. These photographs are equally as important as the pre-planned ones, because they capture moments of your day you may have missed. Everything is such a whirlwind!
Make time for:
- Candid guest shots during the drinks reception
- Little moments in-between events
- A few “roaming shots” during dinner or speeches
Likewise, when your wedding photography timeline has breathing room, the day feels relaxed, and that reflects in your photos.
Wedding Photography Timeline: Bonus Tip
Any professional wedding photographer will want to sit down with you both, at least once, to start planning your special day. The sooner, the better. The beauty of booking a professional wedding photographer is that they are usually very familiar with the venues. They know inside and out the beautiful places to capture some stunning images, and how the light works at different times of the day, different times of the year.
I can help you build your wedding photography timeline. We’ll plan it carefully together to ensure all avenues are covered and the day flows seamlessly. By working in this way, we can create a list of the ‘must-have’ images you need, and I can offer suggestions, from my experience, of images you didn’t know you’d need! This time also gives us time to get to know each other, which should make you feel more relaxed on the big day. I’ll help you balance the natural flow of your wedding day with just enough structure to make sure everything is beautifully captured.
Ready to Plan Your Wedding Photography Timeline?
If you’re getting married in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire or beyond and want relaxed, natural photography (without the overwhelm), I’d love to help you plan your day.
Let’s chat about your wedding photography timeline and secure your wedding date today! Contact me here.
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