Are you engaged and planning a wedding? Well then chances are you’re going to need to work on timing for your big day, and although, yes an epic photographer and planner will help with this, it helps to have a general idea of how it works yourself too! So let me help break it down for you.
Whenever I give timeline recommendations, the first thing I do is find out the sunset time on that specific wedding date and then ask if the couple wants to do a first look. Based on the answers to those two questions… I then work backward and do one of two things explained below!
IF YOU DO WANT TO DO A FIRST LOOK:
If the couple chooses to do a first look, I always suggest planning the ceremony (at a minimum!) 2 hours before sunset. This is especially important for Fall & Winter weddings when the sunset is earlier. Since they’ll most likely be able to get all of wedding party and immediate family photos done before the ceremony, only about 30 minutes will be needed afterward for extended family photos. This gives that couple time to join cocktail hour and spend more time with their guests post-ceremony!
IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO A FIRST LOOK:
If the couple chooses not to do a first look, no worries! There’s still plenty of time for photos IF you plan your ceremony approximately 3 hours before sunset (at a minimum!). That gives them 1.5 – 2 hours of gorgeous, golden sunlight after the ceremony to get all of their portraits completed!
ONE LAST TIP YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS!
Regardless of what time the ceremony is or if a first look is done or not, always leave 10-15 minutes in your day-of timeline for golden hour couple portraits!! No couple ever regrets escaping the festivities for a few minutes to take photos during their first sunset MARRIED!! Tell your photographer this is important and they’ll plan for that accordingly.
If this topic intrigued you and you want to see more timeline samples, I got you! Click the button below to walk through TWO different wedding day sample timelines I built specifically to help you (or anyone!!) plan their big day stress-free!
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