Hiring a photographer is one of the most important vendors on your wedding team, especially when they are with you for so much of your big day. When it comes to creating a photography timeline for your wedding day, there are three important to tips to take into consideration. 

Create A Shot List

There are several different photos to capture on the wedding day from getting ready, the first look and portraits to the ceremony and reception. It’s important to create a list of all the shots you’d like captured on your wedding day, but this is especially true when it comes to any specific groupings and combinations for family and the wedding party before and/or after the ceremony. Most couples do photos with their family and wedding party before the ceremony if they plan to do a first look, so they can enjoy the cocktail hour with their guests. Otherwise, those photos take place after the ceremony during the cocktail hour. In either scenario, it’s important to have a shot list of all the groups and combinations of photos needed with those specific guests, so you allot enough time in the timeline for those images. Assume it will take between 2-3 minutes per photo between those guests coming up for their photo, the photographer positioning them, taking the actual photo and dismissing them for the next group. So, for example, if you have 15 different photos to take, that can easily be 30-45 minutes of time needed before or after the ceremony. You should also inform those guests ahead of time you want a photo with them and let them know to hang back after the ceremony ends or come early to stay on schedule.  

Have Different Plans

Usually both indoor and outdoor photos are taken at some point during the wedding day, whether you’re having an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception or both ceremony and reception are indoors with some couple/wedding party photos outdoors. It’s important to have a backup indoor plan for any outdoor photo locations you have in mind. Rain is not the only reason to have a backup indoor plan—heat, wind and smoke even on the sunniest and dryest of days can easily be reasons to do photos indoors.  

It’s also important to be aware of how much natural light you’ll get on your wedding day depending on the season you’re getting married. The sun sets much later in the summer in Chicago (between 8-9pm) than it does in the wintertime (between 4-6pm), and you want to make the most of the natural light.

Consider How Many Hours Of Coverage

If you’re unsure of how many hours of photography coverage you’ll need on your wedding day, keep in mind that the prime window of photography usually takes place from the end of getting ready (finishing hair and makeup/putting on your wedding dress) in the morning through the beginning of guest dancing at the reception. That amount of time is typically between 8 and 10 hours. You may need more or less coverage depending on your specific situation and timing of events, but 8-10 is usually the sweet spot. You don’t really need more than 15-20 minutes of photos of hair & makeup in the beginning of the day or guest dancing at the end of the night because those photos start looking the same. However, if you’re planning to have a special exit after the reception, like a sparkler sendoff, for example, then you may need more hours of photography if you want that moment professionally captured.

Thursday, July 31, 2025