We start in this article with a sigh of relief for you: the timeline is NOT something the couple has to think about!
Or rather, not only and not all of the couple.

In fact, your day’s schedule is the result of the intersection of all the things that are going to happen, the time of the ceremony, the arrangements with other vendors, and of course my photographic advice.

The bride and groom are left with the task of communicating to me the general plan of the day and together with me building backwards all the various steps with the exact times.

How to plan the perfect schedule for your wedding: step-by-step

Here are the main steps of a complete wedding day:

• Bride and Groom Preparation
  The day begins with the bride and groom getting ready at their home or parents’ home or within the venue.
  We usually schedule 1 hour for the groom and 1 hour and 30 minutes for the bride.
  During the scheduling I will give you the directions to communicate to the hair and makeup vendors so that all of us vendors can best fit in this stage.

• Ceremony
  The duration of the ceremony varies greatly depending on the type of ceremony. A civil wedding might take as little as 30 minutes, while a religious ceremony can last between 45 and 60 minutes.
  In each case, it is also crucial to consider arrival time, reception of guests, and any delays due to preparations.

• Group and family photos for those who want them
  These shots are just for those who want something more classic and are usually taken right after the ceremony, before moving on to the reception.
  This is the time to capture formal photos with parents, close relatives and friends, but it can take up a lot of time that leads guests to get bored and lose patience.
  I usually recommend reserving this stage only for the really close people, as the reportage style will somewhat portray all the guests later during the celebration.
  So fear not: you will still have the memory of the guests at the end of the day.

• Couple photos: SUPER IMPORTANT!
  This is the time when you can enjoy some time together, away from the crowd, and in my opinion it is the most important moment of the whole day.
  Do not underestimate it or reduce it to a handful of stolen photos here and there.
  If even on the spot it seems like a bad idea not to participate in the early stages of the party (which, spoiler, won’t start without you anyway, and therefore you are not missing anything) I assure you that nothing will bring back the moment when with your outfits you hold hands and release the tension.
  You just got married!
  For this stage, the best time depends very much on the light.
  If you want soft, warm light with spectacular photos, the ideal time is late afternoon, when the sun begins to set. Sunset is a magical time, and you can read what I recommend about it here .
  Couple photos last about 45 minutes or 1 hour in total-these photos should be taken serenely, without the anxiety of the clock so you have a wide variety of shots without too much pressure.
  If you are getting married in the morning and don’t want to shoot the whole couple session in a row because the light is not even the best, we can always break it up by dedicating a small part of the photos to the sunset moment.

• Reception
  Even the reception needs its own timeline!
  One needs to consider the timing for the arrival of guests, the length of the cocktail hour, the start of dinner, any speeches, games, bouquet toss, the cutting of the cake, and the first dance.
  Throughout the reception I will continue to shoot spontaneously and in the form of a reportage everything that happens, so I will not miss any surprises that you are not aware of.
  My service ends after the party has already started, when I will have captured the key parts of your guests’ wild dances and the evening will slowly begin to draw to a close.

More tips for your perfect photo timeline:

• Flexibility: unforeseen events can happen, so it is always helpful to leave small margins between phases so as not to feel rushed. We cannot be too tight, because possible traffic or delays from other suppliers cannot be planned for.
• Sunset time: I will personally check what time the sun sets and plan a shooting session with you to capture the famous “golden hour.”
• Consult vendors: staying in touch with wedding planners, caterers, and DJ/band is helpful to align. Communication between vendors is essential to keep the timeline flowing. At the end of our schedule feel free to share it with other planners on your day.

Finally, remember that the timeline is a guide. The goal is not to stick to it to the minute to have a perfect day, but to have a track that allows you to enjoy your day to the fullest. I will be there ready to capture every emotion, from the planned to the unexpected!