Wedding Resources - Recommended by Fresh Inspirations Photography

We excited to announce that we now have a Wedding Resources page on our website!  We have had the opportunity to meet some other wonderful vendors in the wedding industry and we are pleased to recommend these vendors to couples who are working on planning their special day.  Be sure to check out the Wedding Resources page and if you speak with a recommended vendor tell them that Fresh Inspirations Photography sent you!

A Simple Wedding Day Timeline: A Photographer’s Point of View

One of the questions we are most often asked is “How much time do we need to allow for pictures?”   The answer to this question is a bit tricky though. It’s different for each bride depending upon how they want their big day to flow, along with whether or not they want to see their groom before they walk down the aisle. 

Your wedding day is one of the most important and most memorable days of your life. Wedding days tend to be fast paced with lots of unexpected things popping up, trying to throw you off the schedule you’ve worked hard to create.  Your shoes or bouquet may be left at the wrong location, your dress may have a wrinkle in it that absolutely must be steamed, or your hair stylist may be running a few minutes late. It is inevitable that something will end up taking more time than you planned and we are here to help you prepare for this. Upon first glance, you may think it’s a bit crazy how much time we’ve allotted for some parts of the day, however, the trick is to prioritize what will help you most to remember your big day and your special images!

To help you in your wedding planning, we’ve created a simple Wedding Day Timeline with what works best from a photographer’s perspective.  This is based upon our experience shooting weddings and what we have found works best. Please adjust this timeline based upon your own specific needs for the day. We encourage you to work closely with your photographer in creating your Wedding Day Timeline for the best experience possible.  

Simple Wedding Day Timeline [with a First Look]

11:00am – 12:00pm: Bride begins hair

12:00 – 12:30pm: Don’t forget to eat lunch!

12:30 – 1:30pm: Bride begins make-up

1:30pm – Photographers arrive and begin getting detail shots

1:30 – 2:30pm: Groom gets dressed / Bride puts on dress

2:30 – 3:00pm: Bride & Groom’s First Look

3:00 – 3:30pm: Bride & Groom Portraits

3:30 – 4:00pm: Bridal Party Portraits

4:00 – 4:30pm: Formal Family Portraits

4:30 – 5:30pm: Freshen up for Ceremony

5:30 – 6:00pm: Ceremony (beginning about 1.5-2 hours before sunset is ideal)

6:00 – 6:30pm: Receiving Line (optional)

6:30 – 7:00pm: Cocktail hour for guests

6:30 – 7:00pm: Sunset shots of Bride & Groom

7:00pm – Reception Begins (Grand Entrance)

7:15pm – Meal is served

8:00pm – Cake Cutting / Toast

8:15pm – First Dance/ Father-Daughter Dance / Mother-Son Dance / Bouquet & Garder Toss

8:30pm – Dancing!

9:30pm – Photographers leave