What to Include in Your Wedding Day Timeline

If you’re a Bride or future Bride-to-be and you’re wondering what to include in your wedding day timeline, this is the guide for you! Having a wedding day timeline is SO important! I’ve photographed countless weddings in all different seasons and places with so many different timelines. There are some things that just STAND OUT that are worth mentioning! So here are a few tips from a professional wedding photographer that I’d love to give you to help you plan your perfect wedding day timeline!

1: Include Flat-Lay Photos In Your Wedding Day Timeline

Flat lay photos are the beautiful, little details that make the day authentic to you! This can include rings, jewelry, perfume, invites, shoes, flowers, veil and any other little details you want to remember on this day! Flat-lay details are honestly so special! You spend months gathering these little details. It will be so worth it to have a photo of it all laid out neatly together. Make sure you have all the details you want photographed set aside in a box or in the corner of the room for your photographer to photograph as soon as they arrive. Bonus tip: ask your florist to have extra loose florals to include in your flat-lay details.

2: Have a Final Reveal with Your Bridesmaids

This is definitely something I recommend including in your wedding day timeline- A full final reveal with your bridesmaids. I know some of them may have already seen the dress and they saw you get your hair and make up done. You’re probably thinking “no…they already know what I’m going to look like…”. But I promise you, that the FULL reveal with your hair, make up, dress and just the WHOLE thing, is overwhelmingly stunning! What better way to feel confident for your first look with your future husband, than to have your girls hype you up!!! And believe me, they WILL hype you up!

3: Include a First Look In Your Wedding Day Timeline

This is by far my favorite thing that has changed since the traditional wedding where you see each other for the first time down the aisle. I highly recommend including a first look in your wedding day timeline! It’s WAY less stressful. You get to be alone and vulnerable in front of each other without the pressure from anyone else. Also, you can get immediate family and wedding party photos out of the way before the ceremony. This gives you all the time to mingle with your guests and actually have FUN during cocktail hour. This may also be one of the only times you will actually be alone together during the whole day! Click HERE for more reasons why you should do a first look!

4: Add a Confetti Throw After The Ceremony!

Add a Confetti throw after the ceremony when walking back down the aisle for the first time as Mr and Mrs!!! Confetti throws are SO much fun and they look amazing in photos. Some venues don’t allow them because of the mess it makes or for environmental reasons. There are, however, a lot of environmental friendly options like real flower petals, rice, blowing bubbles etc. Also, one last tip for the ceremony, STOP, dip and kiss in the middle of the aisle when walking back down for the first time as Mr and Mrs! The crowd roaring and cheering for you two, is electric!

5: Include Sunset Photos!!!

This is probably one of the most important things to include in your wedding day timeline! A quick 15minutes for sunset photos! Trust me, you WILL NOT regret it! Golden hour is about an hour before sunset and it’s the absolute BEST time for photos! It’s also another chance to break away from the crowd and get a few minutes alone together. Remember to bring your veil for these. They make for great sunset photos! If there isn’t much of a sunset on your wedding day, don’t worry! This can be another opportunity to just be alone together and capture some more beautiful bride and groom photos of the two of you!

6: Include a Last Dance

You have spent months planning for this special day that will go by in the blink of an eye! Take a moment at the very end and have a last dance alone together to take it all in. You can ask the DJ to announce a last song before everyone should clear the dance floor for the couple to have a moment together alone. The guests can even start preparing the sparklers outside for a sparkler exit if you’d like to add that as well!

I hope these help you include some special and fun things in your wedding day timeline. Please remember that my last and best tip is that none of these tips matter if it’s not what you want. Make your special day a day that’s true to you two!

More About Heidi Straus Photography

Hi, I’m Heidi. A Minnesota based wedding photographer, originally from South Africa where I spent the first 21 years of my life. I love capturing timeless, documentary style photos. If you’re still looking for your dream wedding photographer – I’d absolutely love to connect with you! You can learn more about my packages here- Minnesota Wedding Photography Packages.