Lets face it , sometimes our budget needs us to keep things in check, especially when it comes to our weddings! But…. is it possible to get everything you want photographed on your wedding in just 6 hours? good news…Its definatly doable! Lets go over what a sample wedding day timeline might look like for a 6 hour day and cover some tips and things to consider while planning!
3:00 – photographer arrives / captures detail photos 3:30 – bride gets dressed / bridal portraits 3:50 – groom gets dressed / groom portraits / detail photos
4:00 – First Look with family (if wanted) THEN First look with Bride and Groom (if wanted) 4:30 – ceremony
4:45 – family photos/ cocktail hour
5:15 – bridal party photos
5:30 – bride and groom photos
6:00 – grand entrance
First dance
Parent dances
Cake cutting
Toasts
6:30 – dinner
7:15 – dancing
8:45 – sunset photos
9:00 – photographer departs / sparkler photo
It can be done! But in order for it to not feel rushed there are some good things to remember! First , try to keep your Bridal party small and be okay with not having many “getting ready” photos. Ideally with more hours , there is more wiggle room with timing , but when you are planning for only 6 hours of coverage remember that we need to take time off the beggining of the day or later in the day ( getting ready, longer first looks etc or sunset photos, sparklers, speeches etc).
It’s also very helpful having a smaller bridal for that tiny window for prep shots. When all the girls have hair and makeup done by the time the photographer arrives and everyone is ready to jump into their wedding outfits it makes things move quicker!
The BIGGEST Things to remeber…
An All inclusive venue! What does that mean? If you’re doing shorter photography coverage, an all-inclusive venue, meaning a place where you can have both the ceremony and reception, is a MUST. Travel time and getting everyone packed up and out the door takes much more time than you think, which invites lots of opportunities to run late or have to hold things up because you’re waiting on one person in the wedding party to arrive. If you want to include prep shots in your 6 hours as well, having EVERYONE in the bridal party getting ready at the venue is also a must. If you’re shopping for a venue, it’s is a BIG selling point if they can accommodate both sides of the wedding party, the ceremony, and the reception all in the same walkable location.
A Later Ceremony time– Many Venues push to have ceremonys at 2-3pm so they can get the reception going by 4:00 (which often has to do with residential noise ordinances later in the evening) If you can have a later ceremony even 4-5pm it gives the photographer even more time to get coverage for your prep photos!
The Season for outdoor portriats– If your having your photos or ceremony outdoors don’t forget to consider when the sun will go down. If your having a spring or Fall wedding when the sun sets at 7pm you may need to move your timetime around to have bride and groom and bridal photos done earlier in the day before the sun sets.
If your aiming to have a 6 hour coverage for your wedding day its possible! This wedding described in the post can be one of the most relaxed, enjoyable weddings, and not because of any plan thats created, but because the couple CHOOSES to be relaxed, trusting, and fully present for their friends and family.
Happy Planning !
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