Wedding Timeline Planner
Enter your ceremony details and get a photo-friendly schedule that lands your portraits in golden hour.
How the planner works
The planner works backwards and forwards from your ceremony time using the same blocks we use with our own couples: time for details and getting ready, a first look (or not), realistic family-photo timing based on the number of groupings, a cocktail-hour portrait session, and the key reception moments.
It then calculates the sunset for your date and location and slots a 15–20 minute golden-hour portrait session just before it. If sunset lands too early or too late for your schedule, the summary tells you — that's usually a sign to shift the ceremony by thirty minutes or add an hour of coverage.
Timeline tips from a Victoria wedding photographer
- Add a 10–15 minute buffer anywhere hair, makeup or travel is involved.
- Write a named family-photo list and assign a helper who knows everyone.
- In summer, sunset can be after 9 p.m. — plan to slip out between dinner and dancing.
- Ferry or highway travel on the Malahat? Add extra margin.
Want the full explanation? Read our wedding day timeline guide.
Questions
Is a first look necessary?
Not at all. A first look frees up time for portraits before the ceremony; without one we simply do more portraits during cocktail hour. Toggle it to compare.
How long do family photos take?
Plan about three minutes per grouping plus a few minutes to gather people. Eight groupings is roughly half an hour.
How many hours of coverage do we need?
The summary suggests coverage based on your inputs. Most full weddings land between seven and nine hours.
Can I save my timeline?
Use the print button to save a PDF, or copy it into your planning document. The settings stay as long as the page is open.
Tell us about your day
Share your date, your place and what matters most. We reply to every inquiry within two business days.