Wedding Day Timeline Builder

A good wedding timeline is mostly arithmetic: how long getting dressed really takes, how many family groupings you have, and when the sun goes down. This builder does the math and leaves you with a schedule to share.

Start with the one time you know — the ceremony — and adjust the rest. Toggle the first look on and off to see how it moves portraits from the cocktail hour into the afternoon, and pick your location and date so golden-hour portraits land at the right minute.

Family formals are where most timelines slip. The builder allows about three minutes per grouping plus a buffer, which works when someone who knows both families is calling names. Fifteen groups is a lot; ten is comfortable.

Print the result or copy it as text and send it to your photographer, coordinator and the people in your wedding party. Then let your photographer make the final edits — they know their own pace and your venue.

How it works

• Everything is anchored to your ceremony start time.
• With a first look, the couple, wedding party and some family photos happen before the ceremony.
• Without one, portraits move into the cocktail hour, so it may run longer.
• The sunset time for your date and city is calculated automatically and a 15-minute golden-hour portrait slot is added when it falls during the day.