For any big event, your timeline is the backbone for everything else. Get it right, and you’ll have space to breathe, laugh, and be present for all the moments that matter. Get it wrong, and you could spend your day feeling rushed and missing the magic that can happen in the quiet moments.

Hi, I’m Andrew, and after seven years of filming weddings, I’ve learned that often the difference between a stressful wedding day and a day where everything just seems to come together is just having a well organized timeline.

This guide covers considerations and timings for a standard wedding day timeline, though if you’re incorporating a Tea Ceremony or other cultural traditions, your day might look different. We’re planning more specific posts for different ceremony types down the line.

As a videographer and photographer, I work closely with every couple to create a timeline that serves both their vision and the kind of film we want to create together. Here’s what that usually looks like.

The Foundation: Travel Time

Try to keep travel down, if you must travel be generous with timings.

Before we dive into the schedule, let’s talk about the thing that can derail everything: travel. Always plan for worst-case travel times, especially if you’re moving around Melbourne during peak hours. You can eliminate this stress entirely by keeping everything at one venue, but that might simply not be possible for your day.

Getting Ready: Where the Day Really Begins

We usually start with the groomsmen getting ready for about 60 minutes and then capture the bride getting ready for about 90 minutes.

The Order We typically start with the groom and groomsmen, then move to the bride and bridesmaids. This isn’t about tradition but about practicality. It gives the bridal party time to finish hair and makeup, and means the bride isn’t sitting around in her wedding dress longer than necessary. Wedding dresses are stunning, but they’re not exactly built for lounging around.

Time You’ll Need Plan for 60 minutes with the groom’s party and 90 minutes with the bride’s party. Getting the guys ready simply takes less time because there are fewer details and simpler preparations.

If we’re really pressed for time, we can work with 45 minutes for the groom and 60 minutes for the bride, but when everyone has room to breathe, that’s when the best moments happen. Some of my favorite footage comes from those quiet moments when people are just talking about what the day means to them.

When we arrive, we start with detail shots of the important things: rings, shoes, letters you’ve written to each other. Then we capture the actual getting ready process and a few solo portraits before gathering everyone for some group shots with family and friends.

Don’t underestimate how long this can take. Even when everything goes smoothly, there are usually a few moments that need extra attention.

When Things Look Different Sometimes we’ll cover both sides simultaneously if you’re getting ready at the same location. This works well when we have plenty of time to move around and find those natural moments.

Other times we’ll bring a second shooter to capture both sides at once, especially when cultural traditions are happening right up until departure time.

Speaking of traditions, if yours involve extended ceremonies during getting ready, add about 30 minutes to account for solo portraits and formal group photos on top of your tradition time.

Hair and Makeup Timing

If possible aim for hair and make up to finish 15 minutes before the photographer and videographer arrive.

As you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering how this affects your hair and makeup schedule. The finish time for hair and makeup depends on what you want from your getting ready coverage.

If hair and makeup are finished by the time we arrive, every shot we take is more likely to be one you’ll love. We can capture some great moments during the hair and makeup process, but there are only so many ways to photograph someone getting their lipstick touched up.

Here’s what I’ve learned: when you’re all ready and it feels like nothing is happening, something is about to happen. And those something moments are usually worth more than any makeup touch-up shot.

I’d suggest scheduling hair and makeup to finish 15 minutes before we arrive. This gives you a buffer for any delays and creates space for those unexpected moments that make the best stories.

I know hair and makeup take time, and if you have a large bridal party, this might mean a very early start. A good photographer and videographer will make anything work – you’ll just get more magic when there’s more time.

The Ceremony

Your photographer and videographer will want to arrive at the ceremony least 30 minutes before you walk down the aisle. Once the the ceremony is over add 15 – 30 minutes for family and group photos.

Every ceremony is different, but we always ask to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before you walk down the aisle. This gives us time to set up, capture the details, and film your guests arriving – their faces when they see the space you’ve created are always beautiful.

This means we’ll usually need to leave the getting ready location about 30 minutes before you do, maybe earlier if parking will be challenging.

Your celebrant can give you a good estimate of ceremony length. Add 15 to 30 minutes afterward for family photos, and you’ve got this part scheduled. We do family photos right after the ceremony because everyone’s gathered, you’re usually at a beautiful location, and the light is usually good.

The Photo Session

For your photo session, no including travel, try to aim for 30 minutes at each location or if there’s just one location 60 minutes is usually enough. More time means a larger variety of photos, not necessarily higher quality photos.

This is where we create some of the images that will hang on your walls for the next fifty years.

The time you need depends on what you want to achieve. More time means more variety and more beautiful shots. We can create something amazing even with limited time, but we won’t have as many options.

It’s not just about the photos, though. This is when you get to be with your partner and your closest friends at a beautiful location, away from the wonderful but sometimes overwhelming presence of all your guests.

Without travel time, plan for 30 minutes per location if you’re visiting multiple spots around Melbourne. If you’re staying at your venue, give yourselves about 60 minutes to explore and enjoy the process.

Bridal Party Considerations Larger bridal parties need more time to organize, and if you want individual shots with each person, that adds up.

The Sunset Session

If at all possible, go out at sunset for some photos/videos, the light is usually the best at this time. Just 20 minutes with the main couple is usually enough.

If you can catch sunset on your wedding day, set aside 20 minutes for just the two of you. These images are often the most dramatic and romantic of the entire day. In summer, this usually happens during the reception. In winter, you’ll often see this lighting just after your ceremony when we usually do the photo session.

Depending on your location, start anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour before the official sunset time. Areas with tall trees, buildings, or hills won’t get that full golden hour, so we start earlier.

Beyond the images, there’s something magical about sharing a sunset together on your wedding day.

The Reception

Your photographer and videographer will want to arrive at the reception at least 30 minutes before you enter. The rest of the timings are all up to you!

The final chapter of your day! As filmmakers, we’re pretty hands-off with specific reception timing because celebrations vary so much. Your coordinator, venue, and DJ will guide you here.

Just remember to leave room for that sunset session if it fits your timeline.

Your photo/video team will usually want to get in 30 to 45 minutes before your entrance. This lets us set up audio for speeches, adjust lighting if needed, and capture all the beautiful styling details before guests arrive.

In terms of how much coverage you should get of the reception we always suggest getting coverage of everything that matters to you, plus 30 minutes of dance floor footage. Some of the best moments happen when the formalities are done and everyone’s just celebrating.

And that’s how you can go about planning your wedding day timeline.