Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, especially when you consider the multitude of things to be organized. Finding the right venue, deciding on the guest list, and choosing your wedding party are just a few of the items on the long list of things to do. It’s a daunting task for sure, but one aspect of the day that doesn’t have to be stressful is the timeline.

We’ve learned that a well-planned timeline is key to a relaxed and enjoyable wedding day. When you’re not rushed, you’ll be more at ease, and this results in better photos! One of the best pieces of advice we can offer couples is to add a little extra time around the important parts of the day. This ensures that if something runs late, it won’t throw off the entire schedule.

Timelines can vary based on the specifics of each wedding, such as the number of guests, whether or not you choose to do a first look, and when the sun sets. We have worked on over 350 weddings, planning the timeline for 348 of them. Our extensive experience has enabled us to develop a timeline that’s down to a science, so you can relax and enjoy your big day.

The Best Wedding Ceremony Start Times

We always begin the conversation around what time the ceremony is going to get started. It’s a great starting point to building a timeline around. Some venues have set windows for ceremony start times while others allow you to decide.

Figuring out the best time for a ceremony means thinking about two things–when the sunset will happen, and when the venue says you can arrive on site. Every venue is going to be different, some give couples the whole weekend for their wedding, but most will have an allowed time of arrival and hard stop time.

If you’re planning an outdoor ceremony (something we typically strongly encourage!), the best light of the day is 1-2 hours before the sun sets. If the sun sets at 7:30, planning a 5:30 ceremony would make sense. If you’re planning a summer wedding though, this gets tricky. During New England summers, sometimes the sun doesn’t set until 8:45. Which would leave zero room for dancing if you started the ceremony at 6:45. And a wedding with no dancing is, well, never a good idea.

So, sometimes you have to plan for a ceremony that begins four hours before the sun sets. And that’s okay. We will just try to find some time to take you outside during that beautiful light for some portraits if we can!