The three most popular wedding timelines for photographers and videographers by a NJ professional wedding photographer: Suess Moments

 

 

Hello! I’m Miranda Suess, a wedding photographer based in Jersey City, NJ. With my experience capturing hundreds of weddings, I understand the importance of creating a relaxed and beautifully documented wedding day experience without any rush and providing a diverse collection of photos for you to treasure. This is why I am sharing three of the most popular wedding timelines, including photo and video services.

 

When should we plan our outdoor wedding ceremony?

I suggest choosing the time of your outdoor wedding ceremony 2 hours before sunset. Most outdoor wedding ceremonies have a 30-minute welcoming (the time of your wedding invitation) and then 30 minutes of the actual ceremony. At this time, you will have softer light. I suggest that the sun is directly behind the officiant’s head or at an off-center angle. If you choose any earlier, the sun may be too bright, and your guests may have to wear sunglasses, making it hard for a photographer to capture your guests reactions during your heartfelt vow exchange.

 

 

How to find where the sun is setting on my wedding day for the best photos?

Sun Position shows you sunrise and sunset times, as well as the solar and lunar path on an augmented reality camera view for any day of the year at your current location. Its handy data screen also gives you other useful information including moon rise/set times, golden hour and twilight times, and moon phase information.

Download the Sun position app on Google Play | Apple

 

When should we plan our cocktail hour?

I recommend starting your cocktail hour one hour before sunset. The best light, known as the golden hour, occurs midway through. During this time, I will likely approach you and ask for a quick 10-minute outdoor photo session with the magical golden light in the background.

 

 

We want the best light (golden hour) during our outdoor ceremony. How should we plan for this?

It’s recommended that you choose your outdoor ceremony during golden hour too – especially if the sun is setting behind the officiant’s head. That way you have the most beautiful magical light during your ceremony. I suggest that you plan the ceremony to begin 45 minutes before sunset and the welcoming cocktails an hour and 15 minutes before sunset.

 

 

How do we know when sunset is on our wedding day?

Simply google search the city and date of your wedding.

 

The three most popular wedding timelines

I have created wedding timelines that have been extensively tested and proven to keep couples relaxed and ensure that all photo requests are fulfilled without causing any delays on the wedding day. I understand that not every wedding or couple is the same, so my typical approach to creating wedding timelines is to have a consultation and have my couples complete a questionnaire to ensure they have a personalized experience.

These timelines are based on the assumption that the wedding will take place at one location with no travel needed for the photo/video team and that the ceremony will last 30 minutes. If there is any travel involved, you should account for the travel time between locations and add a 15-minute buffer for potential traffic and delays. If your wedding will have a religious ceremony that exceeds 30 minutes, you should adjust the timeline accordingly. If you’re not planning to have a first look, you should consult your wedding photographer for suggestions, as you will need to allocate about 2 hours for photos as newlyweds, with your wedding party and family, after the ceremony and before the cocktail hour.

 

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TWO PHOTOGRAPHERS AND TWO VIDEOGRAPHERS (minimum 9 hours)

*if travel is involved, add a 15-minute buffer on top of eta

Time | 45 MIN | Flatlay detail photos (leads)

Time | 90 MIN | Bridal prep photos (leads)

– Time | 60 MIN | Groom prep photos (seconds)

Time | 60 MIN | First look + portraits (leads + seconds)

Time | 30 MIN | Wedding party photos (leads + seconds)

Time | 30 MIN | Family photos (leads + seconds)

Time | 30 MIN | Prepare for the ceremony (leads + seconds)

Time | 30 MIN | Ceremony (leads + seconds)

*If church ceremony, add an additional 75 minutes (total 105 minutes) to allow time for an hour church ceremony + 45 minutes photos afterward at the church

Time | 60 MIN | Cocktail hour (leads + seconds)

• TBD Golden hour/sunset photos
• Reception decor photos
• Room reveal/practice first dance or mock cake cut 

Time | 165 MIN | Reception party photos (leads + seconds)

• TBD Golden hour/sunset photos
• TBD Extended family photos/table photos

 

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TWO PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ONE VIDEOGRAPHER (minimum 9.5 hours)

*if travel is involved, add a 15-minute buffer on top of eta

Time | 60 MIN | Groom prep photos (second + video)

  – Time | 45 MIN | Flatlay details for the photographer (lead)

Time | 15 MIN | Flatlay details for the videographer (video)

  – Time | 30 MIN | Venue shots or candids at bridal prep (lead + second)

Time | 90 MIN | Bridal prep photos (lead + second + video)

Time | 60 MIN | First look + portraits  (lead + second + video)

Time | 30 MIN | Wedding party photos  (lead + second + video)

Time | 30 MIN | Family photos  (lead + second + video)

Time | 30 MIN | Prepare for the ceremony  (lead + second + video)

Time | 30 MIN | Ceremony  (lead + second + video)

*If church ceremony, add an additional 75 minutes (total 105 minutes) to allow time for an hour church ceremony + 45 minutes photos afterward at the church

Time | 60 MIN | Cocktail hour  (lead + second + video)

• TBD Golden hour/sunset photos
• Reception decor photos
• Room reveal/Practice first dance or mock cake cut 

Time | 165 MIN | Reception party photos (lead + second + video)

• TBD Golden hour/sunset photos
• TBD Extended family photos/table photos

 

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ONE PHOTOGRAPHER (minimum 10 hours)

*if travel is involved, add 15-minute buffer on top of eta

Time | 45 MIN | Flatlay detail photos

Time | 60 MIN | Groom prep photos

Time | 90 MIN | Bridal prep photos 

Time | 60 MIN | First look + portraits 

Time | 30 MIN | Wedding party photos 

Time | 30 MIN | Family photos 

Time | 30 MIN | Prepare for the ceremony 

Time | 30 MIN | Ceremony

*If church ceremony, add an additional 75 minutes (total 105 minutes) to allow time for an hour church ceremony + 45 minutes photos afterward at the church

Time | 60 MIN | Cocktail hour 

• TBD Golden hour/sunset photos
• Reception decor photos
• Room reveal/Practice first dance or mock cake cut 

Time | 165-180 MIN | Reception party photos

• TBD Golden hour/sunset photos
• TBD Extended family photos/table photos

 

How do we book your NJ wedding photography services?

I’d love to learn more about you and your wedding so I can provide pricing and a free timeline for your wedding!