Here's how to get every last shot—and still enjoy your day.

When you hire Mandy & Randy, our services extend beyond just capturing photos on your wedding day. We aim to make the entire process of planning your wedding as effortless as possible.

For many brides and grooms, getting started is often the toughest part. We understand that the journey of planning a wedding can feel overwhelming, so we go above and beyond to simplify the process for you. We believe that the key to a stress-free wedding day begins with thorough preparation.

With that in mind, we've created a template of a wedding day timeline to assist you in better managing your day.

Ideal Time of Day: Morning (Before the Ceremony)

Amount of Time: 20-30 minutes

Location: Bridal suite or hotel room

Advice: We highly recommend allocating at least 20 minutes for this session as it allows us ample time to meticulously capture the intricate details of your special day. From the delicate lace of your wedding dress to the sparkling brilliance of your rings, every element deserves to be immortalized in stunning detail. Should the bridal suite feel a bit congested, fret not; we're flexible and can easily relocate to a more spacious area to ensure your belongings receive the attention they deserve.

For couples getting ready in separate locations, please factor in additional travel time to ensure a stress-free transition between sessions.

Ideal Time of Day: Morning or Early Afternoon (Before the Ceremony)

Amount of Time: 60 minutes

Location: Bridal suite or hotel room

Advice – Reserving an hour for these photos is ideal because this gives us enough time to capture all the candid moments between the bride and her bridesmaids, as well as the groom and his groomsmen. These are often the most emotional and memorable moments of the entire wedding day, so we recommend couples allot enough time for these photos.

If the bride and groom are getting prepared in different locations, please schedule in additional travel time.

Ideal Time of Day: Afternoon (After the Ceremony)

Amount of Time: 30-45 minutes

Location: Near ceremony site

Advice – After the ceremony, we suggest couples schedule about 30-45 minutes for the wedding party photos, where we focus on capturing natural and beautiful images of your bridesmaids and groomsmen in a variety of poses. We begin with a large group photo of the entire wedding party, including the bride and groom. We then proceed to take group photos of the bridesmaids and groomsmen separately, as well as individual portraits of each member of your wedding party. These individuals are the ones you have chosen to be closest to you on your wedding day, so we believe it is important to take the time to showcase each person in a beautiful light.

Amount of Time: 30 minutes (After the Ceremony)

Location: Near ceremony site

Advice – After the ceremony, we suggest couples schedule about 30 minutes for photos of their immediate family. Like the wedding party photos, we will start with a group shot and then work our way down to individual images of each family member.

Being in the wedding business for as long as we have, we know how these photos can sometimes be the last ones a father has with his daughter or a grandmother has with her grandson. Life can change in the blink of an eye, and for this reason, we put great care and thought into these photos.

Amount of Time: 30 minutes (After the Ceremony)

Location: Near ceremony site

Advice – Some couples make the decision that they want to have photos with all of their wedding guests, while others want to narrow the list down to a select few. That is a very personal decision; however, we generally advise couples that it will take about 3-5 minutes per group photo.

Since extended family and friends are often not aware they will be needed for formal photos, it is best to advise them beforehand. We also suggest having someone at your wedding to help round people up for the photos.

Amount of Time: 30-45 minutes (After the Ceremony)

Location: Anywhere typically within 15 minutes of the reception

Advice – We recommend that brides and grooms schedule their couple's session about an hour before sunset to allow for optimal lighting conditions. This time of day is referred to as the "golden hour."

Many couples fear this portion of the wedding day because they are not experienced at posing for the camera. However, those fears should be laid to rest immediately. If you have booked us for an engagement session, we have already gone over some of the poses we will do on your wedding day. If you opted to skip the engagement session, not to worry. Within a few minutes, we will have you feeling very comfortable and at ease.

Amount of Time: 20 minutes (After the posed photos)

Location: Reception

Advice – We typically take these photos during the cocktail hour before guests enter the reception. Couples put a great amount of time and effort into the decorations of their venue, so we want to be able to capture every detail for you.

Wedding Photographer Timelines

EVERY WEDDING IS DIFFERENT

We hope you found this breakdown of key wedding day moments helpful. Of course, this is simply a template, and nothing is set in stone. Couples who have small weddings might need less time for formal family photos, while couples who want to incorporate a first look session into their wedding day will need to allocate additional time for that. And what might take 20 minutes for one couple, another will want to dedicate an hour to.

If you would like a full day of wedding coverage where nothing gets missed, we offer a wedding package to fit those needs. We also offer packages for those who simply want the essential moments documented. We invite you to check our our packages page, or to contact us for more information.

1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. – Getting Ready Photos

2:30 p.m. - 3:30/4 p.m. – Wedding Party and Family Photos

• Bride/groom with his/her side of wedding party

• Bride/groom with parents

• Bride/groom with each parent individually

• Bride/groom solo

• Partner with his/her side of wedding party

• Partner with parents

• Partner with each parent individually

• Partner solo

4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. – Ceremony

5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.  – Couple Portraits and Group Portraits (during cocktail hour)

• Couple

• Couple with wedding party

• Couple with one side of wedding party

• Couple with other side of wedding party

• Couple with bride/groom’s parents

• Couple with bride/groom’s parents and siblings

• Couple with bride/groom’s parents, siblings and grandparents

• Couple with both sets of parents

• Couple with partner’s parents

• Couple with partner’s parents and siblings

• Couple with partner’s parents, siblings, and grandparents

6:30 p.m. – Wedding Reception

• Couple's grand entrance

• First dance

• Guest table photos

• Guest on the dance floor

• Parent dances

• Toasts and speeches

• Bouquet/garter toss

• Cake cutting

• Last dance

• Send-off