Your Wedding Day Timeline and Runsheet Guide

Your wedding day, mapped out.

Wedding Photographer Near Me

Your runsheet is the backbone of your wedding day. It maps out every timing and every moment so your vendors know exactly where to be and when - and you can actually enjoy your day instead of managing it.

Your ceremony start time, reception start and sunset are the three anchors everything else builds around. Here are sample 8 hour photography timelines for each season to get you started.

To adapt these for a 6 or 10 hour package - add time to prep or reception depending on what matters most to you. A 6 hour package generally skips prep or reception entirely. An 10 hour package is lovely to slow down the day and have full day coverage.

You can add or subtract hours - and have 7 or 9 hours of photography depending on your timelines for the day. Just split the difference in the package costs.

Obviously travelling between locations takes time. So adding the time between each segment for travel is important.

These are guides not rules. Add a first look, plan a lunchtime wedding, do portraits at dawn, cut portraits to 20 minutes, include a 5 minute Hollywood style flash shoot at night. Your wedding, your way.

Any questions at all - just ask. I look at a lot of runsheets and I'm happy to look at yours.

Sample Photography Timelines

  • Summer Wedding Photography Timelines | Orange Wedding Photographer

    Summer

    8 hours / 4pm Ceremony / 8pm Sunset

    1.30pm - photography starts

    1.30 - 2.30pm groom/partner 1 prep (travel to partner 2)

    2.30 - 3.30pm bride/partner 2 prep (travel to ceremony)

    4 - 4.30pm ceremony

    4.45 - 5pm group photo, family photos

    5 - 5.30pm canape hour with guests

    5.30-6.15pm wedding party photos

    6.30pm enter reception

    7.40 - 8pm couple sneak out for sunset photos

    (sunset is 8pm)

    8pm onwards reception

    9.30pm photography finishes

  • Autumn Wedding Photography Timelines | Orange Wedding Photographer

    Autumn

    8 hours / 3pm Ceremony / 7.30pm sunset

    12.30pm - photography starts

    12.30 - 1.30pm groom prep/partner 1 (travel to partner 2)

    1.30 - 2.30 pm bride prep/partner 2 (travel to ceremony)

    3 - 3.30pm ceremony

    3.45 - 4pm group photo, family photos

    4 - 5pm mingle with guests, canapes

    5-5.45pm wedding party photos

    6pm enter reception

    7.10 - 7.30pm couple sneak out for sunset photos

    (sunset is 7.30pm)

    7.30pm onwards reception

    8.30pm photography finishes

  • Winter Wedding Photography Timelines | Orange Wedding Photographer

    Winter

    8 hours / 3pm Ceremony / 5pm Sunset

    12.30pm - photography starts

    12.30 - 1.30pm groom prep/partner 1 (travel to partner 2)

    1.30 - 2.30 pm bride/partner 2 prep (travel to ceremony)

    3 - 3.30 pm ceremony

    3.45 - 4pm group photo, family photos

    4.15 - 5pm wedding party photos

    (sunset is 5pm)

    5 - 6pm mingle with guests and canapes

    6pm reception

    6pm onwards reception

    8.30pm photography finishes

  • Spring Wedding Photography Timelines | Orange Wedding Photographer

    Spring

    8 hours / 3.30pm Ceremony / 7pm sunset

    1pm photography starts

    1 - 2pm groom/partner 1 prep (travel to partner 2)

    2 - 3pm bride/partner 2 prep (travel to ceremony)

    3.30 - 4pm ceremony

    4.15 - 4.30pm group photo, family photos

    4.30 - 5pm mingle with guests and canapes

    5-5.45pm wedding party photos

    6pm enter reception

    6.40-7pm couple sneak out for sunset photos

    (sunset is 7pm)

    7pm onwards reception

    9pm photography finishes

How much time do we need for photos?

Preparation / Getting Ready 30 - 1.5 hours

  • Time needed - min. 30 mins / max. 1.5 hours per person

  • Ideal - 1 hour for groom/partner 1 and just over an 1 hour for bride/partner 2

  • Getting ready - detail shots 20 mins - rings, outfits, people, bouquets, process of getting ready to story tell, candids of moments unfolding 20 mins + , and more formal style portraits when everyone is dressed ready to go 15 mins +

  • If you gather your details - rings, jewellery, perfume, flowers, shoes, invitations - in one spot for me I can photograph those while you finish getting ready without interrupting you to find them

First look? 10 mins - 1 hour

  • Time needed - min. 10 mins up to 1 hour with portraits

  • Ideal - 30 mins for first look and a small set of wedding party portraits

  • A first look is the wedding couple seeing each other for the first time before the ceremony - think tap on the shoulder and turn around

  • Add family or parents seeing couple for first time? A set of couple and/or wedding party portraits before the wedding? Or family portraits before the ceremony?

Sunset Portrait Session 10-30 mins

  • Time needed - min. 15 mins up to 30 mins

  • Ideal - 20 mins starting 20 mins before sunset

  • If you want to bring your wedding party add more time + 15-20 mins

  • Couples only need 15-30 mins + travel to location

Group Photo and Family Photos 10-20 mins

  • Time needed - min. 15 mins up to 30 mins

  • Ideal - 15 mins for family portraits, 5 mins for group photo if you want it

  • Sometimes it’s nice NOT to have a group photo and do smaller groups through the day.

  • We’ll do as group photo straight after the ceremony before everyone wanders off and family photos straight after that

  • Please send me a family photo list so we can go from the list and a person to help me call out names and wrangle! When we are organised it’s very smooth, when we aren’t it’s very stressful!

Portrait Session 45mins - 1.5 hours

  • Time needed - min. 45 mins up to 1.5 hour

  • Big wedding party + multiple locations = more time

  • No travel + small wedding party = less time

  • You can do this is a much shorter time - just keep in mind less time = less photos

  • Ideal - 45mins - 1 hour + travel time

Reception Highlights

  • Cake cut 5-10 minutes

  • First dance -duration of the songs

  • Sparkler exit - 15-20 mins to set up and photograph

  • Everything else is candid as it unfolds

  • Night time Hollywood style shoot 5-10 mins

Real Client Runsheets

Here are some real and recent runsheets from my clients so you can see how the whole day looks. Feel free to copy and paste whatever you like from any of this information and use it as a base!

Family Photos Reminder

Straight after the ceremony - or before if you're doing a first look - is the ideal time for family photos. Everyone is still together and hasn't wandered off for drinks yet.

Group photo first if you want one, then family photos immediately after.

Send me your list beforehand in the exact order you want them. Have someone loud who knows everyone ready to help call names. 15 minutes maximum - under 10 photos is ideal.

A standard list looks like this:

Both partners with Partner 1's extended family

Both partners with Partner 1's immediate family

Partner 1 with immediate family only

Both partners with Partner 2's extended family

Both partners with Partner 2's immediate family

Partner 2 with immediate family only Both partners with grandparents

Add whatever combinations matter to you - siblings, parents only, both sets of parents together, important friend groups. Just keep it under 15.

Kirsten Cunningham Photography | Wedding Photographer Near Me
Kirsten Cunningham Photography | Wedding Photographer Near Me

Real Wedding Reviews

  • "She had an innate knack for understanding the dynamics of our bridal party — matching their energy, keeping the atmosphere lively and fun, yet knowing precisely when to dial it down for intimate moments. We couldn't be happier."

    Mac & Kate

  • "She managed to be everywhere at once without ever missing a moment or feeling intrusive. Every photo feels so natural and full of emotion. We couldn't be happier with our photos or more grateful for her."

    Tess & Christian

  • "Friendly, fun, and unobtrusive on the day — capturing the candid moments as well as the more posed photos with professionalism and assured confidence. The photos are absolutely beautiful and we are over the moon."

    Levi & Eli

  • "She was so cool, calm and collected and captured the emotion and joy of the day so perfectly. The portraits, bridal party and family photos are stellar. We've now got them hanging throughout the house and they bring a smile to our face every day."

    Nicola & Harry

  • "She made us feel completely comfortable in front of the camera, which made the whole experience feel natural and relaxed. The images perfectly reflect the atmosphere and joy of our wedding."

    Shinal & Sam

  • "Her warm, positive energy added so much fun to our day. When we received our sneak peek photos the very next day, we were blown away. Kirsten has an incredible talent for what she does."

    Haley & Matt

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