The timeline is what makes a wedding day feel relaxed. The couples who leave a bit of breathing room are the ones who actually get to enjoy their day, so here's roughly how we'd plan it.
Use it as a starting point. Every day is different, & we build the real one with you on a planning call closer to the date.
What time should the ceremony start?
Work backwards from sunset. The best light of the whole day is golden hour, the hour before the sun goes down. In a New Zealand December sunset is close to 9pm, & in June it's around 5pm.
A rule that works most of the year: hold the ceremony about 2.5 to 3 hours before sunset. That leaves room for the ceremony, family photos & a relaxed couple session, with the golden light still to come.
Want to see it for your month? Our coverage estimator maps your ceremony time against the light.
What does a full wedding day timeline look like?
Something like this. Shift it all around your ceremony time.
- The guys getting ready: about 30 minutes. Suits, cufflinks, a few portraits.
- The girls getting ready: about 90 minutes, right up until it's time to leave. This is where the details, the dress & the little moments are, so it always gets the longer block.
- Ceremony: usually 20 to 40 minutes. Aim to arrive 30 minutes early.
- Family photos: 20 to 30 minutes, straight after the ceremony while everyone's together.
- Couple portraits: 30 to 45 minutes, best split in two: a block after family photos, then 15 minutes back outside at golden hour.
- Reception: entrances, dinner, speeches, first dance. We duck out with you for that last bit of light if it's good.
How much time do we need for photos?
More than most couples plan! Weddings run late. If the run sheet has no slack, the first thing to get squeezed is your photo time, & that's the part you keep. Build in 15 to 20 minutes of buffer around the ceremony & before your portraits.
How do we make family photos quick?
Write a grouping list ahead of time, literally "1. Us + Mum & Dad. 2. Us + both sets of parents…", & keep it to 8 to 10 groups. Pick one organised (loud!) person from each side to round people up. Do the big group & the older relatives first so they can go sit down. Done like that, it's 20 minutes.
How many hours of coverage do we need?
- Up to 5 hours covers the ceremony, family, portraits & the start of the reception.
- Up to 8 hours covers getting ready through to the first dance. It's what most couples book.
- Up to 12 hours is sunrise to send-off, every bit of the day.
Should we do a first look?
It's up to you. A first look (seeing each other privately before the ceremony) calms the nerves & frees up time for photos. Saving it for the aisle keeps the big reveal. Both work, so tell us which way you're leaning & we'll build the day around it.
What if it rains?
Have a wet-weather plan, then stop worrying about it. Here's ours.
Want a hand mapping your day? Send us your date & we'll check it's free while we're at it.
