This is How you Make a Colorado Wedding Timeline

More and more couples are tossing old traditions out the door in favor of what means the most to them. That is precisely what Caleigh and Jacob did for their wedding at 10 Mile Music Hall in Breckenridge Colorado.

For them, they wanted to prioritize photos of them, their family, and their dog Franklin in the mountains surrounding Breckenridge. So much so, they gave 3 hours between the ceremony and reception just for photographs. Yippppeee.

With that said, I wanted to write a blog post all about how to plan your wedding timeline. I am not saying you have you give 3 hours for photographs to have a sucessfull wedding timeline, but if photos are a priority for you. You should and I will tell you how.

This wedding went so incredibly smoothly and have to give credit to Hannah of New West Wedding Planning. She not only was a bunch of fun, but cared for everyone involved in the day. Do yourself a favor and let her take some things off your plate so you can relax and be present on your day.

In order to have a sucessful wedding timeline you need to figure out your priorities of the day. Most weddings (elopements not included), have very similar events and orders they go in. Do you have to follow them? NOT AT ALL. But, it's a good starting point when creating a wedding timeline. These are generally the events most people want captured. I will list them out here, but also break them down below and give my thoughts.

• Getting Ready

• Ceremony

• Family Photos

• Bridal Party

• Couples Portraits

• Cocktail Hour

• Reception

  • Grand Entrance

  • First Dance

  • Father Dance

  • Mother Dance

  • Cake Cutting

  • Bouquet Toss

  • Grand Exit

Getting Ready

- Some couples have no interest in having this covered. Sometimes the rooms they get ready in are quite ugly and bad lighting, or they just don't sonsider it necessary. It is a good time for a photographer to gather some detail shots of your outfits and rings, jewelery. It's also a good time to get photos of your family and friends that are closest to you. If some of those things aren't happening you can nix this from your list.

Ceremony

- Keeping this short and sweet to 15-20 minutes will feel like its long enough to be an event, but also doesn't drag on and eat into time better spent elsewhere.

Family Photos

- These are a given and can be quick. I have a list that makes it very easy to follow and everyone is involved and no one is missed. 15 to 20 minutes generally.

Bridal Party

- I have noticed in the last 2 years that many couples are forgoing having a bridal party at all. That's not to say you don't have your key friends help you throughout the day, there just no need for them to stand with you and clutter up a head table. This is something you can remove, let your friends relax and have fun and it's not so traditional. You can certainly still get casual group photos with them during the reception.

Cocktail Hour

- There's a few ways to cover this. Having a second photographer can cover that while we are doing portraits, or if its more casual you can choose not have it covered. Also having the timing spaced out we can rejoin your people for cocktails after the photos.

Reception

- There's quite a few events here you can do or not include in your wedding. Removing some old traditions like the garter toss and bouquet have become more common, which leaved more room for dancing and fun. Also makes the evening a little more relaxed and not feel like Event After Event. I've noticed couples not having a grand exit or not having it covered and that helps prioritize other events in the day.

The biggest suggestion I can give for you have an awesome wedding day is to prioritize the things that mean the most to you and your partner. After you've decided what means the most you and can then decide when and for how long you want to do everything.

By doing it this way you will look back on your wedding and be glad you only did the events that meant the most and that you spent the majority of your time doing them. Your photographs will follow suit.

No one said you have to have all the wedding events go back to back all day long. You can have your ceremony more than an hour before your cocktail party.

This is what Caleigh and Jake did. Family came for the ceremony and the majority of thier guests came for the reception only. Doing it this way made it clear that the reception did not directly follow the ceremony.

As a photographer, I thought it was fantastic. I and the couple wasn't pressured or felt like they were missing out on part of the party. It gave us ample time to spend with family and the usual shenanigans those take, but then also for their own portrait to wander a bit more and be in the moment vs just another step to get through.

Yes, these are my thoughts. I am the seasoned wedding photographer. In my 13 years of doing over 200 weddings, I've learned a lot, seen a lot, and felt a lot.

Don't do things that don't bring you joy or "traditions" that don't encasulate you and your partner.

Don't do anything to make someone else happy. With family dynamics that can be challenging. But in 5 years time you will be happier you did it your way vs doing the thing someone else wanted and now doesn't remember. You will for sure.

Integrate the things that showcase you and your partner. WHat makes your relationship unique and fun. You can do this through experiences, decoration, your ceremony, the music. If it doesn't feel like you and your partner, change it so it exudes the two of you and your guests will love it. Because its a glimpse into what makes you two special and why they are all there together in the first place: To celebrate you both.

I am available for all of Colorado and destination weddings, elopements, and engagements. I love to wander.

Colorado Wedding Photographer | Breckenridge Wedding Photographer

Summer | Wedding | Colorado