Are you ready to create your wedding day timeline? This blog post is perfect for you!! We are sharing a few important details to note as you are creating your perfect timeline. Putting together your timeline can feel daunting, but with our help it doesn’t have to be.

We are Alyssa and Ryan of The Keel Collective and we are professional Wisconsin Wedding Photographers serving Milwaukee to Madison and everywhere in between!

First Look

Are you interested in doing a first look? These have grown wildly popular over the past decade. Whether you would like to keep things more traditional, or love the idea of a first look, there are a few things to consider.

• A first look can occur between a bride/groom, a parent or grandparent, or even your bridesmaids/groomsmen. We set aside 15 minutes for every first look.
• If you choose to do a first look with your partner, it can potentially allow you to spend more time attending your cocktail hour because we can knock out a significant number of wedding party formals prior to your ceremony!
• When you work with us, we will discuss the multiple ways to execute a first look and help you make the best decision for you!

Receiving Line

We like to keep things transparent as you are making decisions so that you are informed and we can assure accurate timing for all events on your wedding day. A traditional receiving line can take up quite some time, especially for those of you who have a large guest count. This is a portion of the day that many couples forget to add to their timeline. On the short end, a receiving line can be about 30 minutes long, and on the longer end, we’ve seen it last almost an hour! This is your day, so you can certainly choose to do a receiving line. However, it will take up a good chunk of time, so we want to ensure that we have that built in ahead of time. We are noticing that more and more of our couples are choosing to ditch the receiving line and opt to greet tables during dinner, or make a point of joining their cocktail hour so they can mingle with guests at that time.

Travel Time

This may seem obvious, but it is SO important to think about as you are choosing potential portrait locations. Things to consider:

• Getting Ready Location
• Ceremony Location
• Portrait Location
• Reception Location

As you are making some decisions it is key to take into consideration how long it takes to get from place to place, and then add a few extra minutes just for good measure! Another important thing to think about is how your entire wedding party will get around on your wedding day. If you are in the city and making a couple of stops, hiring a driver (party bus, trolley, etc) will make it seamless so that when you are hopping on and off the bus, you are not waiting on anyone from your party who may otherwise be searching for a place to park!

Cocktail Hour

How important is it for you to attend your cocktail hour? If you would love to join that, then make sure you have enough time to get your portraits taken care of before your cocktail hour is over. Chat with your photographer to see just how long you need for family formals, wedding party and bride/groom portraits so you don’t miss it! On average we plan for 30 minutes for family formals, 30 minutes for bridal party and 30-45 minutes for bride & groom portraits!

Sunset

We always encourage our couples to consider sunset portraits – weather permitting! Taking note of when sunset is and how you can fit that into your timeline is so important. Sunset portraits are a special time to escape from the hustle and bustle of your wedding day. A moment to soak up that precious time as newlyweds and reflect on your day. For us, we usually pull you aside during the dinner hour while your guests are busy eating and mingling. These portraits last 10 to 15 minutes so that you don’t miss too much time during your reception!