As you plan out your wedding in a bustling city like Washington, DC, it can be a challenge to know how much time to allocate for beautiful wedding photography in DC. Follow my tips and sample timeline for creating a photo timeline that will not only make your wedding day go smoothly, but will be conducive for getting excellent photos.

Timeline Tips for the Best Wedding Photography in DC

1. Choose a location for getting ready that is no more than 15 minutes travel time by car to your DC ceremony and/or reception venue.

It would be ideal If your ceremony and reception were in the same place, but if not, pick the next closest hotel, Airbnb, or friend’s residence to have you and your wedding party get ready.

2. Plan on adding an extra 15 minutes per bridesmaid, plus yourself, to the time your hair and make-up artist gives you.

It’s nice when everything goes as planned, but in reality, plan for delays so you won’t be stressed. The best time to start getting ready photos is 1-2 hours before you are ready to put on your wedding dress. That way, photos can be taken of your wedding details and there will be time to get candid interactions between you and your bridesmaids. The same goes for your groom and his groomsmen.

3. Consider doing a first look, or at least some formal wedding party photos taken before your ceremony.

The benefits of doing a first look with your groom is that portraits of the two of you and photos with your entire wedding party can be all done before your ceremony. Plan on allowing at least an hour for these portraits, depending on the size of your wedding party.

If you’d like to have your first look and wedding party formals done at a different location in DC, such as by any monuments, the U.S. Capitol, or the National Cathedral, keep in mind you might need up to 30 minutes travel time. Plan on at least 20 minutes for your first look before doing your entire wedding party photos. You’ll need a total of one hour or more for your first look and portraits. Make sure you have planned in advance for any events, permits, or other restrictions that might interfere with your timeline.

4. Add in travel time to your ceremony and reception.

At this point, your wedding planner and/or day of coordinator will have their instructions for when you will need to arrive and be ready for your processional. This is typically 15 to 30 minutes before your ceremony starts. You will want to make sure you will not be seen by any wedding guests arriving at the same time.

5. Designate a lead person to notify family members to be ready for photos after your ceremony.

The best way for your formal family photos to be done efficiently is to have everyone that will be photographed notified and gathered at a meeting spot after your recessional. Plan on approximately 5 minutes to pose and photograph each group picture. Try and avoid having photos with more than twelve family members in each photo as the larger the group, the more time it will take to pose everyone correctly.

6. Factor in 30 minutes for golden hour and sunset wedding photography in DC

The duration of your wedding photography for your wedding should follow the recommended schedule given to you by your planner, with some flexibility worked in for golden hour photos.

Communicate with your planner and entertainment vendor (band or DJ), that when the light is right for pre-sunset photos, you will be leaving the reception area to take portraits for 20-30 minutes. If the location is a far walk away from the best backdrop, plan on having venue staff escort you there and back by golf cart or car if possible.

Sample Timeline for Your DC Wedding Photography