When planning your wedding, you’re thinking about the venue, the flowers, and the dress—but have you thought about timing your wedding photos for the best light?
As a wedding photographer, one of the most common questions I get from couples is, “What time should we schedule our ceremony and photos for the best lighting?” Lighting plays a huge role in how your wedding photos turn out, and setting your timeline intentionally can make all the difference.
In this guide, I’ll break down the best times of day for different types of wedding photos so you can create a timeline that allows for beautiful, natural-looking images.
Why Timing Matters for Wedding Photos
Lighting can dramatically affect your wedding photos—too harsh, and you’ll get strong shadows and squinting; too dim, and you’ll need to rely on artificial lighting. The best approach? Scheduling key photos around the most flattering natural light to achieve that soft, glowing, timeless look.
Golden Hour: The Best Light of the Day for Wedding Photos
Golden hour—the hour right before sunset—is the dreamiest lighting for wedding photos. The soft, warm glow creates romantic and flattering tones, making bride and groom portraits, wedding party photos, and couple portraits absolutely stunning.
Whenever possible, I encourage couples to plan their ceremony 2-3 hours before sunset so we can take advantage of golden hour for their portraits. Now, let’s break down the best times of day for each set of wedding photos!
1. Detail Photos: Best Captured in the Morning or Early Afternoon
Your wedding details—the dress, rings, invitations, shoes, rentals, and florals—set the tone for the entire day. Capturing these in the morning or early afternoon, while your getting-ready space is still clean and bright, is ideal. Make sure to check with your venue, rentals, and florist so everything is set up before the photographer arrives and documents these!
Best Time for Detail Photos:
- Morning to Early Afternoon(8 AM – 1 PM), indoors with soft natural light
- Place details near a window for soft, diffused light
- Avoid harsh overhead lighting, which can create unwanted shadows
Tip: Designate a corner in your getting-ready room to lay out your details so your photographer can capture them quickly!
2. Ceremony Photos: 2-3 Hours Before Sunset
Choosing the right time for your ceremony photos is crucial. If you have an outdoor ceremony, the best time is 2-3 hours before sunset—this ensures that light is soft, avoiding harsh midday shadows. This avoids squinting eyes and, sometimes, hot temperatures.
Best Time for Ceremony Wedding Photos:
- 2-3 hours before sunset (for soft, flattering light)
- Avoid midday (12-3 PM) if outdoors (this is when the sun is directly overhead, creating harsh shadows and squinting)
- If a midday ceremony is necessary, consider having a shaded location or a covered arbor
Tip: If you’re getting married in the summer and want a golden-hour feel, consider a 5-6 PM ceremony start time for the best light!
Bonus: Eliminates Long Days for your Guests
Having a later ceremony time is great for photos, but also makes the flow of your wedding much better for your guests. It eliminates long lull periods where guests are waiting around for the next event to happen. And, guests tend to be more willing to stay until the end of the wedding too!
3. Family Wedding Photos: Late Afternoon for the Softest Light
Family photos are some of the most cherished wedding photos, so timing them when everyone is still fresh and lighting is optimal is important. I always recommend scheduling these right after the ceremony. Your family will be gathered together for your ceremony which makes it the ideal time to take family photos after. Be sure to remind your family to stay in their seats after the recessional and wait until you and your spouse come back!
Best Time for Family Photos:
- Directly after the ceremony (if it’s scheduled 2-3 hours before sunset)
- Late afternoon (~4-5 PM, depending on the season) for the softest natural light
- In the shade or evenly lit locations to avoid harsh lighting
Tip: Family photos take longer than expected! Create a list of must-have groupings and share it with your photographer in advance to keep things moving.
4. Wedding Party Portraits: After Getting Ready in Shaded Location
Wedding party photos are some of the most fun and candid moments of the day! To avoid harsh lighting and ensure that everyone looks their best, I recommend doing these after getting ready in the shade. Doing it this way, guarantees that these photos don’t get forgotten, everyone is looking their best, and it saves time after the ceremony so you can spend more time with your guests!
Best Time for Wedding Party Photos:
- After getting ready in shaded location (for soft, even lighting)
- If not doing a first look, schedule groomsmen and bridesmaid photos separately earlier in the day to save time.
Tip: Consider doing a few sunset wedding party shots—they create the most cinematic, golden-hour glow for your photos!
5. Bride & Groom Portraits: Golden Hour (The Best Time!)
Bride and groom portraits are often the most emotional, intimate, and frame-worthy photos of the day. To make the most of your wedding photos, scheduling at least part of your portraits during golden hour is ideal. What I love doing with Bride & Groom Portraits, is spacing them out throughout the entire day. That way, you get a good mix of lighting scenarios, and also don’t feel like you are taking too much time away from your guests at once.
Best Time for Bride & Groom Portraits:
- Golden hour (1 hour before sunset) for soft, glowing light
- A short “just married” portrait session right after the ceremony (5-10 minutes of candid, joyful moments)
- If you must take portraits earlier, find shaded areas with even lighting
Tip: Even if you take some portraits earlier in the day, setting aside 15-20 minutes at sunset for golden-hour portraits is 100% worth it!
How to Build a Timeline for the Best Wedding Photos
If you want your wedding photos to have the best lighting, here’s an example timeline based on a 8:00 PM sunset:
- 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM → Detail & getting-ready photos
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM → Individual Bridal party & first look
- 3:00PM – 3:30PM → Bride & Groom Portraits
- 3:30PM – 4:00PM → Wedding Party Photos
- 5:30 PM → Ceremony starts
- 6:15 PM – 6:40 PM → Family Photos
- 7:00PM → Reception Begins
- 7:15 PM – 7:40 PM → Bride & groom portraits during golden hour
Tip: If your ceremony must be earlier in the day, plan a sunset session during your reception to capture golden-hour magic!
Lighting Makes All the Difference
Wedding photos are not just about the moment—they’re about capturing it beautifully. By planning your timeline with the best lighting in mind, you’ll get soft, romantic, and natural-looking photos that truly bring your wedding day to life.
If you’re currently planning your wedding, I’d love to help you create a timeline that allows for the best wedding photos possible! Let’s chat about your day and how we can make your wedding photography absolutely perfect.
Inquire Here to get started!
be the first to comment