Your Wedding Day Photography Timeline: How Much Time Do You Actually Need?

Couples planning Toronto weddings ask their photographer one question more than any other: how many hours of coverage do they need? The honest answer depends on three things: the size of your wedding party, whether you want a first look before the ceremony, and how much time you are willing to spend away from your guests.

Here is our recommended timeline for a typical Toronto wedding:

A typical 8-hour day covers getting ready (2 hours), first look and portraits (1 hour), ceremony (1 hour), cocktail hour (1 hour), reception entrance and first dances (1 hour), dinner toasts (1 hour), and dancing (1 hour).

6 hours works well for intimate weddings. You will need to prioritize: either skip getting-ready coverage or leave before the dance floor opens.

10+ hours is for couples who want everything documented, from hair and makeup through the last dance. This is the standard for our larger collections.

Our advice: do not count hours. Count moments. If the speeches matter, the first dance matters, and the sparkler exit matters, add the hours to cover them. You cannot go back and photograph what you missed.

For a broader look at how we run a wedding day in Toronto, see our weddings photography and videography overview.