FINE ART WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY SERVING ALL OF WESTERN CANADA & DESTINATIONS BEYOND.
BASKIN CREATIVE CO.
WEDDING PLANNING
HOW TO BUILD THE PERFECT WEDDING DAY TIMELINE WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER
Learn how to create a smooth, photo-friendly wedding day timeline with your photographer.
Tips from Baskin Creative Co., a Regina wedding photographer.
May, 26th, 2025
Creating a wedding day timeline isn’t just about logistics
It’s about protecting the emotional and visual rhythm of your day. A thoughtful, well-paced schedule allows you to feel present and ensures your photographs reflect the beauty of each moment. Here’s how I work with couples at Baskin Creative Co. to craft timelines that feel effortless, refined, and stress-free:
1. Begin with the End in Mind
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When building your wedding day timeline, it’s essential to begin with the key milestones that define the emotional and visual flow of your day. Rather than stacking the schedule from morning onward and hoping everything fits, we work backward from your most meaningful events — your ceremony, golden hour portraits, and reception entrance — to ensure they are fully supported and never rushed. These moments set the tone for everything else and should be treated with care and intention. By anchoring your timeline around them, we protect the most emotionally charged and photographically important parts of your day.
Key Anchors to Prioritize:
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Ceremony Start and End Time: This dictates your entire schedule — from hair and makeup finish time to guest arrival and vendor coordination. Confirm this early with your venue and officiant.
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Reception Timing: Think about when you want to enter, eat, and start the speeches or first dances. These shape your photography coverage and guest experience.
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Golden Hour Portraits: This is the best light of the day for romantic, cinematic couple portraits. We’ll plan this based on your wedding date and location to get that perfect glow.
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Sunset Time: Use a tool like TimeAndDate.com or ask me to calculate this for you. Then, block out 15–20 minutes for portraits while the light is soft and dreamy.
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Once these foundational moments are confirmed, we can build the rest of the day with ease — including getting ready, first look, family photos, and cocktail hour — in a way that feels relaxed and unrushed.
2. Build Buffer Time into Every Section
Every couple dreams of a smooth, joyful wedding day — but even the most thoughtfully planned timeline can unravel when it’s packed too tightly. One of the most effective ways to avoid stress is by building in intentional buffer time between events. These cushions protect your flow, absorb unexpected delays, and give you room to breathe, relax, and savor the day. When you add buffer time, you’re not giving up anything — you’re gaining peace of mind and creating space for the moments you’ll remember most. Whether it’s a last-minute dress bustle, a delayed makeup schedule, or an emotional hug from your grandmother, buffer time ensures these don’t push the rest of your day off track.
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Areas to Add Buffer:
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Hair & Makeup: It’s common for beauty services to run over. Add 15–30 minutes after the scheduled finish to allow for touch-ups, packing up, or a quick bite before getting dressed.
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Getting Dressed: Allocate at least 30 minutes for slipping into your gown, buttoning up details, or taking a few solo bridal portraits before heading out.
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Transportation: Always include extra time for traffic, parking, and loading or unloading vehicles — especially if your wedding spans multiple venues.
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First Look or Pre-Ceremony Portraits: You’ll want to enjoy this without watching the clock. Add 10 extra minutes so you can truly be present.
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Family Formals: Wrangling family members can take longer than expected. Add extra time so this part stays joyful and not rushed.
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Vendor Transitions: Allow grace between major transitions (like ceremony to cocktail hour, or dinner to first dance) so your team has time to reset the space or adjust lighting.
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Buffer time is also where some of your most candid, unscripted moments will happen — like a teary conversation with your parents or an impromptu toast with your bridal party. Protecting that space means protecting the emotional integrity of your day.
3. Prioritize Natural Light Windows
Beautiful photography depends on beautiful light. While skilled photographers can work in any lighting condition, nothing compares to the softness, warmth, and timeless feel of natural light. Prioritizing key photo moments around the best light windows not only elevates the quality of your images — it brings comfort and ease to your overall timeline. I help each couple build a timeline that accounts for where the sun will be throughout the day, taking into consideration your venue’s layout, ceremony location, and the season you’re getting married in. The result? Photographs that glow, flatter, and preserve your day in the most beautiful way possible.
What This Looks Like in Action:
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Getting Ready:
Choose a space with large windows and light-colored walls. Natural light flatters skin tones, textures, and the quiet beauty of your details — from your gown to your invitation suite. We schedule your prep photos to align with the best light in the room. -
First Look or Pre-Ceremony Portraits:
Mid-morning or early afternoon is ideal if we can find shaded areas or indirect light. I scout these locations in advance to ensure your first look feels private, comfortable, and beautifully lit. -
Golden Hour Portraits:
This is the 45–60 minutes before sunset, when the light becomes soft, golden, and glowy. It’s the most romantic light of the day and an ideal time for your couple portraits. I always build this into your timeline — even if just for 10–15 minutes during cocktail hour or before the reception. -
Ceremony (Especially Outdoor):
If you’re having an outdoor ceremony, avoid mid-day sun, which can cause harsh shadows and squinting. A late-afternoon start provides more flattering light and more comfort for your guests. -
Reception:
For indoor receptions or evening events, I use professional lighting to ensure consistency — but if you’d like some natural light in the reception space (especially for dinner), we can schedule your entrance before sunset to take advantage of ambient glow.
Bonus Tip:
I use tools like sun-tracking apps and venue walk-throughs to determine the best locations and angles for your most important moments. Lighting isn’t just a technical detail — it’s a storytelling tool, and we’ll use it with intention.
4. Organize Family Photos in Advance
Family photos are some of the most treasured images from a wedding day — but without proper planning, they can quickly become overwhelming. That’s why I help you organize your groupings ahead of time, creating a streamlined process that keeps things calm, joyful, and beautifully efficient. Taking the time to outline your family groupings before the wedding ensures that no one gets missed, emotions stay high-vibe, and you’re not left making decisions on the spot. The goal? Efficient, well-composed portraits that allow you to get back to celebrating.
Why It Matters:
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Family formals often happen right after the ceremony when emotions (and guest distractions) run high.
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Without a clear list, couples can feel pulled in every direction.
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A prepared plan lets us move quickly and respectfully — especially with elderly guests or young children involved.
How We Prepare:
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You’ll receive a pre-wedding questionnaire where you can list your desired combinations (ex: Couple + Bride’s Parents, Couple + Siblings, Couple + Both Immediate Families, etc.).
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We identify family dynamics ahead of time — including remarriages, stepparents, or any sensitive situations — so no one feels uncomfortable or forgotten.
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I print the list and work with your planner or a designated helper (someone who knows both sides of the family) to work with my assistant and help call out names and organize groupings efficiently.
Best Practices:
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Keep groupings intentional — aim for around 10–15 thoughtful combinations to keep the energy high and flow efficient.
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Start with the largest groupings and work down to smaller sets.
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Prioritize elderly relatives and children first so they can enjoy the rest of the celebration.
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Let family know in advance that they’ll be needed for formals so no one wanders off.
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By organizing your family photos in advance, you’ll not only save time — you’ll make space for the true heart of the moment: honoring those who helped shape your story.
5. Make Time for You
One of the most common things couples say after their wedding is, "It went by so fast — we barely had a moment to ourselves." That’s why I believe that every timeline should intentionally carve out time just for you and your partner. Not for photos. Not for guests. Just the two of you — to pause, breathe, and be fully present in the joy of your wedding day. While photography is a big part of why we’re building this timeline, the purpose behind every photo-worthy moment is connection. And connection can’t be rushed.
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Why It’s Important:
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You’ll spend the entire day surrounded by people — but very little time alone together unless we plan for it.
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These brief moments become some of your most vivid, emotional memories.
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The most natural, romantic photos often come from these quiet, unscripted in-between moments.
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Ideal Moments to Protect:
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After the Ceremony:
Step away from the guests for 10 minutes to exhale and take in the fact that you’re now married. No cameras. No interruptions. Just you. -
Golden Hour Portraits:
While this time is often used for photos, it can also double as a quiet walk or sunset toast together. I keep direction minimal and let the emotion lead. -
Before the Reception:
A short break before being reintroduced as newlyweds gives you time to refresh, reset, and emotionally prepare for the evening ahead. -
First Look (Bonus Benefit):
Beyond giving us more time for photos, a first look allows for a deeply personal exchange of words, gifts, or letters — and grounds you before the day takes off.
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Pro Tip:
I help build these protected pauses into your photography timeline so that you never feel like you're just moving from one event to the next. Even 5–10 minutes can create a meaningful emotional reset — and often result in some of your favorite photos.
Your Timeline, Your Legacy
At the end of the day, your wedding timeline isn’t just about logistics — it’s about creating a sense of calm, beauty, and presence. A thoughtfully designed timeline allows you to fully experience the joy of your celebration without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. It protects the moments that matter most and creates space for meaningful connection.
When we work together, I don’t just show up with a camera. I walk alongside you during the planning process to make sure your photography aligns with the rhythm and heart of your day. Every couple, every story, and every timeline is different — and your photography experience should reflect that.
Whether you're planning an intimate celebration or a full-day affair, know that you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. I’m here to help you plan a timeline that feels intentional, elegant, and easy — so you can stay grounded in what truly matters.
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Well hello, I'm
RACHEL BASKIN
AS
the heart behind Baskin Creative Co., I believe your wedding photographs should feel as timeless and intentional as your love story.
I’m a Regina wedding photographer with a refined, artful approach, dedicated to capturing the moments that matter most — the quiet glances, the joyful tears, and the fleeting in-between. My background in editorial storytelling and my passion for legacy-driven imagery allow me to deliver an experience that’s both polished and personal. With every wedding, I work with a discerning eye and a caring heart. I value trust, clear communication, and creating a calm, seamless process from our very first call to your final album delivery. If you’re drawn to elegant, true-to-you imagery and a boutique, white-glove experience, you’re in the right place.
ARTIST
PHOTOGRAPHER
LEGACY PRESERVER
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BASKIN CREATIVE CO.
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Baskin Creative Co. | Regina, SK, S4T 4K6
Phone: (+1) 306.580.0613 | Email: info@baskincreative.com
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