Your Texas Wedding Ceremony Time: A Helpful Guide for Engaged Couples in Dallas, Texas

Dallas-Fort Worth Documentary Wedding Photographers

One question we get asked a lot when meeting with our 2025 Texas couples is about when their wedding ceremony start time should be. And guess what? We love it!

Your Texas wedding ceremony time is so important, not just for the flow of the day but for how your wedding photos turn out. As your Dallas wedding photographers, we know that the right timeline can make all the difference in capturing those moments and keeping everyone looking their best. So let’s dive into some of our pro tips for selecting your ceremony time and building out your wedding day timeline, whether you’re planning a laid-back outdoor wedding or a chic indoor affair.

Light: The Season & The Sunset

The best place to start when building a wedding timeline is actually from sunset and working backwards. So, step 1 is always “what time is true sunset”.  Our favorite website to do this is www.suncalc.org . From there, we typically aim for 3 hours before sunset to start your ceremony as a general rough estimate.

Sometimes in the summer, this can be a little tricky since the sun sets so late. In that case we often suggest our couples choose a ceremony time beginning about 2 hours before they would like to serve dinner and be open to stepping outside after eating (before toasts and cake cutting) for golden hour photos.

Pfew that wasn’t too bad! Ready to shake things up a bit?

Location: Indoors or Outdoors

If your wedding ceremony is outdoors, I always recommend you schedule a site visit around the time you are hoping to have your ceremony if at all possible. Walk down the aisle and stand where you will be during your ceremony.

• Are you in full sun or full shade?
• Do you feel light on your face or see patches of light on your partners face?
• Can you see your guests faces without squinting?

Let your photographer know this information if possible so they know what kind of light to prepare for. The other thing you will want to look at is the space around your ceremony site. This is often used for family formal photos after your ceremony and is close in proximity to your ceremony space. We try to place your family on a darker, backlit (the sun is BEHIND your family when they are facing our camera) space. This can look like a line of trees that the sun is going to set behind or a covered ceremony space.

Length: How Long Will Your Ceremony Last

Are you having a full Catholic Mass inside that will last an hour or a brief non-traditional ceremony outside that will last 15 minutes? If your ceremony is going to be shorter, you have extra time for portraits afterwards; however, if you have a longer ceremony we will want to factor that into your start time and move it to be a little earlier.

List: Family Formal Photos

Family formals are something we try to move quickly & efficiently during while still producing intentional, beautiful work. This does not include your wedding party (unless they you’re your siblings). Typically, we quote 2-3 minutes PER GROUPING for family photos. This gives us time to make sure everyone is intentionally places, posed and eyes are open. We recommend couples include on their family shot list:

• Parents
• Grandparents
• Siblings
• Siblings partner and children

Beyond this, we often suggest capturing extended family and other guests in a more casual setting during the reception. A few ways to do this are:

• Place couple in a chair and have guests race the DJ to see if every table can get a photo with the couple before the song ends (or have the couple race to each table). This is normally done after dinner, toasts & cake, immediately before opening the dance floor. It actually helps kick off the night high energy with everyone laughing and can be a ton of fun.
• Simply ask your photographer for a photo with your favorite people as you naturally interact with them throughout the evening.

Logistics: First Look or Waiting For the Aisle

Will and I are actually a little unlike other photographers in that, we love not doing a first look. Just letting you guys enjoy your day without an extra forced photo op. However, sometimes it really is in your best interest to consider it like during the winter when the days are shorter and the light sets quickly. In that case we might need to do wedding party photos before your ceremony.

We know that was a lot but planning your ceremony time doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’re here to guide you every step of the way, making sure your day flows smoothly, your light is perfect, and your photos are everything you’ve dreamed of. Ready to get started? Let’s grab coffee or hop on Zoom to talk timelines, light, and how we can make your day uniquely you!