One of my favourite things about my job is that not one wedding I photograph is the same, and that’s what makes my job so much fun! It also shows me that some of those more traditional features of a wedding don’t have to happen if you don’t want them to.

An alternative wedding timeline simply means planning your day around what matters to you, rather than following a set order of events. Perhaps you don’t fancy a first dance, would rather have food trucks than a formal sit-down meal, or want to spend the afternoon playing games with your guests. Maybe you’d prefer a short ceremony followed by a really good party, or a relaxed lunch with just your closest family and friends.

There really isn’t a right or wrong way to do it. I’ve photographed weddings with no speeches, no cake cutting, no formal group photographs and no first dance – and they’ve all been brilliant days in their own way.

Here are three examples from real weddings I’ve photographed, to give you a few ideas for planning a day that feels like yours. Really, only those legal words need to be said for it to be a wedding – the rest is up to you!

Wedding traditions you don’t have to include

One of the lovely things about planning your own wedding is that you can decide which traditions you want to keep and which you’d rather leave out.

Some couples love all the traditional elements, while others prefer to do things a little differently. Here are just a few things you could change or leave out altogether:

• The first dance: Head straight onto the dance floor with everyone else, or get the party started with a band.
• The cake cutting: Skip it altogether, or serve your cake alongside dessert without making an event of it.
• The speeches: Keep them short, have them before the meal, or leave them out.
• The formal group photographs: Have a handful of important family photographs rather than a long list (you can see my recommendations here on how to choose your formal photographs).
• The receiving line: Spend your drinks reception mingling naturally instead.
• The sit-down meal: Try food trucks, sharing platters, a barbecue or a relaxed buffet.

Of course, you can keep as many traditions as you like. The point is simply that none of them are compulsory!

Here are three examples from real weddings I’ve photographed, to give you a few ideas for planning a day that feels like yours if you are looking for an alternative wedding timeline that feels more like you.

A Party Wedding Timeline

If you are just wanting to get your favourite people together in one place and have a big party in celebration of your marriage, have a look at this alternate party wedding timeline below. No cake cut, no formal photos, a small joint thank you speech and a LOT of dancing! If you are looking for a band for this type of wedding I can highly recommend the fabulous JJ and the Beatniks who were excellent and had all the guests on the dance floor. For the real wedding with this timetable, see Esme and Fraser’s back-garden wedding here.

2:00pm – Ceremony 

3.30pm – Drinks and canapés

4.30pm – Band Set 1

5.15pm Thank you speech by Bride&Groom

5.30pm- Pizza served

7.00pm- Band Set 2

8.00pm- Pudding

8.30pm- Band Set 3

9.10pm- Spotify playlist

9.30pm- Fish & Chips

10.30pm S’mores around the fire pits

A Festival Wedding Timeline

If you are looking to host a wedding with a festival vibe, then take a look at the timetable below. A wedding with no speeches and no first dance (a ‘first axe throw’ instead!). This day was a joy for guests – the free time between lunch and the evening event meant everyone got to pop back to hotels, change their clothes and relax for a bit before coming back refreshed for the fun evening games! If you are looking for suppliers for such a wedding, then do take a look at Go Wild Activities and Clayzer Pigeon Shooting. For the real wedding held at Vanstone Park see here.

11am – Ceremony

1pm -2:30pm – Lunch

3pm -5pm – Free time

5pm – Confetti

5.15pm – Picture with everyone in front of the tipi

5.20pm – First Axe-Throw (Festival Opening!)

5.20pm – Festival games (axe throwing, clay pigeon shooting, tug of war, craft tent)

6pm – Evening food trucks open

8pm – Dancing

9pm – Evening food

An Elopement Wedding Timeline

My parents always love to tell me about their wedding day in 1982 – especially about how the photographer went away after the ceremony to develop the photos and came back to the reception with them all printed to sell to guests! But I do love hearing about the simplicity of their day. It is really exciting to see that these simpler days are coming back into fashion. If you are looking for a smaller, micro-wedding timetable then take a look at the suggestion below. There are lots of venues that can host such a wedding, especially a pub venues (check out The Elephant and Castle, Amwell, or The Olde Bell, Hurley. If you are looking for shorter photography coverage of your micro-wedding then do look at my smaller packages here.

12pm Ceremony

1pm Lunch

3pm Games and drinks on the lawn

5pm Leave for honeymoon!

A few things to think about when planning your wedding timeline

Even if you’re doing things differently, it’s worth thinking about a few practical details when putting your day together.

• Check timings with your venue: Find out when you can access the space, when food can be served and whether there are any restrictions on music or entertainment.
• Think about your guests: If there’s a long gap between the ceremony and evening celebrations, consider whether guests will have somewhere comfortable to go.
• Give yourself some breathing space: You don’t need to fill every minute. Some of the loveliest moments happen when nothing in particular is planned.
• Tell your suppliers: Make sure your photographer, caterers, band and other suppliers know the running order, particularly if you’re doing something a little different.

Planning your own alternative wedding?

Hopefully these examples have given you a few ideas for how you could organise your own wedding day. Whether you’re planning a big party, a festival-inspired celebration, a tiny elopement or something completely different, there’s no need to follow a traditional wedding timetable just because that’s what everyone else does.

As a wedding photographer, I love seeing the different ways couples choose to celebrate. My job is to photograph the day you’ve planned, not squeeze it into a particular format. You can see more here about how I work on your wedding day.

If you’re planning a wedding in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, London or further afield and would like to chat about your plans, I’d love to hear from you!

You also might want to check out my ideas for having a relaxed wedding here.