This wedding photography checklist takes you from booking to backing up your gallery, month by month, with the Melbourne-specific details most generic lists miss — sunset times, location permits and wet-weather plans. Work through it in order and nothing important will be left to the last minute.
12–18 Months Before: Book Your Team
• Confirm your venue and date first — every other booking depends on them.
• Decide whether you want photo, video or both. Choosing a combined team now avoids the common regret of adding video too late.
• Shortlist three to five teams and ask each for two or three full galleries and films.
• Check reviews for specifics: calm under pressure, good with families, delivered on time.
• Read the contract: coverage, inclusions, delivery timeline, backup plan. Then book.
Saturdays in autumn (March to May) and spring (September to November) are the first to go in Melbourne. If you love a team's work, don't wait for the rest of your planning to catch up.
6–9 Months Before: Engagement Shoot and Style
• Book your engagement shoot. It's the best rehearsal for the wedding day — and it's included in every Honey Weddings Full Day Photo + Video Package.
• Talk about the look you love: documentary, editorial, film photos, colour and tone.
• Choose whether you'd like a first look before the ceremony.
• Shortlist portrait locations near your venue.
3 Months Before: Locations, Permits and Light
Know your Melbourne sunset time
Golden hour shapes your portrait schedule. Around the winter solstice, Melbourne's sun sets at about 5:10 pm; in December it's closer to 8:40 pm. Check the exact time for your date and plan a ten-minute portrait sneak-out just before sunset.
Check location permits
Some popular Melbourne spots require a booking or permit for wedding photography — the Royal Botanic Gardens is a well-known example, and some council parks have their own rules. Confirm in advance so you're not turned away with the whole bridal party waiting.
Plan for four seasons in one day
Agree on a wet-weather plan with your venue and your photographer: an undercover portrait spot, clear umbrellas, and a shorter outdoor window if the wind picks up.
6–8 Weeks Before: Family List and Priorities
• Write your family photo list — ten to twelve groupings at most, in the order you'll take them.
• Choose a confident family member to help gather people for group photos.
• List the five to eight people or moments you most want captured, with a line of context for each.
• Flag sensitive family dynamics or anyone who can't stand for long.
• Confirm venue rules: flash, where the photographer can stand, drone permission.
2–3 Weeks Before: Your Photography Run Sheet
Share your final run sheet with your photographer and walk through it together. Here's an example for a 3:30 pm summer ceremony:
| Time | Moment | Photography notes |
|---|---|---|
| 12:30 pm | Getting ready | Details and flat lay first, then final touches |
| 2:30 pm | First look (optional) | Quiet, private moment before the ceremony |
| 3:30 pm | Ceremony | Allow 30–45 minutes |
| 4:15 pm | Family formals | 20–30 minutes with your list in hand |
| 4:45 pm | Couple portraits | 30–45 minutes, close to the venue |
| 6:00 pm | Reception entrance | Speeches, cake, first dance to follow |
| 8:20 pm | Golden-hour sneak-out | 10 minutes before sunset |
Add a 15-minute buffer between each block. Melbourne traffic and weather both have a way of finding any gap you didn't leave.
The Week Before: Details and Logistics
• Gather your flat lay items in one box: rings, invitation suite, perfume, jewellery, shoes, vow books.
• Send your photographer the final timeline, addresses and day-of contact numbers.
• Arrange a vendor meal for your photo and video team.
• Tidy and choose a getting-ready room with good window light.
On the Day
• Eat breakfast and keep water nearby — it shows in your face by mid-afternoon.
• Hand the detail box to your photographer as soon as they arrive.
• Let your family-photo helper run the group list.
• Ask guests for an unplugged ceremony so no phones block the aisle.
• Trust the timeline, and take a breath between moments.
After the Wedding
• Download your full gallery as soon as it arrives — don't rely on the link.
• Back it up in at least two places, one of them offsite or in the cloud.
• Work on your album design while the day is still fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I book a wedding photographer in Melbourne?
Twelve to eighteen months for peak-season Saturdays. Off-peak dates sometimes have more flexibility, but popular teams fill those too.
How long should family photos take?
With a clear list and a helper calling names, ten to twelve groupings usually take 20 to 30 minutes.
When is golden hour for wedding photos in Melbourne?
It's roughly the last hour before sunset — around 4 pm in mid-winter and after 7:30 pm in mid-summer. Check the exact sunset for your date.
What should I give my wedding photographer before the day?
Your run sheet, family list, priority people and moments, venue rules, addresses and a day-of contact person.
Let's Plan It Together
We're Darlan and Christian, a Melbourne and Adelaide photo and video duo. Every booking includes a pre-wedding planning conversation where we work through this checklist with you, build the family list and shape the timeline around your light. Get in touch with Honey Weddings to start planning.
Want a deeper look at the shot list question? Read Do You Need a Shot List for Your Wedding Photographer?.
