Your ceremony is at 2pm. You have no idea when the limo should arrive at your house. Or how long photos take at Casa Loma. Or what time the limo takes the wedding party from the ceremony to the reception.
Here is the answer: For a 2pm ceremony, the limo arrives at the bride’s house at 12:00pm. You leave at 12:30pm for a 1:00pm first look. Photos run 1:00pm to 1:30pm. You arrive at the ceremony by 1:45pm. The limo then takes the wedding party to the reception at 3:30pm after photos. You arrive at the reception by 4:15pm.
This post gives you five complete timelines for different ceremony start times (1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm), plus specific photo stop durations for Toronto’s most popular wedding photo locations.
The 2pm Ceremony Timeline — Most Common Toronto Wedding
This is the template we use for 60% of Toronto weddings. Copy this directly into your planning spreadsheet.
| Time | Activity | Limo Location | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00pm | Limo arrives at bride’s house | Bride’s address | — |
| 12:00pm – 12:30pm | Getting ready photos, champagne | Bride’s house | 30 min |
| 12:30pm | Depart for first look location | En route | — |
| 12:45pm | Arrive at first look location | Photo location | — |
| 12:45pm – 1:00pm | First look + private photos | Photo location | 15 min |
| 1:00pm – 1:30pm | Wedding party + family photos | Photo location | 30 min |
| 1:30pm | Depart for ceremony | En route | — |
| 1:45pm | Arrive at ceremony venue | Ceremony | — |
| 2:00pm – 2:30pm | Ceremony | Ceremony | 30 min |
| 2:30pm – 3:30pm | Full wedding party photos | Photo location(s) | 60 min |
| 3:30pm | Limo departs for reception | En route | — |
| 4:15pm | Arrive at reception (with buffer) | Reception | — |
| 4:30pm | Guests arrive, grand entrance | Reception | — |
Total limo booking time needed: 5 hours minimum (12:00pm to 5:00pm)
Most couples book 6 hours to add buffer and sunset photos. See our wedding limo packages for hourly and flat-rate options.
1pm Ceremony Timeline — Early Start, More Photo Light
For couples who want afternoon light for photos or have an evening reception curfew.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 11:00am | Limo arrives at bride’s house |
| 11:00am – 11:30am | Getting ready |
| 11:30am | Depart for first look |
| 11:45am – 12:15pm | First look + wedding party photos |
| 12:30pm | Arrive at ceremony |
| 1:00pm – 1:30pm | Ceremony |
| 1:30pm – 2:30pm | Full wedding party photos |
| 2:30pm | Depart for reception |
| 3:15pm | Arrive at reception |
| 3:30pm | Grand entrance |
Total limo booking time needed: 5 hours
3pm Ceremony Timeline — Later Start, Less Rush Morning
For couples who want a slower morning or have out-of-town wedding party members traveling in.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1:00pm | Limo arrives at bride’s house |
| 1:00pm – 1:30pm | Getting ready |
| 1:30pm | Depart for first look |
| 1:45pm – 2:15pm | First look + wedding party photos |
| 2:30pm | Arrive at ceremony |
| 3:00pm – 3:30pm | Ceremony |
| 3:30pm – 4:30pm | Full wedding party photos |
| 4:30pm | Depart for reception |
| 5:15pm | Arrive at reception |
| 5:30pm | Grand entrance (cocktail hour ongoing) |
Total limo booking time needed: 5 hours
4pm Ceremony Timeline — Late Start, Sunset Photos Only
Best for summer weddings (June-August) when sunset is after 8pm. Allows morning for getting ready without rush.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 2:00pm | Limo arrives at bride’s house |
| 2:00pm – 2:30pm | Getting ready |
| 2:30pm | Depart for first look |
| 2:45pm – 3:15pm | First look + wedding party photos |
| 3:30pm | Arrive at ceremony |
| 4:00pm – 4:30pm | Ceremony |
| 4:30pm – 5:15pm | Full wedding party photos (45 min only) |
| 5:15pm | Depart for reception |
| 6:00pm | Arrive at reception |
| 6:15pm | Grand entrance |
| 8:00pm – 8:30pm | Sunset photos (limo on standby) |
Total limo booking time needed: 7 hours (includes 1 hour standby for sunset)
5pm Ceremony Timeline — Evening Wedding
For couples having a shorter ceremony + dinner reception only (no afternoon gap).
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 3:00pm | Limo arrives at bride’s house |
| 3:00pm – 3:30pm | Getting ready |
| 3:30pm | Depart for first look |
| 3:45pm – 4:15pm | First look + wedding party photos |
| 4:30pm | Arrive at ceremony |
| 5:00pm – 5:30pm | Ceremony |
| 5:30pm – 6:00pm | Quick family photos (30 min only) |
| 6:00pm | Depart for reception |
| 6:30pm | Arrive at reception |
| 6:45pm | Grand entrance, dinner served |
Total limo booking time needed: 4 hours
How Long Each Toronto Photo Stop Actually Takes
This is the information no generic wedding website gives you. These are real times from 500+ Toronto weddings we have driven.
Casa Loma (photo permit required):
-
Couple only at specific spots: 20 minutes
-
Full wedding party on stairs: 30 minutes
-
Add 10 minutes for parking the limo (Davenport Road lot)
High Park (Hillside Gardens or Cherry Blossom spots):
-
Couple only: 20 minutes
-
Full wedding party: 30-35 minutes
-
Add 15 minutes travel time between parking (Grenadier Cafe lot) and photo spots
Distillery District:
-
Couple only (weekday morning): 20 minutes
-
Full wedding party (weekday): 30 minutes
-
Weekends: Avoid entirely — too crowded. Use 40 minutes minimum.
-
Limo must park at Mill Street lot (Parliament/Mill)
Toronto Islands (ferry required):
-
Couple only: 2 hours minimum (includes ferry)
-
Full wedding party: 2.5 hours minimum
-
Do not attempt with ceremony before 1pm — not enough time
Royal York Hotel (interior lobby shots):
-
Couple only: 15 minutes
-
Limo pulls to Front Street entrance — driver stays with vehicle
Liberty Grand (Exhibition Place):
-
Couple only on grounds: 15 minutes
-
Full wedding party: 25 minutes
-
Free parking for limo on site
Most Toronto photographers we work with recommend booking your limo by month 5. A 10-minute call locks in your date and vehicle. Call 647-553-4199 or book online.
Wedding Party Vehicle Assignment — Who Goes Where
If you have more than 6 people or multiple vehicles, use this assignment template.
One stretch limo (6-10 passengers):
-
Bride + groom
-
Maid of honor + best man
-
Parents of bride (if riding together)
-
No more than 8 adults in a 10-passenger limo (dress space)
One party bus (14-20 passengers):
-
Entire wedding party + partners
-
Photographer + videographer
-
No parents (they prefer sedans typically)
Two vehicles (limo + sedan):
-
Limo: Bride, groom, maid of honor, best man, photographer
-
Sedan: Parents of bride, parents of groom, grandparents
Three vehicles (limo + 2 sedans):
-
Limo (10-passenger): Bride, groom, wedding party (8 people)
-
Sedan 1: Bride’s parents + grandparents
-
Sedan 2: Groom’s parents + grandparents
We recommend booking the 6-10 passenger stretch limo for the couple + wedding party, and separate sedans for parents. The 14-20 passenger party bus works best for large wedding parties (12+ people).
What Can Go Wrong — And How to Prevent It
After 500+ Toronto weddings, here are the three most common timeline failures.
Failure 1: Not adding buffer time between locations
Google Maps says Casa Loma to Distillery District is 12 minutes. On a Saturday wedding in June with road closures? 25-30 minutes. Add 15 minutes buffer between every location.
Failure 2: Booking the limo for exactly the time you need
You book 12pm to 5pm (5 hours). Your timeline says you will be done at 5pm. Then sunset photos run 10 minutes late. Then traffic. You are paying overtime at 1.5x the hourly rate. Book 1 hour extra. Always.
Failure 3: Not assigning a point person for the limo
The bride is in photos. The groom is signing the marriage license. No one tells the chauffeur when the group is ready to leave. The limo waits. The timeline slips. Assign one bridesmaid or groomsman to communicate with the chauffeur at every stop.
Michael’s Take — 17 Years of Toronto Wedding Timelines
I have driven over 500 Toronto weddings. Here is what I have learned.
The couples who have the best day — the ones who are relaxed, laughing in the limo, not checking their watches — all did the same thing. They built their timeline backward from the reception start time. They added 15 minutes of buffer between every location. And they booked the limo for one hour longer than they thought they needed.
The couples who had stressful days? They tried to pack too much into too little time. They thought “30 minutes at High Park is enough” (it is not — it takes 10 minutes just to walk to the photo spot). They booked the limo for exactly the hours on paper and then paid $150 in overtime fees.
Here is my recommendation: pick your ceremony time. Use the timeline above for that time. Add 30 minutes of buffer to the total. Book that many hours. Then call us at 647-553-4199 and we will walk you through every stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours should I book the limo for a Toronto wedding?
Most weddings need 5-6 hours. A 2pm ceremony with 5pm reception needs 5 hours. Add 1 hour for sunset photos. Add 1 hour if you are traveling between downtown and Etobicoke/Scarborough.
What time does the limo arrive on the wedding day?
We arrive 30 minutes before your first scheduled pickup. If you want the limo at the bride’s house at 12pm, we arrive at 11:30am. No extra charge.
Can the limo wait while we do photos?
Yes. The chauffeur stays with the vehicle. You are not paying for the limo to drive — you are paying for the limo and chauffeur to be available to you. Waiting time is included in your hourly rate.
What happens if our photos run late?
We stay. The hourly rate continues. We will call you at the 30-minute mark to confirm if you want to adjust the rest of the timeline. Most couples shorten the reception arrival photos to make up time.
Ready to build your timeline? Call 647-553-4199. We will walk you through every hour, every photo stop, and every vehicle.
Or book online and we will send you a custom timeline within 24 hours.
