THE WEDDING DAY TIMELINE

Many people today aren’t big fans of planning, schedules and timelines. I can agree with that on many levels. Your wedding day is a fluid event that definitely requires some planning, however; and we are always here to assist in any way that we can. In order to get the absolute best work out of the photography team that you choose, it is always best to include them in the planning and the schedule. We have many pointers and ideas, often based upon your chosen venue, that can make you day go much more smoothly.

1.   THE DETAILS

Details are some of the most important items of your wedding day. Often, a large amount of your budget has been spent on the items to make your day beautiful and we WANT to capture all of it! The start of these items are the rings, the dress, shoes, jewelry and all of the small things you have to prepare for your day. These items are often captured during the brides prep time and some good pointers are:

 a.   Have the rings in the bridal suite during make-ready time

 b.   Have the dress, shoes and any important items available during this time as well

Often, all that is required is about 30 minutes of time to get these shots and they are often handled beautifully right in the bridal suite, or nearby. Depending on the venue, however; sometimes it is required to move the items outside, to a lobby, or another place to get the photographs that you really want and more time may be needed. We can usually give you advance notice of this based upon the venue we will be shooting at. We have been to most of them and if we haven’t, we will visit them to ensure we give our best work!

2.   GROOM’S PREP

Let’s be honest; it doesn’t take anywhere near as long for a group of guys to dress as it does for bridal prep. We often recommend that the gentlemen not even arrive until 2 hrs before the ceremony, unless there is plenty for them to do at the chosen venue. Whether handled by a second or assistant shooter or by me as the lead, Grooms prep usually takes 45-60 minutes. If we are allowed this time, the detail of the photos are always better. We can plan, move and get plenty of fun photos along with the usual fare.

3.   FORMALS

Make no mistake about it; formals are a requirement in almost every wedding day. Even if a couple is not keen on the idea; Mom is, Grandma is and multiple other family members are as well. We tend to be fairly quick in formal photos but rushing is a bad option. Many churches today offer little time after a ceremony for formals and it is sometimes best to plan for them at the venue or another location en route. Allowing 45-60 Minutes for formals is always a great idea.

4.   DETAILS (AGAIN!)

Reception details are another important item and this is one place where I always recommend having a second or assistant photographer for your wedding day. An empty room, free of guests is a needed item in order to get the best shots of the beauty of your chosen venue. Usually 30-45 minutes will suffice and if you have upgraded to having a second shooter, they will often be able to get these shots while formals are being handled and your guests attend cocktail hour. Planning for this, as well as letting your coordinator know you need it, goes a long ways in ensuring you get all you want out of your photographer.

5.   THE COUPLES SESSION

Many reception schedules do not allow for much to happen outside of their plans once the party starts. Many venues chose their locations, and you chose them, based upon the beauty of their location and grounds…and they are just begging for photographs with you in them! We often like to take our clients away from the party about 30-45 minutes before sunset for a one on one session. The lighting is perfect, the sky is changing colors and the air is cooler and it is the perfect time to get the shots you dreamt of. Allowing for this time with your photographer will always result in the images you dreamed of having from your day and they are the shots we want to give you the most!

From there, we are with you until the end, following every moment of the evening. If there is ever something else outside fo the norm that is needed, just let us know and we will be ready for it!