Your wedding day is approaching and now you have to provide lists of time and events to all of your vendors. It can be frustrating and confusing trying to figure out where to start. No need to fear, we are here to help you do just that! Ive created a list of ideal locations, time frames, and what to expect to help you plan your wedding photography timeline!

BRIDES DETAILS; DRESS, VEIL, SHOES, ECT.

Amount of time to photograph: 30-45 minutes

Time of Day: Morning

Location: Home, Getting ready area, Bridal Suite or venue location

Other Items to think about: Any jewelry your wearing to remember and honor a loved one that may have passed.

Purchase a pretty hanger:Try Etsy for your bridesmaids hangers and the Brides dress is always a great way to ensure your dress photos come out pretty! A pretty hanger is a great way to display your wedding dress rather than the cheap plastic hanger it comes on.

Tips: Please start by removing all of the tags from your dress, shoes, veil, jewelry and other accessories.

This will save me time from having to do that. Please have all of your items laid out on the bed – minus your dress of course! 

BRIDE PREPARATIONS

Amount of time to photograph: 45 minutes -1 hour

Time of Day: Morning

Location: Home, Getting ready area, Bridal Suite or Venue Location

Other things to think about: Adding champagne or mimosas to your morning routine. Having the bridesmaids in matching silk robes is a good idea for photo opportunities. 

Tips:  A lot of girls getting ready in one location can get a bit messy, I’m a girl… so I totally understand! My advice to you gals is to keep the area as clean and tidy as possible! This will ensure a cleaner background for your getting ready images. Some tips and advice I can offer you would be to have the ladies keep their bags under the bad or in the bathroom or in a kitchen somewhere out of sight from where the bride is getting ready.

What to expect: During this time I’m here to photograph the candid moments. I will try my best to be a fly on the wall and capture the special moments as their happening! 

GETTING INTO THE DRESS

Amount of time to photograph: 15-20 minutes

Time of Day: Late Morning/ Early Afternoon

Location: Home, Getting ready area, Bridal Suite

Other things to think about: Who do you want to help you into your dress? This moment often is so very special. A lot of brides chose to have their Mother/Sister/Maid of honor help them into their dress.

Tips: Make sure all of the tags are removed from your dress and veil. If you have a dress with buttons a crochet hook can be extremely useful for the person buttoning up the back. Whomever you decide to help you into your dress, please make sure they are fully ready prior to your final dressing. This will help make better photos. And Don’t forget to Smile! This is the final and last preparation for your wedding day!

What to expect: Expect your photographer to be moving around you to photograph this special moment. 

GROOM PREPARATIONS

Amount of time to photograph: 30-45minutes

Time of Day: Late Morning/Early Afternoon

Location: Home, Getting ready area, Bridal Suite or Venue Location

Other things to think about: Area of where the groom is dressing. Bright light is best for photos. Near a big open window is ideal.

Tips: Have the area clean and not cluttered. Have the groomsmen dressed prior to your photographer showing up. Please make sure the groom has his pants, and under shirt on prior to the photographer showing up. We will photograph the groom putting his long button down shirt on, and the best man helping with the tie and cufflinks if wearing any.

EXCHANGING LOVE NOTES/GIFTS

Amount of time to photograph: 3-5 minutes

Time of Day: Prior to Ceremony – after the Bride/Groom is fully dressed for the wedding

Location: Home, Getting ready area, Bridal Suite or Venue Location. A location that is not cluttered with good lighting.

Tips: If you are exchanging love letters and or gifts, please wait for your photographer to capture this special moment.

BRIDES INDIVIDUAL PORTRAITS

Amount of time to photograph: 20 minutes

Time of Day: Prior to Ceremony- After the bride is fully dressed for the wedding

Location: Home, Getting ready area, Bridal Suite or Venue Location

Tips: Allow enough time for us to photograph without having to rush to the venue. Think about a good location with an open window, or possibly nearby with a pretty background with shaded areas/also some sunlight also.

GROOMS INDIVIDUAL PORTRAITS

Amount of time to photograph: 10-15 minutes

Time of Day: Prior to Ceremony – after the Groom is fully dressed for the wedding

Location:  Home, Getting ready area, Bridal Suite or Venue Location 

Tips: Allow enough time in your schedule for us to photograph you, without having to rush to the venue. Think about a good location with an open window, or possibly nearby with a pretty background with shaded areas/also some sunlight also.

FIRST LOOK

Amount of time to photograph: 10-15 minutes

Time of Day: Prior to Ceremony

Location:  Shaded area close to the venue

Tips: This is such a special moment prior to saying I do, we request this is a private moment for the bride and groom. We do not recommend letting anyone else share in this moment other than your photographers/videographers. Please think about an intimate shaded area somewhere on the venue’s location or on the way there. This is also a great way to get some portraits of the couple as well during this time.

FAMILY PHOTOS

Amount of time to photograph: Roughly 20-30 minutes. Ultimately, this all depends on the size of your family!

Time of Day: Before or after the ceremony (depending on your schedule flexibility)

Location: Venue space, Location between ceremony and reception. Somewhere with a nice background

Tips: Lets start with the elderly members of the family. Anyone who uses a cane/walker/wheelchair. Anyone who is older such as great grandparents and grandparents. We aim to get them out of the way first so we can get them off of their feet and back to the reception. Next, lets start with any newborns,babies,toddlers, and small children. After that we can go into the larger family groups, the parents of the bride and groom, and then the bridal party.

BRIDAL PARTY

Amount of time to photograph: 15-20 minutes

Time of Day: Before or after the ceremony (depending on your schedule flexibility)

Location: Venue space, Location between ceremony and reception

Tips: Make sure everyone has their flowers

What to Expect: We’ll help pose the girls together, the guys together, the bride with the guys, and the groom with the girls. We can then also get some large group shots. If you want any individual shots please let us know prior to the wedding day. As this will eat up a lot of time and we want to make sure we have enough time left over for the bride and groom’s portraits. After these photos are completed I will request that the bridal party head back to the bridal suit, or the bus/limo to give us some quiet time with the bride and groom. 

BRIDE AND GROOM PHOTOS

Amount of time to photograph: 45-60 minutes

Time of Day: After the ceremony

Location: Venue property or a nice outdoor space between the ceremony and reception

Tips: Depending on how important photographs are you to, I would suggest allowing enough time in your schedule for this part of your day. Don’t forget, travel time is going to take up the most time. If you only leave 30 minutes in your schedule for photos, please accommodate for travel time from the ceremony to the location, and then from the location to the reception as well. 

What to Expect: Some time alone with your photographers and your videographers. We will request that your bridal party heads back to the venue bridal suit until you’re done, or heads to the limo/bus so it’s easier for us to interact with the two of you. We will help pose you, all you have to do is stand there and look pretty!

FAMILY PHOTOS

Amount of time to photograph: Roughly 20-30 minutes. Ultimately, this all depends on the size of your family!

Time of Day: Before or after the ceremony (depending on your schedule flexibility)

Location: Venue space, Location between ceremony and reception. Somewhere with a nice background

Tips: Lets start with the elderly members of the family. Anyone who uses a cane/walker/wheelchair. Anyone who is older such as great grandparents and grandparents. We aim to get them out of the way first so we can get them off of their feet and back to the reception. Next, lets start with any newborns,babies,toddlers, and small children. After that we can go into the larger family groups, the parents of the bride and groom, and then the bridal party.

VENUE DETAILS

Amount of time to photograph: 15-20 minutes

Time of Day: Before reception space is opened to your guests

Location: Venue/Reception 

Tips: A great idea to request your venue/reception doors remain closed until your photographers get there to photograph your details without any guests in the photos. You spend so much time and money planning your wedding, we want to be able to photograph all of your hard work when it finally comes together!

GOLDEN HOUR PORTRAITS

Amount of time to photograph: 10-15 minutes

Time of Day: Golden Hour – 1 hour prior to sunset

Location: Outdoor Venue/Reception location

Tips: Let us know prior to your wedding day if you’re interested in sneaking outside for 3-5 images prior to sunset. This won’t take long, just a few moments to capture some images of the two of you right when light is the best throughout the entire day. 

SPARKLERS/FIREWORKS/FINAL EXIT

Amount of time to photograph: 10-15 minutes

Time of Day: Prior to the photographers end time

Location: Outdoor Venue/Reception location