Creating the most ideal timeline for your wedding day involves a lot of factors, and one of them is knowing what to expect from me as your photographer. As you prepare for your big day, keep these tips in mind to make sure you plan accordingly.

Make sure you fill out my wedding photography questionnaire so I can know what to expect from you as well! Although I will direct you on the day of your event, I do care to capture precious moments the way you want them remembered, so please let me know if there’s anything you would like me to photograph. For example, I had a bride bring something blue and something borrowed as a traditional gesture that she requested I photograph. If you have any invitations you’d like me to arrange and take pictures of, please bring them! This is the time to bring anything you want documented!

Getting Ready

Depending on your time frame, it’s a fun idea to take “getting ready” photos where I meet you at your pre-ceremony site to photograph you getting ready. Some locations could be at your home, a hotel, etc. During this time I’ll take pictures of brides getting their hair and makeup done, as well as the bridesmaids getting themselves ready for the day. If time allows, I can place the wedding dress in a beautiful way to photograph. Additionally, I can take detailed photos of any jewelry, shoes or other accessories. When it’s time to put the dress on, I love capturing the gals and mothers or mother-in laws zipping up the dress on the bride.

If welcomed, I’d go to the groom’s getting ready location as well. I usually take photos of the men putting on their ties, bow ties, or cufflinks on the sleeves of shirts.

First Look

I’m not going to lie, I haven’t done much of these, but I love the idea of them! If you want to keep that special first look in a more intimate setting, this is your opportunity to walk out in your wedding attire before the ceremony actually begins. I’ll capture those priceless looks of awe either here or during the ceremony when the bride walks down the aisle.

Details

Please allow for at least 20 minutes for me to arrive to the reception site early enough to take photos of everything before the guests arrive. I’ll capture photos of the cake, decor, flowers, rings, and other details!

Wedding Party

If you are doing a first look before the ceremony, we can take wedding party photos afterwards. If not, we would need to take the wedding party photos after we have larger groups of family and friends. We can take formal photos as well as silly ones and individual ones of the bride and her bridesmaids as well as the groom and his groomsmen. These photos will take about 30 minutes.

Ceremony

The moment we’ve all been waiting for! I love seeing everybody’s reactions when the bride begins walking down the aisle. I’ll capture you walking down the aisle, reactions of your partner, any vows you may have, a ring exchange, your kiss and any other special ceremonies! Depending on lighting, there may be many shadows and bright light in the ceremony site. I will do my best to make everything look its’ best when editing the photos.

Family Formals

Immediately after the ceremony, congratulations and hugs, this is the time to get photos of the whole group. This may be family and friends, both or one or neither! After a formal photo, we can do a funny photo, and cheering. Afterward we will split the group up into smaller families on both the bride and the groom’s side. This is a nice opportunity for mom + bride photos or son + father photos as well. Allow at least 30 minutes and we’ll most likely take these photos in a large shaded area.

Pre-assign a family member or friend who knows which people to be in the pictures and round them up for the photos. Getting people where they need to be for the photos is by far the most time consuming part of group shots.

Bride and Groom Portraits

If we haven’t already taken couple’s photos beforehand during a first look, I highly recommend taking your official bride and groom portraits 1/2 hour before the sunsets or during part of a cocktail hour if we don’t have the time frame for that. Golden hour is the last hour before the sunsets and that is where natural lighting is the best when we are outside in the open. If we’re able to sneak away at some point during your reception to capture some of these, you won’t regret it! Allow 30 minutes for these photos.

Reception

I love seeing all the guests get comfortable and ready for meals, appetizers and mingling. During this time frame, which is flexible, I’d take mostly candid photos of people mingling, the couple catching up with guests and the food.

Entrance, First Dances + Speeches

Some couples make a special entrance to the reception and I can capture this if you’d like. Besides that, I will be ready to take photos of the couple dancing, them and their parent’s dances and any following speeches. Anything I see that makes me look twice or I find important to document, I will capture!

Cake Cutting + Bouquet/Garter toss

Before you cut the cake, we’ll take some photos of you with the cake and then candid ones of you cutting the cake. If you’re doing a bouquet and/or garter toss I’ll be ready! Allow for 10 minutes per each part.

Dancing

At this point, the key events of the reception are over and most people are so relaxed and ready to party. Most of this will be natural photos of people dancing and I can of course take photos of any people who request photos of the couple or their own group.

The Exit

If you have a special exit, or send off, I’d love to take photographs of that!

After The Party…

I will send you at least 65 high quality edits (usually more though!) per hour we were together. I will send you two collections; one with my classic look or with my signature preset through a picture sharing website. :) Let me know what look you prefer! ! Expect these photos within one month, but I usually can get them to you within a couple of weeks! You can download these high quality edits or web size resolution photos from anywhere within a two week time frame and print them from wherever you’d like.