Welcome
A NOTE ABOUT THIS sample Timeline GUIDE
This is such an exciting time for you! I’m sure your mind is racing with all that needs to be planned. It’s all very exciting , but it can also be somewhat overwhelming. You’re planning the day that you’ve been anticipating your whole life and yet you only get one shot at it! By the time you get the hang of it, the planning is over!
My goal as a wedding photographer is to make this one aspect of the planning process simple. Photography is more than just images, it’s a real part of your day. Not only do you deserve
beautiful images, you also deserve an amazing photographic experience.
The goal of this guide is to help give you a simple idea to start planning your wedding day. There are still a few steps before we are official, but this will give you an idea of what a wedding day with me will entail!
I am beyond excited for the opportunity to wotk with you!! I cannot wait to get to know you more in the weeks to come! And the time I will TRULY get to know you most - and for you to know me - is during your engagement session!
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Here’s the part that can be somewhat intimidating! The TIMELINE! I know this isn’t the most exciting aspect of the wedding day, but this is the one thing that can make or break your photography!
As your photographer, one of the things I create for you is a bare-minimum timeline for what is needed to capture all the beautiful details for your wedding day. You've spent all this time planning and designing your wedding, IT all deserves to be documented. But keep in mind, not all wedding days are the same, and your timeline may differ due to travel times and unique situations - such as you might want to incorporate an Asian tea ceremony somewhere in your celebrations! And in this case, I would definitely suggest a different timeline with more time - rather than the typical 8/9 hour wedding day listed below.
But the outline below will give you a good base for an an ideal 8 hour, well photographed, wedding day This ideal timeline is also based off of a wedding day that includes a first look/first touch, which i highly recommend because it's the perfect way to start the celebrations!
- Elanor Roosevelt
“It takes as much time to wish as it does to plan.”
YOUR WEDDING DAY
BRIDAL DETAILS
Every bride loves having those beautiful shots of her bridal details. It’s an impor- tant part of the story and I love having some time to shoot the dress, shoes, jewelry, invitations, etc. These shots al- low me to get warmed up for the rest of the big day. I normally like to allow at least 45 minutes for this part of the day. While I’m shooting details, I’m also cap- turing some shots of the bride and her girls getting ready! If the groom is get- ting ready nearby, my second photogra- pher will begin photographing the boys close to 40 minutes before the first look since it always takes them less time to get dressed!
1:30 - 2:30
After the details have been photographed, it’s time for the bride to get into her dress! This is a big moment! I usually ask the mother of the bride and all of the bridesmaids to be dressed by the time the bride is ready to get into her dress. This ensures that everyone will look nice in those images. After the bride is in her gown, she can put on her jewelry, veil, shoes, etc. And I will shoot some additional bridal portraits!
2:30- 3:00
FIRST LOOK
This is one of my favorite parts of the wedding day! I will find the perfect location for my couple’s First Look prior to the getting ready portion of the day! Don’t stress about that one bit! I will make sure the location is private and as secluded as possible.
3:00
BRIDAL PARTY PORTRAITS
Now it’s time for Bridal Party shots! I buffer in extra time throughout the day just in case we have some unexpected things that hold us up! One way to make sure we stay on schedule for bridal party portraits is to have someone put the bou- tonnieres on the guys BEFORE they arrive for portraits. During Bridal Party portraits, my second photographer and I will make sure to take some great shots of the guys and girls both separately AND together!
Bridal Prep
see, dreams do come true! crazy, huh?
BRIDE & GROOM PORTRAITS
After the bride and groom take their time with the First Look, I will begin taking a few romantic portraits of the two of them while the initial excitement is still present! I will find the locations for these shots as well! Remember, the LIGHT determines where we shoot. As we shoot these portraits, the bridal party can start making their way to us for Bridal Party portraits!
3:15 - 4:00
4:00 - 4:30
BRIDE IN HIDING
After bridal party portraits are complete, the bride will go into hiding so that early guests don’t sneak a peek, and the ushers will begin their duties.
4:30- 5:00
If the reception is in the same location as the ceremony, I will use this time to shoot the reception decor UNTOUCHED. If the ceremony and reception are in different locations, I recommend having a cocktail hour outside of the main reception area if possible so that I can grab some great shots of your reception before the night begins and guests start laying down purses and coats on their seats!
4:30 - 5:00
Reception
Details
that beautiful glow...
CEREMONY
It’s time to get married!! Most cer- emonies are 30 minutes long. If your ceremony is longer than 30 minutes, we’ll make adjustments to the time- line! Cherish these moments! Your ceremony will pass by so quickly!
5:00 - 5:30
Family formals normally take place immediately following the ceremony. It’s best to save all of the family formals until after the ceremony be- cause ALL family members will be present at that time.
We’ll need about 30-45 mintues for family formals and I will send a questionnaire before the wedding where you can list out the shots that you want. I recommend shooting portraits outdoors if possible so that they resemble more natural family portraits, especially if the ceremony location is dark!
5:30 - 6:00
Family Formals
BRIDE & GROOM JUST MARRIED + SUNSET PHOTOS
7:00pm is the BEST time of day for portraits in the late spring, summer and early fall! This is when the sun is glowy and golden. I love having a few extra minutes with the bride and groom to take a few “Just Married” portraits right after family formals!
Whenever Sunset Is!
RECEPTION
This is when the bridal party lines up for introductions and the party begins!! By this part of the day, my timeline isn’t as strict. I work off of the natural light and so after the sun is set, my portrait time is over and
I begin focusing on the reception
events!
6:30
It's party time!!!
THE EXIT
I include 8 hours of coverage - ALTHOUGH 9 HOURS IS THE SWEET SPOT FOR AN UNHURRIED WEDDING - but, in general, I like to be present for the main events of the reception and about an hour of dancing! If you’re interested in having your exit photographed, there are several options for this! You can either add additional cover- age or plan a faux exit with just your bridal party! We have had GREAT success with this and the party never stops! Email me about this if you’re interested in learning more!
10:00
The End
APPROXIMATE TIMES:
DETAILS & PREP : 1 - 1.5 HOURS
FIRST LOOK & PORTRAITS : 40 - 60 MINS
BRIDAL PARTY : 30-40 MINS
FAMILY FORMALS: 30-40 MINS
SUNSET PORTRAITS: 20-30 MIN
DETAILS: 20-30 MIN
EXTRA PORTRAIT TIME : AS MUCH TIME AS YOU’LL GIVE ME!
A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.”
Annie Leibovitz