How to plan your wedding day (a sample)

here comes the guide...

Every bride loves having those beautiful shots of her bridal details. It's an important part of the story + I LOVE having some time to shoot all the day-of details! Typically, I like to allow at least 45 minutes for this part of the day. While I'm shooting the day of details, I am also capturing some shots of the bride + her girls getting ready!

Your timeline

2:30-3:15 details

After the details have been photographed, it's time for the bride to get into her dress! Talk about a BIG moment!! I will ask the mother of the bride + 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 these special captured moments. After the bride is in her dress, she can put on her final touches (jewelry, veil, shoes, etc.) + I will shoot some additional bridal portraits!

3:15-3:45 bridal prep

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. Do not stress about that one bit! I will also make sure the location is as private + secluded as possible.

4:00 first look

a sample timeline for 8 hours of coverage

Invitation Suite
Shoes
Veil
Florals
Perfume

Vow Books
Rings
Something Borrowed
Something Blue
Jewelry

some fun details to bring with you:

Have no fear we won't leave your groom out! But generally speaking, groom and groomsmen take MINIMAL time to get ready, so we don't really sweat groom prep! He just needs to make sure that his best man is ready BEFORE him to allow for them both to look great in their "Getting Ready" pictures together.

3:15-3:45 groom prep

After the bride + groom take their time with the First Look, I will begin
taking romantic portraits of the two of them while the initial excitement is still present! Remember, the LIGHT determines where we shoot. Meaning, I cannot decide on portrait locations until the day-of. As we shoot these portraits, the bridal party can start making their way to use for Bridal Party Portraits!

4:15-4:45 portraits

Now it's time for the bridal party portraits! I make sure to buffer in some extra time throughout the day just in case we have an unexpected thing or two hold us up! A great way to make sure we stay on schedule for bridal party portraits is to have someone put the boutonnieres on the guys BEFORE they arrive for portraits. During bridal party portraits, my second shooter + get some I will great shots of the guys + gals, both separately + together!

4:50-5:20 bridal party portraits

After bridal party portraits are complete, the bride will go into hiding so that early guests can't sneak a peek + the ushers will begin their duties.

5:30-6:00 bride in hiding

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 + reception are in different locations, I recommend having a cocktail hour outside of the main reception area if possible. This way, I can capture shots of your reception before the night's festivities being + guests start placing their belongings on their seats.

5:30-5:50 reception details

It's time to get MARRIED!! Most ceremonies are 30 minutes long. If your ceremony is longer than this, we will make adjustments to the timeline. Make sure to cherish these moments because your ceremony will fly by!

6:00-6:30 ceremony

Family formals normal take place immediately following the ceremony. I recommend saving family formals until after the ceremony because ALL family members will be present at that time.

6:40-7:10 family portraits

7:00 is the BEST time of day for portraits in the late spring, summer and early fall seasons! This time of day marks the golden hour. I'm getting excited just thinking about this part of the wedding day! They are always some of my favorite pictures from the wedding day! I love having a few extra minutes with the bride + groom to take am few "Just Married" portraits right after family formals. It gives the couple a few private moments to gleam in the joy of their new beginning!

7:15-7:30 romantic portraits

This when the bridal party lines up for introductions + the party kicks off! By this part of the day, my timeline is not as strict. I work off of the natural light. So, after the sun is set, my portrait time is over and we let the DJ/MC take over with your reception timeline.

7:30-7:45 the party begins!

I include 8 hours of coverage so that I can 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 coverage or plan a faux exit with just your bridal arty! We have had a GREAT success with this and the party never stops. Email me and let's chat!