Tips + Info
When my wife and I were planning our wedding, I remember just reading everything I could find and pinning everything on Pinterest. But what we needed was a little guidance + direction as to what we should be planning for and what will make our wedding day the least stressful. Being a wedding photographer, I had a little more knowledge as to what I wanted for our wedding – but here are some tips + considerations I have learned over the years. No matter how much planning you do, remember that weddings are like animals, unpredictable – just know that the end of the day you are marrying the love of your life!
Lighting
You might not thinking about the sun the day of your wedding, but it can greatly affect your whole day! From first looks, to ceremony photos, to bridal portraits and even cocktail hour it is important to plan out your schedule with the best light in mind! Depending if you want sunrise + sunset have the best natural light and are the best time to reserve for couples portraits. When planning your timeline, it is best to leave 30-45 min for bridals portraits before the sunset time. Many planners will coordinate sunset portraits to take place during cocktail hour.
Mood Board
This is a great way to get your vision out of your head and share those details with me! This can simply be done on Pinterest or if your old school, share your scrapbook with me with all your ideas! A mood board is helpful for me as your photographer, but it is also something very valuable that your other vendors will appreciate seeing! Looking at your Pinterest board, I can also get an idea of the type of photos you are drawn to, which helps me deliver the best images for you!
Hotel vs AirBnb vs Family Home
Where to get ready? Depending on your venue location you might be looking to use your family home to get ready, a venue location or offsite like a hotel or Airbnb. One thing to keep in mind in choosing your getting ready space is that this area will be photographed a lot in the first half of the day. It is best to choose a location with a lot of windows to bring in as much natural light as possible. Also remember, that space will become very limited due to your bridal party, extra bags, hair + makeup artists and family. I recommend to look for AirBnbs versus hotel rooms for a couple of reasons, hotels can be very cramped, but an Airbnb can give you that space. AirBnbs are usually more welcoming and have a better look and feel for your images. If you do opt for a hotel room, I recommend getting a conjoined room to maximize your space.
Scheduling – Timeline
Your wedding will run late. I have never been to a wedding in which the timeline was perfectly on schedule. However, it is crucial that you allow enough time for each portion of your day. In all my timelines I include extra buffer time to make sure that there is enough time for all your portraits. If you are unsure of how much time should be allotted. Check out this blog for a detailed sample schedule.
Hair + Makeup
Hair + Makeup have an habitual habit of going over their allotted time. It is best to make sure you have your hair + makeup for earlier than you think you need to. When scheduling hair + makeup you should have a start time + end time for all to be completed. It is best for Bride/ Groom to be done first so that no key moments in photography are missed because of scheduling delays.
First Look!
Your wedding day is about the union of you two and some couples would like to keep that first look intimate. So instead of seeing each other at the aisle, you two can share a moment with one another away from everyone else. This is one of my favorite moments for the day, because there is usually MORE emotion because it is intimate. When doing a first look, we can arrange to take care of many other portraits, such as bridal party + couples portraits. So that after the wedding, you two can relax and enjoy your cocktail hour with all your friends + family!
Cocktail hour + Bridal Portraits
For some couples, it is very important that they have a chance to mingle with their guests during cocktail hour. This is a great opportunity to greet your friends + family and get some candid photos before dinner is served. If you would prefer more bridal portraits, then a cocktail hour is an excellent time to hide away from your guests and capture some intimate portraits of you two either at the ceremony site or the venue!
Location + Travel
Less is more on a wedding day. It can be very difficult to move bridal parties + family members from location to location (even if you are paying for the transportation!) I have seen parts of bridal parties completely miss the ceremony due to misdirection on their GPS. I promise you that any location can work for your wedding photos, of course, if you have a specific location you would like, let’s chat about it! When scheduling travels between locations I high recommend to double the time in your timeline – you never know when there will be a road closure or accident that can cause delays.
Cellphones + Technology
Unplugged ceremonies for the win!! As much as I love my cellphone, I hate to see them in beautiful wedding portraits. I highly recommend you sharing with your friends + family to have an unplugged ceremony. I will be there to capture all your memories, your guests should be looking at you in person and not through their screen.