Wedding Photography Timeline Tips for Brides | Part 1

If you are in the middle of planning your wedding, I’m sure you’ve begun to think about the wedding photography timeline! We know our brides have had so many questions about not only a schedule, but a wedding photography timeline . We thought we’d break it down into a simple series. If you are a bride who wants to create a logical yet thoughtful wedding photography timeline, keep reading! This is for you!

Before we start, we wanted to just say this:  We believe that your wedding day is about you as a couple and your love. PERIOD. The day does not revolve around your wedding photographer. However, we also believe that being strategic when you are planning your wedding photography timeline can produce some amazing portraits. Working with your wedding photographer to create a wedding photography timeline is going to do wonders for your final images. We may not know everything, but as wedding photographers we know a thing or two about making schedules.

In this first part of the series, we’re going to talk those first parts during the day: the detail shots & getting ready!

The Details

The very first thing we do when we arrive at a wedding is the detail shots! We’ll often walk around, scope out the best lighting. We take the time to photograph all of those details while the bride is still getting her hair and makeup done. We like to photograph your hair and makeup once you have gotten the majority of your makeup on and we’ll start shooting as the final touches are being applied. If we were to start photographing brides from the moment we arrive, we might catch them in curlers!

We suggest scheduling 30 minutes at the beginning of the day for enough time to photograph all the little things. You’ve put in a lot of time finding the perfect little details and we want to have enough time to do them justice in your wedding photography. They take time, effort, and a lot of attention to, well, details.

We have a few suggestions for your details to get the best photographs & make it easier for everyone!

1. We are always looking to photograph as many details as possible because they are little hints of who you are as a couple. This is our compiled list of details that we thought you might find helpful!
   For the Bride & Bridesmaids-
   Rings | Stationary: Invitation, Save the Date, Envelopes, Programs, Menu| Bride’s Dress & Accessories: Veil, Belt | Hairpieces | Shoes | Garter | Jewelry | Purse/Clutch | Bouquets | Written Wedding Vows | Bridesmaid Dresses | Wedding Party GiftsFor the Groom & Groomsmen-
   Ties |  Cuff Links |  Special Socks |  Belt |  Shoes | Gifts for Groomsmen |  Written Wedding VowsExtras-
   Extra material from dress | Lace | Extra ribbons & flowers from bouquet (ask your florist for these!)
2. Gather all of the details ahead of time! We don’t want to interrupt you as you are getting your hair done and hanging with your girls. We suggest having a bag with all of your details inside that is just put in the corner. Let your maid of honor or “go-to” person know where it is so your photographer has to do is ask her!
   

Getting Ready

When we think about wedding day photographs, we often think about the beautiful portraits that are captured of you & your love.  However, a good bit of your wedding collection will be comprised of your getting ready photos. We suggest budgeting 45 minutes to an hour in your wedding photography timeline to be spent photographing the bride & groom getting ready. Scheduling about 30 minutes allows for hugs, tears, and excitement from your friends and family. We don’t want to rush those moments!

1. We recommend that our couples carefully choose a location at which to get ready. Space, natural lighting, and lighter walls will all make a world of difference in your photographs. In fact, windows let in such beautiful light and truly transform the way your pictures look. We suggest looking to book a hotel, an Air BNB, or to get ready in a home with a lot of space and natural light for both the bride & the groom.
   
2. Before the bride gets into her dress, we highly recommend the bridesmaids and mother of the bride get dressed. Not only will the pictures look more polished, but right after the bride gets into her dress, everyone will be ready to go!

3. Keep your getting ready room free of clutter. This is one of the best pieces of advice we can give couples. Put all of the bags, hairsprays, bobby pins, clothes, dress bags, extra shoes, water bottles, etc. into one area of the room. Avoiding clutter will create beautiful images all around!

We hope that you’re enjoying this series so far! We are so excited and cannot wait to share with you our wedding photography planning and scheduling tips for the next portion of the day: First look, Family portraits, and Ceremony.

UPDATE: You can see the rest of the series  Here: Part 2 & Part 3

In the meantime, you can check out these lovebirds!

Colin & Brittney Lakeside Engagement Session 

Nick & Rachael’s Fall Engagement Session