Ideal Wedding Photography Timeline
Rings, Dress, Shoes and Other Details
Ideal Time Allotment: 30 minutes
Ideal Time of the Day: Morning (When first arrive)
Ideal Location: Bridal Suite or Hotel Suite
Advice: Having at least 30 minutes for details ensures that we have plenty of time to get that perfect photo of all your details.
There are certain times when the room is too crowded or simply unappealing and we need to take your dress somewhere else to get the perfect photos of it.
Getting Dressed
Ideal Time Allotment: 60 minutes
Ideal Location: Bridal Suite or Hotel Suite
Advice: Having an hour for preparation is ideal for our style. During this time, we are getting close ups of the makeup and hair being applied as well as the candid moments and the bridesmaids and groomsmen getting ready. Keep in mind these are some of the most emotional and fun times of the day so you don’t want to cut it short.
I will hang out and capture the bride while my second shooter will be with the groom. While it doesn’t take the guys an hour to get dressed, there are still tons of great moments during this time.
Individual Portraits
Ideal Time Allotment: 30 minutes
Ideal Location: Bridal Suite, Hotel Suite, Venue Lobby or Venue Garden
Advice: Right after prep is the best time to get individual portraits. The day hasn’t gotten hectic yet so we can take our time plus your make-up and hair are completely fresh.
Also, keep in mind that the window lighting in most hotel rooms creates a unique look that can’t be duplicated in any environment throughout the rest of the day.
FIrst Look and Daytime Couples Portraits
Ideal Time Allotment: 45-60 minutes
Ideal Location: Venue Garden, Empty Venue Hallway (Shaded areas with natural light)
Advice: The first look should be around 45-60 minutes. During this time, the bride and groom enjoy seeing each other for the first time on the wedding day. While the actual first look might only be 5-10 minutes, the rest of the time is spent on a few basic portraits of the bride and groom.
Ideally we are saving the bulk of the couples session for later (see the “couples session” section below). However, if there is no other time in the day, it is best to allocate another 45 minutes to an hour here so that we make sure we have enough photos of just you two.
Wedding Party Portraits
Ideal Time Allotment: 45-60 minutes
Ideal Location: Venue Lobby, Venue Garden, Park, Off Site Location
Advice: Wedding Party Photos should be around 45 minutes to 1 hour. During this time, we get a variety of shots in a variety of poses. We start off with the basic, classic photos focused on great expressions and lighting.
Then we move into a set of fun and creative shots. Finally, we know how much your wedding party means to you, so we are sure to get pictures with you and each one of your bridesmaids or groomsmen individually.
Immediate Family
Ideal Time Allotment: 30-45 minutes
Ideal Time of the Day: Pre-Ceremony
Ideal Location: Venue Lobby or Garden, Park, Off site Location
Advice: Immediate Family Photos should take another 45 minutes. It’s important to have additional images with your parents, grandparents, and siblings beyond the basic formal (mentioned in the section below).
Plan on 3 minutes per group on average. For example, if you have 10 groups, schedule in a 30 minute time slot.
We all know how much weddings mean to the immediate family, and we want to make sure we’re capturing enough pictures with them.
Ceremony and Venue Detail
Ideal Time Allotment: 30 minutes
Ideal Time of the Day: Morning or Afternoon
Ideal Location: Ceremony Location
Advice: Please allow 30 minutes for the second shooter to take pictures of the ceremony site, completely set up with no guests or vendors in the area.
Before you have the guests seated, it’s important that we are there to capture the complete set up of your ceremony site so we can capture the scene at its best.
Formals (Extended Family, Immediate Family and Friends)
Ideal Time Allotment: 45-60 minutes
Ideal Time of the Day: Post Ceremony
Ideal Location: Ceremony Site
Advice: Formals should take around 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of your family and the number of guests.
Plan on 3 minutes per group on average. For example, if you have 10 groups, schedule in a 30 minute time slot.
Some couples have decided that they want a picture with all guests while others have decided that they only want pictures with select VIPs to save time. We recommend something in between.
We also recommend being very organized, with a list of groups and helpers from each side of the family to help round people up.
Couples Portraits
Ideal Time Allotment: 1 hour
Ideal Time of the Day: Late Afternoon
Ideal Location: Venue Garden, Hotel Lobby, Park
Advice: Couple session should be around 1 hour and should take place ideally 30 to 45 minutes before sunset. The is the best time in terms of lighting.
It also allows us to capture the awesome scenic shots with colorful skies. If your wedding is in downtown or in an area with tall buildings, it’s not as important for us to have this specific time frame (although it still helps).
Reception Details and Venue
Ideal Time Allotment: 30 Minutes
Ideal Location: Reception Site
Advice: Please allow 30 minutes for the second shooter to take pictures of the reception room, completely set up with no guest or vendors in the area.
Similar to the ceremony details, this is the only opportunity we have to captuer the beauty of the reception room prior to guest arrival.
Couples Session (Reception Sneak Out)
