So, You are getting married!
How exciting! The date is set and now you are starting to think about the timeline for the day. There are lots of things to think about for the logistics of a wedding day in the hopes to get everything running smoothly so you can relax and enjoy the day. You might know exactly how you want to run the show or you might want a little help along the way. If you have friends and family that have recently gotten married, why not ask them for some advice on what they were happy with or if they have any regrets - it might help you with your plan.
I'm here to offer a wee bit of advice with regards to making sure you make the most out of your wedding day photography in whatever shape that may take! If you have booked a full day, a half day or just a few hours coverage hopefully you'll find this information useful.
Getting ready
If you have booked me for a full day, this is normally 2 hours before the ceremony. With other coverage you can pick and choose when you want me to be there so if you want finishing touches before you head to get wed then we can do that!
Tags and stickers
Take off plastic covers, tags and stickers from shoes & dresses in the morning before I arrive or the night before.
Have all accessories, invitations, and anything else you want photographed in the same area so I don’t have to disturb your wedding party too much whilst getting these photographed!
It will also speed up the process and leave more time for photos of you all together.
wedding party
Aim to have your wedding party dressed and ready about 15 minutes before you get ready yourself. This looks much better for photos if your wedding party are assisting you in getting dressed.
the couple
Aim to have yourself ready to go for about 45 mins to 1 hour before your ceremony time if you would like some portraits at home before you head to the ceremony. I will normally leave about 30 minutes before the ceremony to get photos there before you arrive assuming the ceremony venue is nearby. Keep times in mind if it is further away.
If you have a second shooter booked I can make sure that they are at the ceremony venue earlier to capture other details.
getting ready space
Have you thought about where you would like to get dressed? It is a good idea to pick a space that is big if you have members of your wedding party assisting you and look for a room with good natural light. Maybe consider asking someone in your wedding party to clear away any mess and clutter on the morning so the space looks clean and tidy as this will look better in photos.
But also though, if you cant be bothered then that is totally fine! They are your photos so how things look in the background is totally up to you.
Ceremony
I normally like to arrive at least 20 minutes before the start time of the ceremony to get some photos of guests arriving and any other details before you arrive.
are there restrictions?
Make sure and speak to the celebrant about photography during the ceremony. Everywhere and everyone is different and there have been a few occasions where I’ve not been able to take photos at the front with you because of restrictions. It’s best to know in advance so we can manage our expectations.
be punctual
Try your best to be on time! Being late can throw off the timeline for the whole day and leave us with not much time for important portraits and family photos.
It can leave you feeling rushed for the rest of the day and this is not what you want on your wedding day!
take it slow
I know you might be nervous and excited but try your best to take everything slowly when you arrive.
If you have bridesmaids remember to leave a decent amount of space between you and them before you want down the aisle.
Same goes for the rings and the kiss if there will be one. Don’t rush it! This will give me better opportunity to capture these moments perfectly.
Greeting guests
Allow a bit of extra time for greeting guests after the ceremony… everyone will be so happy and wanting to congratulate you and this can take up a lot of time.
If you want me to whisk you away if the timeline is getting away from us I am more that happy to be the bad guy so just give me a nod!
This is normally a great time to organise a confetti shot if you are planning to do one!
Group Photos
There are no rules for group photos, you can have as little or as many as you like! It can get extremely boring standing and smiling for ages though so bare that in mind!!
make enough time
Make sure to schedule enough time for group photos.
It can take 3-5 minutes to set up and take each combination depending on the willingness and whereabouts of your guests.
be prepared
In the questionnaire I send you there is a space to add in a list of all of the group photos you want on the day. Make sure to fill this out so I can have this to hand to make sure we don't miss anything out.
It is also helpful to let everyone who is involved in the group photos know the day before that they will be needed so they don't disappear!
appoint a people herder!
Appoint someone to help gathering people for the group photos, someone with people skills and a big voice is useful!! Also good if they know both sides of the family and friends.
You could give them a copy of the list and hopefully this will help the photos run smoothly and get them done quickly!
Couple portraits
My favourite part of the day! This is such a nice time away from everyone where you get a chance to spend a bit of time together (plus me and a videographer if you have one!) away from the madness!
location
Have a think about where you want to do your portraits or if you have a few locations in mind. If you need a bit of help deciding or want some ideas, please ask!
I'm always happy to go off the beaten track with you so don't worry about it if you think you want to do that.
Just make sure to schedule enough time!
Timing
I suggest you allocate at least 30 minutes for portraits of just the two of you together, longer if possible!
The more time we have, the more variety we have with the images and the more time you have to relax together for the first time as husband and wife!
Don't forget about travel time to and from your chosen locations.
feeling nervous?
If you are feeling nervous about the photos of yourselves it might be helpful to have a pre-wedding shoot.
It is included in some packages but you can also add it on to your chosen package should you wish to do so.
I always think this can be especially helpful if you are feeling a bit shy and awkward, purely for peace of mind! It helps you get into the swing of things and used to being photographed! You will see how I work and have some bonus nice photos of you both together!
reception
With the bulk of the important parts of the day done, it is time to relax and let your hair down! Assuming we've got all the photos you wanted done I'll just take it from here and capture everything else we need but if you want any other shots at all please let me know!
lighting
If your reception venue is quite dark it might be worth while looking into some alternative lighting options if they are not provided. Fairy lights, candles on the tables are good options for adding some extra light and ambience to the room.
Wedding cake
If you are planning to do a cake cutting it is a good idea to make sure your cake isn't tucked away in a dark corner. Ideally you want it in a light space so people can see it, where it looks its best!
You want to make sure you have space to move around it and make sure you can both fit in the space you will be standing in to cut it.
details
Please let me know if there is anything special that you or someone else has crafted for the day so I make sure and get plenty photos for you.
its party timE!
So that is it! Once you are well into your first few dances of the evening and I've got a good number of dancing shots I will be heading home to back up your photos and get to work on a wee preview for you. You are free to party the night away with your nearest and dearest and have the best time.
One thing to note is that these are just tips and not rules! ! They are just some general ideas that I’ve found helpful in getting great photos during a wedding day.
I hope it gives you a good insight and is a wee bit helpful!
