How to Create a Timeline For Your Wedding Photography
Planning a wedding can be one of the most stressful things you do, but here’s how we can help make things a bit easier…
Even after you have all of your vendors selected and booked, you still have a lot to consider and continue to work on: Who's going to drive everyone to the venue? Should you get your mani/pedi done on the day of, or the day before? Is your cousin actually going to bring a date or will there be an empty seat at the table? Although we can't necessarily answer those questions, what we can help you with is your wedding photography timeline!
A thoughtfully structured timeline ensures that there’s ample time for each important moment, from candid shots of everyone getting-ready to the painstaking details you researched and sourced for your reception. By mindfully coordinating your schedule around your wedding photography, you not only maximize our time together but also reduce stress on your wedding day for not having to rush through the significant points of the day you really want photos of. Thoughtful planning ensures that the moments that matter most are captured beautifully, resulting in timeless wedding photography that you will cherish forever.
Let’s get into it…
Getting Ready- 1 hour
One of our favourite parts of documenting everyone getting ready is being able to share what each party was getting up to, that you didn't get to see. Although you, your family, and your friends will spend all of the morning getting ready, most of the action happens within the last hour before you head out to the ceremony, which is why we suggest starting at this point. With this we'll shoot everyone getting all of their final touches, everyone changing from their robes or sweats to beautiful dresses or suits, and of course, all of your little details (rings, shoes, stationary etc).
First Look- 15 minutes
Although a first look happens so quickly, we really urge all of our couples to allow for just a few extra minutes together to really take in the moment and to shoot a few photos while there's so much love and excitement in the air!
*If you’re unsure about what a first look is, read more about it here
Family & bridal party photos- 30 minutes
This timing depends on the size of your family and parties but generally 30 minutes is enough time for us shoot family photos, and photos with your bridesmaids and/or groomsmen. What really helps us speed along the process is when couples send us a shot list beforehand outlining all of the different iterations of people they want photos with. You know your families and friends best so having a list of names allows us to role call everyone to (hopefully, ideally) run an efficient photo taking line without missing anyone.
Want to learn a little more about our process for shooting family photos? Read our blog post here
Couple’s Portraits- 45 minutes
There are so many important moments during a wedding day but this is arguably our favourite! We absolutely love the time we get to spend creating your wedding portraits together while you look and feel your absolute best. This is also a great opportunity for you to step away from all the hustle and bustle of the day, even if it’s just for a little bit, so make sure you’re as generous as you can be with this timing ;)
Depending on how many locations you would like to go to— if we are staying all on 1 property or if you want to drive to multiple spots around the city— 45 minutes is typically a comfortable amount of time to shoot a variety of formal and informal photos. And after nailing your engagement session, you’ll be a pro at posing, and this part of the day will fly by!
Reception Details- 15 minutes
You've put so much time and effort into all of the details of your reception, why not have them documented? Before everyone heads in for dinner, having just a few minutes in the room alone will give us the opportunity to shoot all of your reception details untouched and without people around.
Other Considerations:
Travel
This doesn't necessarily only mean going from your home to ceremony location, but rather travel to shoot locations. If we're shooting outside of your reception location, how far away are we going, and how long will it take for us to get to and from? If you're shooting with any family members with mobility struggles who may not be able to walk very far, taking a simple photo close by first and then heading out with the rest of your party to continue shooting would be great, but will also take up a bit more time.
Everyone congratulating you
Everyone. Seriously. Every. One. If you're moving through any type of crowd absolutely expect to be stopped by friends and family to express their excitement and congratulations. Stepping away from everyone to shoot is never as simple as you may think and our top tip for this is to B line it to wherever you need to get to!
Sunset or nighttime portraits
If we previously didn't get to shoot at sunset there's a high possibility that we're going to ask you to step away for a few minutes to take more photos of you two during the sweetest and most beautiful time of day. Additionally if you have a pretty magical outdoor set up, we might also want to step out to take a few more photos with all of your whimsical lights, or for a moonlit dance! This isn’t necessary by any means, but we promise that it is worth it 10 out of 10 times.