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let’s talk: timelines

weddings are a moving, breathing phenomenon. you have to be prepared for anything.

every wedding is as unique as you. from the time you take to get beautified to the length of your ceremony, the time of year, weather, and wish list… it can all impact how your wedding will unfold hour by hour. upon returning home from seattle, my inbox was filled with my amazing brides talking timelines… holy cow, i give them tons of credit for even thinking about timelines right now. i am pretty sure i was picking out what kind of pizza i would eat and what flavors of cake would be served when i was a bride. i wanted to share some tips with y’all on how to make your day flow perfectly and what to plan for. i make every effort to book only brides who are ready to roll with whatever punches come on their wedding day, the kind of couples who are so pumped to get married they wouldn’t even notice if the sky fell. a bride once told me that someone had gifted her with the advice, “if you ever have any wedding related questions, ask a photographer, they have seen it all… ” it’s true, i really have. this is why i am so proactive in teaming up with my brides to ensure their schedule is both realistic and allows for time to just soak in the joy of their wedding day. here are a few tips for planning our your timeline. 

1.) first looks: if you are comfortable with ditching the old superstition, i urge you to have a first look moment with your groom. i know it isn’t for everyone but it does really relax the wedding day schedule. it allows to get a great deal of photos done before you even walk down the aisle. it relieves the stress of trying to quickly fit in family formals, wedding party formals, and portraits of the two of you between the ceremony and dinner. it gives us time to get creative without stressing about the timeline! i am rather partial to first looks for so many reasons, but the timeline is one of the greatest. my theory is this: if you are paying for cocktail hour, you should enjoy it! it is such a great time to mingle and chat with guests, so opting for a first look can ensure that you get to spend time with those who are showing you their support. my brides share their perspective on first looks: here. 

2.) less is more: the less things you have planned on your wedding day the better. let me be the first to tell you that timelines always run late! make sure you allot for extra time because it seems that things are always 20-30 minutes late. if you can get your nails done the day before, decorate the church, have your dresses pressed, it helps. think of every possible thing you can have done the day before to keep things at a minimum on your wedding day. you want to be able to enjoy every moment and not stress the small stuff so a little planning can go a long way! a lot of brides underestimate the amount of time it takes for hair and makeup, so team up with a stylist to make sure your timeline is realistic. also, have all accessories out and in one place so that when your photographer arrives they can start with detail shots! it helps you stay organized and minimizes the hunt. a day-of wedding coordinator is also a great option if your budget does not allow for a wedding planner. they will take care of the little details so that you can sip your latte and laugh with your ladies! 

3.) limit locations: i know that it is easy to dream up a million different places you want your photos taken at on your wedding day. my rule: keep it simple. choose one spot that offers versatility! don’t focus on where you are in the photos but more so who you are with. a lot of clients forget that lighting can really impact where we shoot. if you are taking the majority of your formals around the noon hour when the sun is overhead, we will likely look for shade. instead of focusing on crazy backdrops, pick one location that can give you a few different scenes! the less time everyone is in their car getting from point A to point B, the better. team up with your photographer to talk locations that are great and easily accessible! also consider the time of day and year as that can affect how busy the location could be!  i work quickly, so we don’t need hours upon hours just for photos! i love having a little cushion time, so if we finish early, you can enjoy a celebratory drink with your wedding party! i generally plan for 45 minutes for the wedding party formals and 30 minutes for bride and groom portraits! 

4.) family formals: this surprisingly can be one of the most stressful times, as you are trying to round up grandma who ran off to grab a drink or your mom is in the corner chatting with her childhood friend, you are on a timeline. i always urge my couples to put a lot of thought into who they need to have in these images and try to keep the list around ten combinations. each shot takes about a minute or two if everyone is in the location, photo ready, and listening! i always have a family member help coordinate as i do not know who some of the family members are. it also is important to share the time and location with all of your family ahead of time to ensure everyone is there and ready to smile! a lot of times just having your parents, siblings, and grandparents is a great way to keep the process simple, stress free, and fun! the less people you have to worry about gathering, the more you can enjoy the process. 

5.) light is important: so many factors go into the beautiful light in photographs. the time of day, year, weather, and location can all impact that light. based off of your decisions regarding ceremony time and a first look, you could be fighting for daylight during formals. you really want to put some thought and partnership when thinking of locations and timing. photographers will often look for shade during the harsh afternoon sun so choosing areas that have a great deal of shade can be a blessing. i always ask my clients if they are interested in a few sunset images depending on where it falls into their schedule! the golden hour is rather short, but that light is so yummy it can lead to the most amazing images! it doesn’t fit into every wedding, but when it does it is like angels singing… incredibly gorgeous. being willing to run outside for five minutes during the sunset can give you images that will be on your walls for years to come! it all comes down to trusting your wedding photographer and their vision. they will be able to help direct you into the best spots for timeless photos and should know how to handle tricky lighting situations. 

don’t worry, if you have questions i would love to chat more! after all of my experiences, i have learned to be proactive and work together as a team to create the perfect wedding timeline that matches your day and your needs! i would love to hear any questions you have, hopefully this is helpful as you begin to lay out your flawless wedding day! i decided to show these images from chris + angi’s wedding because they were thrown so many curveballs, from moving their entire reception the day of due to torrential downpours, to cramming in photos whenever the rain let up, these two rolled with the punches and were over the moon about getting married. proof that no matter what happens, your day is perfect! read more about their wedding day story: here.

have any timeline questions? feel free to leave a little comment! 

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