Wedding Planning Guide

I'm so excited for the chance to work with you and I can’t wait to get to know you and hear more about your wedding! I know photography is one of the larger investments you're making for your wedding day and I’m so honored to capture your day and all of the memories ahead!
Even if you're working with a wedding planner or you're planning a simple wedding on your own, there are likely still a lot of moving pieces left leading up to your big day. 
Having photographed nearly 100 weddings over the past few years, I tend to get asked the same things over and over again. So I thought it would be beneficial if I put together a little guide that walks you through everything from timelines to engagement sessions and inclement weather.

VENDORS

WHO WILL MAKE YOUR DAY INCREDIBLE

WEDDING PLANNERS

VIDEOGRAPHY

FLORAL DESIGNERS

CATERING

BAR

INVITATIONS + CALLIGRAPHY

CAKES & DESERTS

HAIR & MAKEUP

DJ & BAND

RENTALS

I have had the opportunity to work with many incredible wedding planners, from day of coordinators to full service planners! I cannot recommend highly enough the value of having a planner for your wedding. They can provide help for your wedding day in a way that no one else can. They also give me the opportunity to solely focus on taking your beautiful photos while they keep the timeline and everything behind-the-scenes going throughout the day! There are typically many different types of services planners offer, so here are a few to consider for different aspects of planning:

WEDDING PLANNERS

VENDOR MATCH-MAKING
Some planners offer the option of helping you with "vendor match-making." They will sit down with you and ask you what you're looking for in your different vendors, and offer the best suggestions within your budget. From what I've heard, the amount of money you save doing this by knowing where to invest more (AND finding vendors that are the perfect fit) saves you more than what you pay! Plus, you'll have a dream team that will be amazing for your wedding!

FULL-SERVICE PLANNING
If you want wedding planning to be as stress-free as possible, this is the route to go! They will be there from your engagement all the way until the end of your wedding day. They are there to take care of all the planning for you, so you can relax and enjoy being engaged. They work alongside you to create the perfect vision for your wedding day, help you choose vendors, create your timeline, work out the logistics, and everything else that goes into planning. They basically become your  new best friend during the process!

STYLING SERVICES
Many planners also offer day-of styling services in addition to planning. This means they will be in charge of setting up your spaces and the design. They'll add a beautiful, creative touch and since they've worked alongside you up to your wedding day, they can carry out your vision perfectly. This also means that your family members won't be running around trying to set everything up, and can enjoy the day along with you! Your planner has you covered!

DAY-OF COORDINATOR
If nothing else, this is the BEST thing you can do for your wedding  if you choose not to hire a full service planner!! It is so crucial to have a go-to person the day of that can take care of the logistics and answer questions. Otherwise, this burden typically falls on your mom, maid of honor, or photographer. They are there to run the day and make sure everything goes smoothly. This typically also includes planning the month before your wedding. Once that one month mark hits, they help conquer the last minute planning details. What a stress reliever!

Whether you choose to do a first look or the traditional "no seeing each other before the ceremony" I will work closely with you on making sure you have the best timeline and plan for images.

⭐ If you're choosing to go traditional, you'll need two different sets of photo times: images taken before the ceremony and images taken after the ceremony.
⭐ You'll need to plan for about 30 minutes of pre-ceremony bridal photos and about 3o minutes of pre-ceremony groom photos at separate times. After the ceremony, you'll also need about 10-15 minutes of combined bridal party portraits, 20-30 minutes of family portraits, and at least 30 -45 minutes of couple's portraits after the ceremony if you're not doing any portraits together until after you're married.

WEDDING DAY TIMELINE

If you're doing a first look, photos can be done all at one time, taking an average total of 2 hours pre-ceremony (although I also LOVE grabbing just the two of you after the ceremony for a few extra bride and groom photos around sunset!)
If you choose a traditional aisle reveal, all I ask is that you keep your ceremony time and the sunset time in mind when planning your wedding. If you're planning a sunset ceremony or an evening ceremony, it's best to do most of the photos before the wedding, as daylight is crucial to getting amazing portraits for your families, bridal party and your couples portraits. Making sure we have enough time after the ceremony ends when the sun will still be out is vital to ensure that portraits are not rushed and include all of the different photo spots you want.

TIMELINE EXAMPLES

TIMELINE SAMPLE 
WITH FIRST LOOK

12:00     Photographers arrive, Capture Details &  Hair/Makeup finishing touches
12:45     Hair/Makeup Finished, Bride + Bridesmaids robe photos
 1:00     Bride puts dress and accessories on
 1:20      Reveal with Bridesmaids
 1:30      Leave for First Look location
 1:45      First Look, Bride + Groom portraits
 2:30      Wedding Party portraits
             Bride + Bridesmaids, Groom + Groomsmen, Everyone together
 3:15       Pre-Ceremony portraits conclude, Leave for Ceremony 

3:30      Wedding Party hidden, Guests begin to arrive
             Photographers capture ceremony and reception details + decor
 4:00      Ceremony begins
 4:30      Cocktail hour begins
              Family portraits
 4:50       Mingle and enjoy cocktail hour
 5:30       Entrance into Reception, Welcome speeches
 5:40       Dinner
 6:30       Cake Cutting and Toasts     
 6:45       First Dance, Parent Dances
 7:00       Dance Floor Opens
 8:00       Photographers Depart

TIMELINE SAMPLE 
WITHOUT FIRST LOOK

12:30     Photographers arrive, Capture Details & Hair/Makeup finishing touches
 1:00     Hair/Makeup Finished, Bride + Bridesmaids robe photos
 1:30      Bride puts dress and accessories on
 1:50      Reveal with Bridesmaids
 2:00      Leave for portraits location
 2:15      Bride + Bridesmaids portraits
 2:45      Groom + Groomsmen portraits
 3:15       All Pre-Ceremony portraits conclude, Leave for Ceremony
 3:30      Wedding Party + Bride hidden, Guests begin to arrive
              Photographers capture ceremony and 
              reception details + decor
 4:00      Ceremony begins
 4:30      Cocktail hour begins
              Family portraits
 4:50       Wedding Party portraits all together
 5:00       Bride + Groom portraits
 5:45       Entrance into Reception, Welcome speeches
 5:55       Dinner
 6:45       Cake Cutting and Toasts     
 7:00       First Dance, Parent Dances
 7:20       Dance Floor Opens
 8:30       Photographers Depart 

WEDDING DAY DETAILS

I love capturing all the little details you've carefully chosen to be a part of your wedding day! Once I arrive at your wedding, I need about 30 minutes to capture and style details. I recommend choosing a getting ready location filled with natural light and, if possible, keep the space free from trash and clutter so there's no distractions in your photos while you're finishing hair and makeup, and putting your dress on.

It would be wonderful if you could put all of your rings, jewelry, shoes, veil, perfume, invitations and other keepsakes together in one spot for me so I can make sure to photograph all of the important little things without interrupting your hair and makeup process.

BRIDAL DETAILS CHECKLIST

  • Dress

  • Dress Hanger

  • Rings (both engagement and wedding bands)

  • Shoes

  • Veil

  • Bouquet

  • Ring

  • Hair pieces

  • Jewelry

  • Invitation Suite ( 2 full sets with envelopes + stamps)

  • Any other paper stationary you may have like program cards.

  • Vow Book

  • Any other sentimental keepsakes you would like to include
    This is completely optional - but if you have something sentimental you'd like styled with your details, I love including family heirlooms in your detail shots.

  • Bonus: I'd love to have a few of the unused stems of the florals you'll be using throughout your wedding day. If your florist is able to supply us a small bucket of any extra stems, I can incorporate those into your detail shots!

GROOM DETAILS CHECKLIST

  • His shoes

  • Socks (if they're special)

  • Cuff Links

  • Tie or Bow Tie

  • Pocket Square

  • Cologne

  • Vows

  • Rings

  • Anything else he'll have that is special or sentimental.

THE RINGS

When I can, I always try to take a photo of your rings while you're getting ready. If possible, try to have your engagement ring cleaned or clean it yourself. To clean at home, soak your ring in warm water with dishwashing soap for 20 to 40 minutes. Then gently brush the stone with a soft toothbrush, rinse and repeat if needed.

CONSIDER UNPLUGGING

If you've been to a wedding recently, you may have seen a sign from the happy couple asking for their guests to remain "unplugged" during the ceremony. 
And while it might seem like a strange requests to ask guests to put down their phones, there's a pretty good reason for it! You made a big investment in photography and I'm sure that one of the last things you want on your wedding day is for the photos of your ceremony to be filled with obtrusive iPhones, iPads and relatives standing in the aisle with their own cameras. In order to help me do the best possible job capturing your wedding, I recommend asking guests to unplug during the ceremony.

RECEPTION EXIT OPTIONS

There are SO many options when it comes to exits. Sparklers, bubbles, glow sticks, rose petals, the list goes on! If your coverage ends before your exit, you have the option of planning a "mock" exit! This can be done with all of your guests and announced as a photo opportunity, or with just your wedding party and immediate family. If you'll be having a late night snack or dessert brought out, this is a great time to do the mock exit because everyone is lured back into the reception with the snack after!
If you don't want to take all of your guests off the dance floor and don't want to save your exit until the very end, you can plan a mock exit with just the members of your bridal party and your immediately family members. This allows us to have more control over these shots and the party never has to stop. In most cases, no one even notices that the bride and groom are missing for a few minutes. Also, it’s almost impossible to tell that the whole wedding isn’t there waving sparklers and sending off the happy couple. This allows my couples to save money and still have all of the shots that they dreamed of. 

FAMILY FORMALS

YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY, DRESSED UP AND TOGETHER

For family portraits, I’ll place you in the center of a large group photo with all of your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, godparents, etc. And then I’ll remove the extended family so it’s just grandparents, parents and siblings. 
I’ll keep removing family members and switch a few closer family members in and out so I get photos of you and your parents, you and your siblings, some with the groom and your family, etc. Then I’ll repeat the process with your spouse's family. The whole thing will go quicker and smoother if you let family know how the portrait process will work ahead of time.
When I send out my pre-wedding questionnaire, I'll ask you for a list of specific groupings, special situations (such as divorces or handicapped family members & more), but if you want to start brainstorming photos in the meantime, you'll find our typical list below. 

PORTRAIT SESSION CHECKLIST

  • Bride + Groom + Bride's Extended Family 

  • Bride + Groom + Bride's Parents + Bride's Siblings + Bride's Grandparents

  • Bride + Groom + Bride's Parents + Bride's Siblings 

  • Bride + Groom + Bride's Parents

  • Bride + Groom + Bride's Siblings

  • Bride + Mom 

  • Bride + Dad 

  • Bride + Groom + Groom's Extended Family 

  • Bride + Groom + Groom's  Parents + Groom's  Siblings

  • Groom's  Grandparents

  • Bride + Groom + Groom's  Parents + Groom's Siblings 

  • Bride + Groom + Groom's  Parents

  • Bride + Groom + Groom's Siblings

  • Groom + Mom 

  • Groom + Dad 

Please note that this list is just a starting point and that I'm happy to take any requested family portraits as long as time allows! 

SUNSET PORTRAITS

Sunset portraits are literally the BEST twenty minutes of portraits you'll get on your wedding day. Typically we'll sneak out sometime in your reception (during open dancing) or right after family formals to grab a few of these! Trust me, they are WORTH IT and are those dreamy, swoon-worthy photos you see all over Pinterest with the glowy romantic lighting.
They also give you another chance to slow down and reconnect with each other, to enjoy a few quality moments just the two of you and soak everything in.
Here are a few things to know:
- Bring your veil! This looks DREAMY with sunset lighting!
-Sunset photos only take about 15-20 minutes, so you can get right back to the party!
- If it ends up being overcast, don't worry! I've had SO MANY overcast and rainy weddings end up having a beautiful sunset. If the sun isn't peaking out, we might still sneak out for some extra portraits just for a little extra fun!

DOWNLOADING YOUR PHOTOS
When downloading your photos, I recommend downloading the ENTIRE gallery all at once, so you immediately have a copy of all your images! After downloading your gallery, be sure to save it to multiple places. You can also download individual images as you want them! 

ACCESSING YOUR PHOTOS ON YOUR PHONE
The online gallery system that I use is extremely mobile friendly. You can download individual photos onto your phone for crisp and clear Instagrams and having access to your memories at all times.

ORDERING PRINTS
You can actually order professional and affordable prints right from within your online gallery and have them shipped directly to your house! Prints are printed in a professional lab to ensure color and contrast accuracy.

GALLERY EXPIRATION
Your gallery is guaranteed to remain open for 5 years after your wedding date. Therefore, I highly recommend backing up your images in more than one place, on multiple devices, flash drives, hard drives, and even in online cloud storage systems like Dropbox or iCloud. You can't have enough copies!

SHARING YOUR IMAGES
You are completely free to share your images wherever you would like! Whether it's on social media, printing them for your home, or sending to your friends, share away! I want you to treat your images like they're yours. Just keep in mind not to add filters or re-edit them in any way (cropping is totally okay!) Photo credit when posting is always so greatly appreciated! Please feel free to share your gallery link with your friends and family! I will already be passing the gallery on to your vendors for you, so you don't have to worry about that!

YOUR ONLINE GALLERY

ADDITIONAL TIPS

1. If you're getting married in the summer months, a "not-so-heavy" snack or lunch before portraits is always a good idea for you and your bridal party to avoid hungry bellies and passing out!

2. If it's going to be hot, a cooler of cold waters and frozen washcloths can help keep a wedding party cool - especially if your men are wearing lots of layers.

3. Make sure to have your bouquet delivered in time to make an appearance for the detail shots and for your first look. 

4. If you're planning on having a first look with your bridal party or a parent, they often feel more comfortable being fully dressed in their wedding attire, so it's important to plan accordingly for when they need to get dressed.

5. If your reception is at a separate venue, we can add some "buffer time" so that I have a chance to run over to the venue to capture it once it is fully decorated and while it's still "untouched" by guests.

AFTER SHOOTING TONS OF WEDDINGS IN THE PAST 10+ YEARS, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE A FEW ADDITIONAL TIPS

6. I always recommend the bride go into hiding at least 30 minutes before the ceremony at the absolute latest. Guests typically arrive early to weddings and I want to ensure you have a little time to rest, refresh, and prepare before you walk down the aisle.

7. To help make family portraits go smoother, it's best to have a breakdown of what portraits you'd like. I will send out a questionnaire asking for the important list of family photos you'd like, and we can go over it together to make sure I shoot things in an order that is efficient and won't leave anyone out.

8. During the cocktail hour and the reception, I like to be near you that way anytime you'd like a photo with someone, you can get photos with your guests too. I love being your personal paparazzi!

9. I love to help with planning your timeline to ensure all of the important moments are built in with plenty of padding time so you never feel rushed. We can work together to build the timeline, and I'm happy to share it with your other vendors so everyone is prepared and on the same page throughout the day!