Wedding Day Timeline Tips

LET'S TAKE SOME TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE WEDDING DAY TIMELINE

It may be early (or maybe it’s late) in your planning process, but timelines are important to start thinking about as soon as you can. While you don’t need to have all your exact times down for the wedding just yet, you do want to know your overall "vibe" for the day. I’ve included some tips below based on my own experiences, but I should add that these are simply my own thoughts and please do whatever works best for you.

This is just a snapshot and I’ll be sending you a timeline questionnaire six weeks before your day with some extra advice. That’s when you can give me all the details of what you have planned and I can start working on your photography plan. But, I’m always here if you have questions before then.


HAIR AND MAKEUP TIME

When weddings run late, it’s almost always because hair and makeup took longer than it should have. I'd suggest telling your hair and makeup artists that they need to be done one hour before the ceremony. If they’re doing hair and makeup for multiple people that means everyone’s hair and makeup needs to be done by that time. This may mean that your wake up is a little earlier, but I guarantee having a leisurely amount of time to get ready and not having to rush through photos will be worth it.


PHOTOS OF PREPARATIONS

Not everyone wants morning prep documented and that’s totally okay. But, if you are interested in having morning prep photographed then it can add a lot to the story. Whether you’re getting ready together or separately, I recommend having me arrive after or during hair and makeup for a minimum of one hour of prep photos. During this time you will be finishing up getting ready, hanging out with friends and family, maybe doing some toasts or just having a great time.


FIRST LOOK AND COUPLES’ PHOTOS

You may already know this, but a a ‘first look’ is where you and your partner see each other prior to the ceremony for the first time. If you’d like to do a first look then I’m all for it. However, we’ll still do your couple photos later too.

I recommend doing your couples photos/portraits during the drinks reception, once we've thrown confetti and taken some group photos (if you'd like them). When we do photos after the ceremony the big stressful part of the day is over, everyone is much more relaxed, and there’s so much joy in the photos. We’ll require around 30 minutes for photos of just the two of you and around 30 minutes for group photos (depending on how many you request). I don’t allow any guests or friends to tag along as it's a really good chance for you to enjoy some alone time and soak everything up - it’s a really magical party of the day.

Depending on the time of year and your venue, we can also pop out for an extra set of couples photos once the golden late afternoon light appears. It’s super romantic and gives you a nice break together later on in the day.

I recommend having a drinks reception after the ceremony so that we can head off to do your photos. Couples often worry about missing out on this part of the day, or not being able to enjoy time with their guests, but it's nice to let your guests start enjoying the reception and canapés (if you’re having them) all the same. They will be much happier and you won’t feel like you need to rush back. Plus, we’ll be back in 30-ish minutes!

Top tip - ask your caterer to serve you your own plate of canapés upon arrival after your couple session.


PRE-CEREMONY DOWNTIME

This is something I would recommend adding to your timeline. It’s 30 minutes of downtime right before the ceremony starts. This doesn’t mean I’m not photographing. Typically this is a time to photography ceremony or reception decor, or built-in extra time in case we run late for some reason. It’s also a great time to capture some of those last-minute family hugs, and great emotional moments.


GROUP PHOTOS

I always suggest doing your group photos right at the start of your drinks reception, just after the ceremony. Everyone will be in one place and they'll be in the mood for photos! Even though you may want to keep this time as short as possible, just remember that photos during this time are some of the ones you will appreciate the most. I have lots of tips for you regarding group photos, but just know I try to keep the list short and simple here - no more than eight groups. We’ll also need a helper on the day - someone who isn’t scared to get the group together. Top tip: it helps if they aren’t scared of being loud!


TOASTS, CAKE CUTTING, CHAMPAGNE TOWERS AND DANCES

Once everyone has eaten, let the toasts, cake cutting, champagne towers and dances commence!

Top tip: keep your toasts limited to your top 2-4 people. Short and sweet is always best too. After toasts, cut your cake or get the champagne tower out, and then do your honorary dances before breaking that those dad dances out.


SPARKLERS AND OTHER EXITS

If you plan on having a big exit at the end of the night and want it photographed then you can do one of two things - either move your exit up and make it a “mock” exit so you don’t need to have a photographer the entire night, or have me stay later! If you’re having a confetti exit after the ceremony, then we can just build that into the timeline, so no need to worry about that.

Sparkler exits can be incredibly dangerous for lots of people, so if you plan on having one make sure you research the safety tips to ensure no one’s hair starts on fire, nobody gets third-degree burns and we don’t accidentally start a forest fire... If sparkler exits sound like a bit much for you, you can totally skip the fancy exit, or use glow sticks and do something a little bit more untraditional. 

That’s it from me - but please give me a shout if you have any questions.