THOUGHT to consider ADDING to your wedding Timeline for your photographer

​Time! Not a lot, adding some minutes can make a difference in how your portraits come out. Sometimes couples don't realize the time it can take to capture their story on the day of their wedding. Giving the photographer that little extra time to capture those details; getting ready, decorations, family, the wedding party, and your romantic's can make a big difference. That little time slot where the photographer needs to get from one location to the next, that the bride or wedding coordinator forgets to add to the timeline​

Weddings are like filming a reality show. All photographed in real-time from a photographers point of view. You can stage some scenes, but all photographed within the real-time of the day. Try not to stress if you run a little behind or overtime, we don't want that emotion to show up in your images. Weddings typically run a little off schedule, and your photographer will flow with your wedding day. You don't want to rush through your session.  Thinking about adding those extra 10 minutes can make the biggest difference in the world on how your images turn out. Don't rush.

1. Getting Ready Details.
Okay, so we want to capture moments of you getting ready, your makeup, your dress, shoes, jewelry, your bridesmaids and your mom or best friend. Or you want to reserve the first look. It all depends on if you want to fit in those special moments for the groom as well. You need to consider that extra 30 minutes for him as well. Make sure you give at least the same amount of time. If an hour before the ceremony; say you configure 45-minutes then add 15-30 minutes in-between to get from location to location. If you have one photographer, you may need the extra 30-minute slot. Two photographers then 15 minutes may suffice. It takes time to get from one place to the next to where the groom is getting ready. If you don't configure that time, then you lose out on the time you have reserved for your getting ready photos, your first look, your romantics and so on. Your photographer may not have enough time to capture those little extra moments you may want in your photo book. 

2. Ceremony Details
Give your photographer enough time to consider taking the time for your details after you are getting ready. Your ceremony area may not even be ready when you are getting ready, so the photographer won't be able to capture the ceremony details. You may want to ask your wedding coordinator about when the ceremony area is expected to be complete, so when the photographer gets there, they are ready to capture your details, your bridesmaids, getting ready, and the ceremony details after.

3. Reception Details
Same with the Reception details. A lot of times the photographer gets there and the reception area isn't even set-up or the cake hasn't even arrived until your grand entrance. Take note that when this happens, the photographer can't capture the details because your guests have arrived. If you add a little time there between your getting ready, ceremony, before everything starts, your photographer will have enough time to capture those details before your guests arrive, and you will get those nice clean detail shots before the guest start to move around the tables. 

4. Family portraits
You will either be taking these after the ceremony or before the ceremony. Typically, after the ceremony. Make sure you have your wedding coordinator, a friend or the officiant announce for family and wedding party to stay at the altar or ceremony area for pictures. Otherwise, they can and will run off, go to the restroom or greet other family members, and they will miss the bridal wedding party and family photos. Also, make sure you factor in enough time for getting into positions. Some brides write on their timeline 15 minutes for pictures when in reality 5 minutes because aunt Sarah who is important had to run to the restroom, and they didn't make the photo. 

5. Bridal Party Portraits
Always great to get the family first then the bridal party unless you have small children, then you may want to consider them first as they lose their patience. We want to get them at their best, then the family portraits. If you have children in both, then they should always be the first through the line for photographers so you get more smiles than tears. Otherwise, good to get the family out first then the bridal party so that they can enjoy the cocktail hour.

6. Romantics
Romantics are best after everyone in the family and bridal party portraits have already been photographed, then your romantics. Give yourselves enough time. Depending on the size of the wedding and timeline a 60-90 minutes slot is good. If you would like to take some time during the portraits then make it the 90 minute slot so it gives you enough time. And again make sure you allow your traveling time from one location to another. Some venues have a long golf course that can take 10-15 minutes to get to the location, then another 10-15 minutes back, so make sure you factor that time in. 

​7. Reception details
Same with the Reception details. A lot of times the photographer gets there and the reception area isn't even set-up or the cake hasn't even arrived until your grand entrance. Take note that when this happens, the photographer can't capture the details because your guests have arrived. If you add a little time there between your getting ready, ceremony, before everything starts, your photographer will have enough time to capture those details before your guests arrive, and you will get those nice clean detail shots before the guest start to move around the tables. 

Always remember that each wedding has a personality of its own. No perfect day, weddings are the same way. Leave yourself some flexibility as well. Even the timeline is not always on time, so take a deep breath and your day will fall into place. Enjoy your day and have fun.