IDEAL TIMES FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

With the diversity of the cultural aspects of our weddings, it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact wedding photography timeline template. However, there are ideal time frames you should consider when planning your day. Some of these times may seem long on paper but keep in mind that 1) the day will fly by, 2) most weddings run slightly behind schedule, and 3) we’ll make these photo sessions fun, so it won’t seem like a long time.

 

RINGS, DRESS, SHOES, AND OTHER DETAILS

Advice - Having at least 30 minutes for details ensures that we have plenty of time to get that perfect photo of the dress, rings, shoes, bouquets, and the other details of the day.

There are times when a hotel room is too crowded or simply unappealing; we have to take the dress all the way down to the lobby or even outside. This can take some time, but as you can see from the results, it’s well worth the additional work.

 
 

  • 30 minutes

  • Morning

  • Bridal Suite or Hotel Suite

 
 

PREPARATION

Advice - Having an hour of preparation is ideal for our style. During this time, we are getting close ups of the makeup and hair being applied as well as the candid moments and the bridesmaids and groomsmen get ready for the day. Keep in mind that these are some of the most emotional and fun times of the day, so you don’t want to cut it short.

The lead shooter will be with the bride while the second shooter will be with the groom. While it doesn’t take guys an hour to get dressed, there are still tons of great moments during this time between the groom and his family and friends.

 
 

  • 60 minutes

  • Morning or Early Afternoon

  • Bridal Suite or Hotel Suite

 
 

INDIVIDUAL PORTRAITS

Advice – Right after prep is the best time for individual portraits of the bride and groom (separately). Besides makeup and hair being completely fresh, the day hasn’t gotten hectic yet so we can take our time and get those perfect portraits.

Also, keep in mind that the window lighting in most hotel rooms creates a unique look that can’t be duplicated in any environment throughout the rest of the day.

 
 

  • 60 minutes

  • Morning or Early Afternoon

  • Bridal Suite, Hotel Suite, Venue Lobby, or Venue Garden

 
 

FIRST LOOK AND DAYTIME COUPLES SESSION

Advice – The first look should be around 45-60 minutes. During this time, the bride and groom enjoy seeing each other for the first time on the wedding day. While the actual first look might only be 5-10 minutes, the rest of the time is spent on a few basic portraits of the bride and groom.

Ideally we are saving the bulk of the couples session for later (see the “couples session” section below). However, if there is no other time in the day, it is best to allocate another 45 minutes to an hour here so that we make sure we have enough photos of just you two.

 
 

  • 45 - 60 minutes

  • Morning or Early Afternoon

  • Decorated areas , Empty Venue Hallway (shaded areas with natural light) and etc

 
 

FIRST LOOK AND DAYTIME COUPLES SESSION

Advice – The first look should be around 45-60 minutes. During this time, the bride and groom enjoy seeing each other for the first time on the wedding day. While the actual first look might only be 5-10 minutes, the rest of the time is spent on a few basic portraits of the bride and groom.

Ideally we are saving the bulk of the couples session for later (see the “couples session” section below). However, if there is no other time in the day, it is best to allocate another 45 minutes to an hour here so that we make sure we have enough photos of just you two.

 
 

  • 45 - 60 minutes

  • Morning or Early Afternoon

  • Decorated areas , Empty Venue Hallway (shaded areas with natural light) and etc

 
 

COUPLES SESSION

Advice – Couple session should be around 1 hour to give us enough time to capture creative images

 
 

  • 1 Hour

  • Late Afternoon

  • Venue , Beach, Hotel Lobby, Park and etc

 
 

WEDDING PARTY PHOTOS

Advice – Wedding Party Photos should be around 45 minutes to 1 hour. During this time, we get a variety of shots in a variety of poses. We start off with the basic, classic photos focused on great expressions and lighting.

Then we move into a set of fun and creative shots. Finally, we know how much your wedding party means to you, so we are sure to get pictures with you and each one of your bridesmaids or groomsmen individually.

 
 

  • –45-60 minutes

  • Morning or Afternoon

  • Venue Lobby, Venue Garden, Beach, Park, Off-site Location

 
 

IMMEDIATE FAMILY

Advice – Immediate Family Photos should take another 45 minutes. It’s important to have additional images with your parents, grandparents, and siblings beyond the basic formal (mentioned in the section below).

Plan on 3 minutes per group on average.  For example, if you have 10 groups, schedule in a 30 minute time slot.

We all know how much weddings mean to the immediate family, and we want to make sure we’re capturing enough pictures with them.

 
 

  • 30 - 45 minutes

  • Morning or Afternoon

  • Venue Lobby, Venue Garden, Beach, Park, Off-site Location

 
 

CEREMONY DETAIL AND VENUE

Advice – Please allow 30 minutes for the second shooter to take pictures of the ceremony site, completely set up with no guests or vendors in the area.

Before you have the guests seated,  it’s important that we are there to capture the complete set up of your ceremony site so we can capture the scene at its best.

 
 

  • 30 minutes

  • Morning or Afternoon

  • Ceremony Site

 
 

FORMALS (EXTENDED FAMILY, IMMEDIATE FAMILY, AND FRIENDS)

Advice – Formals should take around 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of your family and the number of guests.

Plan on 3 minutes per group on average.  For example, if you have 10 groups, schedule in a 30 minute time slot.

Some couples have decided that they want a picture with all guests while others have decided that they only want pictures with select VIPs to save time. We recommend something in between.

We also recommend being very organized, with a list of groups and helpers from each side of the family to help round people up.

 
 

  • 45-60 minutes

  • Morning or Afternoon (Post Ceremony)

  • Ceremony Site

 
 

RECEPTION DETAIL AND VENUE

Advice – Please allow 30 minutes for the shooter to take pictures of the reception room, completely set up with no guests or vendors in the area.

Similar to the ceremony details, this is the only opportunity we have to capture the beauty of the reception room prior to guest arrival.

 
 

  • 30 minutes

  • Early Evening

  • Reception Site

 
 

RECEPTION FIRST LOOK

Advice – This is when the reception space is revealed to the couple for the first time. It’s a great opportunity to capture a genuine reaction, as well as a moment alone with the dance floor to practice your first dance, which also makes a great photo!

 
 

  • 15 minutes

  • At the end of Cocktail Hour before doors open for guests

  • Reception Site

 
 

RECEPTION FIRST LOOK

Advice – This is when the reception space is revealed to the couple for the first time. It’s a great opportunity to capture a genuine reaction, as well as a moment alone with the dance floor to practice your first dance, which also makes a great photo!

 
 

  • 15 minutes

  • At the end of Cocktail Hour before doors open for guests

  • Reception Site