Photo time is fun time. From early in the morning everyone is smiling and living it up
and your photos are there to capture your day in the spotlight. Below is a typical photography schedule
assuming a 2PM ceremony and 6PM reception. Some weddings will do much more.
11:00-12:30 – Bride’s
home with family and all the bridesmaids. Every step of the process is special…
Hair and makeup may be fairly complete before we start shooting, but it is nice to get shots before you put on your
wedding gown… laying out the dresses and shoes, un-boxing the flowers, you and your mom looking at one of your childhood
portraits, the special phone call from a relative far away, and all the lace and detail. After you are
dressed there is your dad’s expression when he sees you for the first time, individual and group shots by the fireplace,
on the stairs, and basking in the light of a window. We also want fun shots of just the bride and her bridesmaids.
These can be outdoors or even at a different location.
12:45-1:45 – Groom and groomsmen. We take creative shots with the groomsmen in at least
two locations. The last of these is typically the site of the ceremony. We also want some family shots such as the groom
with his parents and with his mother pinning on his boutonniere.
1:45-2:00 – Anticipation and back-scene arrival of bride. We
set up any necessary lighting and do shots of the building or park, flowers, decorations, and everything else that will help
capture the special day. We may do some candid shots of the friends and relatives as they arrive, but the
focus now is to get the bride as she arrives. There are the final back-stage hugs, instructions for the
flower girl, smiles, and even tears with your parents.
2:00 – The Ceremony. Our photographer(s) will capably and inobtrusively capture the key elements of
the wedding processional, ceremony, and recessional. We ask that couples discuss key elements and their desires with
us in advance.
No receiving line. Of course you can do one if you want, but they can form by accident and take
a lot of time even for couples who read about receiving lines on our “Tips and Pointers” page. If you want to avoid this, plan in advance to have your photographer take charge and
begin the formals immediately.
2:30 or Immediately after Ceremony – Formals with parents, family and friends. Classical
group portraits will always be a treasured part of weddings. Taking the formals right away also allows parents to leave
to host your important guests and relatives while you are having fun.
3:30-5:30 – Post-ceremony bridal party pictures. This is normally when
the couple finally gets to relax and let loose. This is a happy and excited time, and it always shows in our pictures.
We take creatively-posed and candid shots in at least two or three nature and urban settings. Time permitting, it’s
nice to pick one nice urban location and one grunge location such as a brick wall with colorful graffiti. It is also
ideal if we have time to walk barefoot on a beach, sit on motorcycles, or do anything else that is absurd in a wedding dress
and will make the day memorable. Bring some champagne. Typically, our couples look back at this block of time
as one of the best parts of their wedding day. Assuming we have 2 hours for this session, we will send the attendants
away to the reception so we can spend the last 30 minutes shooting just the bride and groom. If your priority is to
get to the reception quickly, then we will prioritize and cut this time down as needed. One hour will allow us to do
two locations that are within walking distance of each other.
6:00-8:00 – Reception. There are many elements you will want us to
capture such as the venue and decorations, your grand entrance, your toasts, first dances, posed and casual guest shots, and
close-up pictures of the flowers, cake, and all the other decorations. Most of this is done prior to dinner being served.
If you need to scale back on photographer time, then the later portions of your reception might be the best place to
do it.
