GENERAL INFORMATION

ESTABLISHING YOUR WEDDING DAY TIMELINE

The first order of business is to establish your wedding day timeline. This is first discussed during our initial consultation right after booking. I like to establish a realistic picture of how your wedding day will flow. This gives us both a jump start in the planning process. About a month before your wedding day I will send over a detailed wedding day questionnaire which gives me all the logistical information I need about locations, times, important photographs, special considerations, among many other things. This allows us both to be better organized and solidifies the wedding day timeline. Depending on your specific wedding, the timeline may be easy to create or it may be a bit more complicated. Several factors such as getting ready location, ceremony and reception location, number of guests and people in your bridal party, all contribute to how times are allocated. Once I have all the information on hand it will be easier to plan and deal with any challenges that may arise on the day. 

Don’t worry too much if you don’t know where to start in creating your wedding day timeline. Below are some general things to consider that will help your day run smoother and more efficient. 

• For the getting ready process I will typically need between one to two hours to cover hair and makeup being done, as well as those intimate moments between your closest family and friends. 
• After the getting ready, I usually shoot individual portraits of the bride and groom. This typically takes about 30 minutes. This time can also be used to get bridal party shots as well. Here is where I get to take your photo when your hair, makeup and clothes are fresh before the day starts to get busy. 
• If you have opted for a first look (which I recommend), I will need a minimum of 30 minutes with just the two of you. This also gives you a lot more diverse and intimate portraits in the event the formal portrait session gets cut short for whatever reason. If you want to wait until the ceremony to see each other that is totally fine, but we have to ensure we have sufficient time to get all those shots after the ceremony.
• The duration of the ceremony is largely dependent on the type of wedding you are having. Destination weddings usually have a shorter ceremony of between 15 and 30 minutes. However, if you are having a traditional or religious wedding the ceremony can last as long as an hour in some cases. 
• Formal portraits of family, bridal party and the couple can be very hectic and stressful. I will be able to manage everything to ensure it goes as planned. The ideal time for this session is 60 to 90 minutes, with at least 45minutes dedicated to the bride and groom only. 
• Once we get to the reception it’s all about what you have planned. Receptions generally last 3 hours, however if you having a smaller wedding this may only be 90 minutes. 

If you are still not sure about the wedding day timeline, you can discuss these guidelines with your wedding planner or coordinator. They will be in a better place to help you make everything work seamlessly. It would be great for everyone to be on the same page so I recommend putting the planner in contact with me from the outset. 

Again, if you have any concerns about any of this information, please feel free to contact me so we can resolve everything. It is part of my job to make sure you are comfortable and your day flows as smoothly and seamlessly as possible.