Honesty hour: planning a wedding takes a lot of time and patience.
While the planning and organizing can still be filled with tons of fun and excitement leading up to the big day, it’s important that everyone who’s in the event – from the couple to the parents, the guests, the photographer, and the vendors – are aware of the wedding timeline!
Where do I have to be?
When do I have to be there?
Who else is responsible for being there with me?
There are tons of questions that might come up before or during the wedding. And you’re going to want to be as prepared as possible with all the answers.
As a destination wedding photographer in Charleston, SC, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks throughout the years that can come in handy for couples who are ready to tie the knot in the most organized, yet stress-free, way there is.
Here are eight of my favorite tips to help you plan a wedding timeline that will keep everyone informed and, most importantly, will never stop the fun!
Tip 1: Communicate the wedding timeline to all vendors before the big day
Whether you’re DIY-ing your wedding (you go!) or working with a professional wedding planner to delegate some of the work, it’s important that all vendors – such as caterers, musicians, photographers, DJs, etc. – are on the same page about what’s happening, when it’s happening, and how it’s happening.
This is especially important for the photographers you’ve hired. Why? Because it helps us stay on top of big milestone moments – like the cake cutting, toasts, first dance, etc. – without missing a beat.
By providing your photographers with a timeline of what’s going to happen at a certain time, they can be there to capture those special, once-in-a-lifetime moments, instead of rushing from one thing to the next.
If we work together, I will help create the photography timeline which makes it easy to fill in any additional details.
Tip 2: Prepping for bridal party & bridal suite photos
In my experience, bridal party photos and the “getting ready” snapshots usually take about 1.5 hours.
This gives the photographer enough time to capture details that will help to tell the story of the day – for example, the dress, invitations, florals, exchanging of gifts – and all the unique, intimate moments that take place behind closed doors before the guests arrive.
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The more time a photographer has to take these shots, the more candid and personal they’ll feel.
Personally, I like to spend an equal amount of time with both partners once I’ve finished taking the “detail shots”. This gives me time to vividly capture the emotions you both are feeling just moments before seeing your partner and saying “I do”!
PRO PHOTOGRAPHER TIP: It’s important to note that, depending on the venue, and on how many locations the bridal party wants to take pictures at, this might take a little bit longer in order to account for travel time between each location.
Tip 3: Set aside a moment for just you and your partner before the wedding
Weddings are a celebration of love, but sometimes, with all the guests and all the things happening around you, it can be really hard to find a quiet and intimate moment for you to share with your partner.
With this in mind, I usually recommend that the couple set aside a 20-minute window before the ceremony or before the reception to be with one another and celebrate their wedding – just the two of them.
This can even be a “first look” type of moment, which makes the photos I take all the more beautiful from the emotion in the couple’s eyes!
Tip 4: Set a 30-minute buffer time before the ceremony for the photographer
Once the ceremony begins and guests are on-site, it can be difficult to capture certain details of the event that the couple might want to look back on, such as your ceremony location without jackets or purses over the chairs.
I usually recommend that there’s a 30-minute window for the photographer to take snaps of the venue, the decorations, and some candid shots of the guests arriving for the first time.
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Why a specific buffer for this? Because the photographer should be solely focused on taking these kinds of photos – and not any additional couple or bridal suite photos – during this time.
Trust me, you’re going to want the photographer’s attention focused on one thing instead of asking them to do multiple things at once!
Tip 5: Actually, set a buffer time for…EVERYTHING!
Life is life, right? And, sometimes, things don’t go according to plan.
Thankfully, when it comes to something like your wedding, you have the opportunity to brace yourself for the unexpected and give yourself some leeway.
Personally, I usually recommend that the couples I work with set a 10-minute “buffer time” between each milestone or big moment. This usually helps with the flow of the timeline, gives guests a little bit of wiggle room (especially once the tears start to flow ;)), and it’s a more realistic timeframe for vendors to prepare for what comes next.
With so many moving parts and little things happening all around at once, 10 minutes is a more realistic buffer time for everyone involved. Plus, it stops things from being so rushed so the couple can truly soak up these special moments!
Tip 6: Timing the group photos
When it comes to group photos, I usually like to set aside about 2 minutes per “group” in order to keep things moving smoothly and without a rush.
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For example, if you know there are 5 different groups, I’d recommend setting aside a total of 10 minutes for these.
In order to make things as easy as possible for the photographer and everyone else, it’s best if you let your family and guests know ahead of time when and where the group photos will be happening. This way, everyone can make sure that things are efficient and easy for all parties involved*.
*Psst…the quicker the group photos are done, the faster we can kick off cocktail hour 😉
Tip 7: Allow your photographer and vendors to eat early in the reception
Weddings are like a marathon: if you get burnt out too quickly, it’ll be a lot harder to make it to the finish line.
That being said, I like to recommend to the couples I work with that they give their vendors a quick fuel-up break before the night really kicks off! This gives us (your vendors) time to eat, so later on, we can focus on what we need to be doing for the wedding.
In the case of a wedding photographer, planning for us to grab a bite to eat early in the reception and the dancing means we’ll be able to capture even more candid and special moments when guests get into the swing of things: the ties are loosened, the heels are off, and the music is loud!
Most people don’t want photos of them during dinner, either, which makes the start of dinner the perfect time for vendors to enjoy a bite so they’re ready to take pictures of everything that will happen next – from the cake cutting to dance shenanigans to a sparkler exit as a married couple.
Tip 8: Capturing that perfect sunset/nighttime photo
Even if the couple has had time to take photos earlier in the day, I usually like to steal them away and provide a quick 15-minute escape so we can snap sunset and nighttime photos.
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This time usually gives me the opportunity to capture some unique moments and equally beautiful photos of the married couple – especially if we’re by the beach with the sunset!
And, at the end of the day, this is also a sweet moment for the couple because they get to step away from the crowd to simply enjoy each other’s company before heading back to the party.
Choosing a wedding photographer that fits your wedding timeline!
Choosing the perfect wedding photographer that can help you prepare for your wedding day is one of the most important and valuable things you can do before the big day.
You want to make sure that you’ll be working with someone who knows what they’re doing, who’s ready to guide you, and who will be there to capture the unique and special moments you’ll be able to look back on for many years to come.
As a photographer with many years of experience shooting both elopements and weddings, I’ve developed a system that helps me bring the best out in the couples I work with.
Helping couples feel at ease, providing them with a sense of comfort, and helping to keep the ball rolling as the night goes on are some of my favorite things about shooting weddings and making them as special as can be!
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Interested in the many ways we can work together? Send me a message and let’s get to know each other a little better so we can plan for your special day!
