getting Ready

Recommended Time:

We recommend having 45 minutes to 1.5 hours of coverage with the bride. 45 minutes will allow us to get a few hair and makeup touch up shots if your artists are still there, hanging dress and detail shots, and photos of the bride getting into the dress. Coverage closer to 1.5 hours allows us to get more candid shots of you with your bridesmaids/family, some portraits, and any activities you want captured (ie. photos of your getting ready outfits, toasts, etc.)

Tips: 

Window Light: lighting truly makes all the difference in any photo, so if possible consider getting your hair & makeup done by the window. The same principle applies to any detail/dress photos, so that’s why I sometimes redirect a shot to happen closer to the natural light source. The quality of photos you’ll receive will be way better when we have that beautiful morning light to work with! 

The Clutter Corner: I recommend nominating one 'clutter' corner - all the bags, clothes, etc. go here, and as I shoot away from that corner we'll have a distraction-free background to work with! ⁠

Robes/cute P.J's: these are totally not necessary, but they sure are cute! I've seen a few different styles of these, and I love them all. They add a little personality to the photos, and make you feel extra special on your special day! ⁠

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Don't forget about the groom! 

If you want any photos of the groom & groomsmen, account for travel time between the two locations when you’re making the itinerary. With them, we recommend 20-40 minutes depending on what you want covered. 20 minutes will allow for details, getting tie/shoes/suit on, and a few candids of the scene. 40 minutes allow for more organized shots of the groomsmen, more candid shots of the party, and posed groupings. 

first look

Recommended time:

Basic: 20 minutes for first look plus a few photos together. 

Mini portrait session: If there is time in the schedule, I would also recommend adding around 40 more minutes to get more extensive photos of the two of you. 

Bridal party/family photos: If you bring your bridal party/family photos, refer to the section about these photos to know how much time to add on. 

tips: 

Don’t forget to: bring your bouquet, ignore the cameras, and just enjoy the moment!

Choose the right location: somewhere secluded, with soft or non-patchy lighting, with space for us to run around you to get all the angles

Take it slow: we want to make sure we capture every smile and emotion, so take your time as you turn around to see your bride/groom! No need to go in slow motion, but if you take those few extra seconds during the walk up, turn around, and getting the first look, we will be able to capture those precious moments even better. 

ceremony

As each ceremony is so unique and personal, we won’t recommend a specific length of time to dedicate to this portion of the day. Your officiant/commissioner will be the right person to guide you through that, and we’ll capture it as it happens!

tips: 

Let us know ahead of time (like in our questionnaire that will be sent to you a month prior to the wedding) of any special moments that will happen during the ceremony. If we know you’ll be pouring sand after the vows, or will have your dog bring the rings, we want to be in the perfect position to capture it. 

Kiss a few times! We want to make sure we nail the perfect shot for you!

Consider the angles: if you’re standing on the right, will your hair be blocking your face if it’s parted on the right? How will the lighting fall on the bride? 

Ask the maid of honor to arrange your dress so it cascades beautifully throughout the ceremony

Space: consider the space between you and the first row of chairs. We want to make sure we can sneak around to get the best angles, so the more room the better. We also want to make sure we can get good shots of your parents throughout the ceremony, as well as some wide shots of the entire bridal party, both of which would be difficult if there isn’t any space to work with. It also makes for a better walking down the aisle/groom reaction shot, so it’s an important thing to consider!

family photos

Recommended Time:

1.5 min per small grouping, 4 min per large grouping

tips: 

In the questionnaire we’ll send you a month prior to the wedding, fill out all the combinations of family photos you want to capture. We highly recommend choosing a designated person to have the list and call it out so we can focus on posing and shooting. We don’t know your family, so it’s hard for us to know if Uncle Jeff and cousin Carl are there or not! 

If kids are in the mix, have all the adults in the photo focus on smiling at the camera, while someone else makes funny faces right behind me. Otherwise, we’ll end up with a shot of the child smiling at the camera, but all the adults will be making weird faces at the kid! 

Choose a spot away from the crowd so it limits the distractions. Everyone is so excited to see each other, they want to chat instead of wait in line. We totally get it, so we want to get the photos done quickly so everyone can rejoin the party!

Bridal Party photos

Recommended Time:

Approx. 45 min per location

tips: 

Consider in advance what kind of bridal party photos you want - goofy, formal, candid

Be mindful of alcohol consumption: we definitely want everyone to be having fun during the photos, but sometimes too much alcohol can lead to wandering groomsmen, testy bridesmaids, or a little too goofy of a friend that has a hard time getting into and staying in poses. We want the process to be quick, enjoyable, and productive for everyone involved!

Bridal photos

Recommended Time:

Approx. 45 min per location

tips: 

Visit the location you choose before the wedding around the time that we will be shooting there. The ‘perfect’ location will have a few backdrops to choose from, lots of shade, and lots of natural beauty. 

We visit anywhere from 1-3 spots with the couple. The wedding where we visited 3 spots was a really cool experience: we started at a beautiful park, followed by a bar where the bridal party got cocktails and snacks, and then ended up at the venue downtown where we got city and beach shots with just the couple. It all depends on how much time you’re able to dedicate to photos, but it’s a great way to enjoy your time together and with your bridal party.

reception photos

Recommended Time:

We are usually booked until a few minutes after the first dance/bouquet toss. 

tips: 

As we enter the reception, we change our shooting style from posed shots to documentary style photography. This means we shoot moments as they happen - hugs, laughter, and kisses! We don’t normally interrupt to pose you, but if you let us know that you want a specific shot (even if it’s in the moment!) we will absolutely get it for you!  

If you want photos with as many guests as possible but don’t want to do an official receiving line, some couples have us join them as they go from table to table, or when there’s a break in the program they stand somewhere pretty and we capture guests as they come up to say hi. You can visit with them as much as you want, and then pose for a quick pic before chatting with the next guest.