Stories
YOU’RE ENGAGED! What an amazing, exciting, crazy, and lots of things to do time! You have posted your ring selfie and gotten tons of likes, messages, and responses.. so what next?
Save The Dates are next! Right, so what is a Save The Date. Its the time where you loop in the friends and family you intend on inviting to your wedding! The very first official step. This is a pre-invitation that announces your wedding date.
The timeline. The timeline!
THE TIMELINE?
You have to have a schedule even for your wedding day? You mean the stuff doesn't just happen?
I have been to HUNDREDS of weddings and trust me, wedding days don't just happen... It's not as intense as it seems especially if you can just accept that a timeline is a guide to get you to that first dance during the big party you have been planning for FOR-EVER.
The timeline is not going to be set in stone and it's not going to stay on track. So what! But, It's important to work your timeline properly, so even if it doesn't stay on track that there is still time for photography. And more than likely if you aren't working with a wedding planner/coordinator there is a good chance you probably weren't even thinking about a timeline and how long it takes everything to happen on a wedding day and how all these wedding activities fall into place.
THAT'S OK! I can help!
I LOVE when my couples ask for my opinion on their timeline because they did hire me to photograph this amazing special day and photography is an important factor of said day and it is crucial to make time for the photographs you want. Alright maybe that was a bit dramatic, but against popular belief these amazing wonderful heartfelt beautiful timeless images don't just appear. We have to make time for them to happen.
So how do you make the time? Well, I have created a template timeline for an 8 hour wedding day which you can use a guide to make your own amazing awesome timeline!
Wedding Day Timeline (8 hour coverage)
1:00 PM PHOTOGRAPHERS ARRIVE (photography coverage starts)
This is the time where I will collect your shoes, dress, rings, paper suite, flowers and any other details you might want photographed. All this will be happening WHILE you are getting your hair and makeup done and yes, I will be photographing that too!
2:00 PM BRIDE GETS DRESSED
By this time everyone else who plans to be around while YOU, the bride, gets dressed should be already dressed. So, that means bridesmaids, Mother of the Bride, ANYONE who plans to be in the shots NEEDS to be ready. You probably don't want a bridesmaid in her pj's helping you into your wedding dress, or maybe you do! Its your wedding, but yea.
3:00 PM GROOM FINISHING TOUCHES
Once you are dressed, I will then check on the other awesome person- the Groom. His getting ready session is much faster and usually involves him fixing his tie, putting on his jacket and making sure he is ready to go!
3:30 PM THE FIRST LOOK
This will happen at the place you have already picked out and if you don't have a specific spot set- NO WORRIES! I will find the best spot in your chosen location. This time will be for only you both. No one else needs to be involved or even around for this portion.
4:00 PM WEDDING PARTY PHOTOS
Yep, it only takes a half hour for the first look and your portrait session. This is when we will bring the whole wedding party into play and photograph everyone together!
4:30 PM HIDE!
This is exactly what it means, go hide. Once we have photographed you and your whole wedding party you should go to your hiding place to get ready for the ceremony. This will allow you to cool off, collect yourself and have a drink!
5:00 PM CEREMONY
5:30 PM COCKTAIL HOUR
THIS is where the family formals happen! Make sure the family members you want in these photos knows where to be and at what time. THEY MUST BE THERE, there is a limited amount of time to get through them and I can run through the list quickly IF THEY ARE THERE. Let the cocktail hour be for your guests, lets run through these images and get to the reception!
6:00 PM Photographer photographs the reception space (cake, table setup, favors, flowers) and everything else you spent tons and tons of money on while NO guests are present and haven't made a mess yet.
6:30 PM RECEPTION!
This is when your guests will start to make their way to their seats and you get ready for your entrance.
6:45 PM RECEPTION ENTRANCE
Wedding party is introduced and wedding couple is announce. Wedding couple go into the first dance followed by Mother/Son and Father/Daughter dance.
7:15 PM DINNER IS SERVED!
Your photography will be eating at this time (quickly, but yea).
7:45 PM TOASTS! SPEECHES!!
8:00 PM DANCE FLOOR IS OPENED
8:15 PM CUT THE CAKE OR PIE OR DOUGHNUT!
8:30 PM TOSS THE BOUQUET/GARTER
9:00 PM GRAND EXIT (Photography coverage ends)
See! That wasn't too crazy? But, you can see how quickly time gets filled up and why it is important to make the time for photography. I photograph quick, but you don't want to feel rushed through it and I don't want to push you from scene to scene- I mean, I will if I have to and have done it before... You get the idea.
If some of these don't apply to you (like the bouquet toss) that is OK- take it out, just add some extra time for your portrait session and wedding party photos or any other photos! Just don't skimp on the photography portions. I mean, right?!
Have any other questions about the timeline?
When I am in a meeting with a bride this question almost always comes up, "Have you had your engagement portraits done yet?" It doesn't matter if the bride lives down the road from me or if she lives in 5 states over.. I still ask. I still ask for a variety of reasons...
You and your fiance should have nice photos of yourselves starting this marriage journey. Nice photos that aren't in your wedding clothes! You will have tons after I photograph your wedding, but you should also have nice regular clothing portraits!
It will give us a chance to work together before the wedding! Some of my out of state brides will book their engagement session with me when they come down to check on how their planning is going. This not only allows us to work together, but for some its the first time we will actually meet in person (not Skyping) after the booking.
Its FUN! It's a break away from all the hectic planning. Its a chance for the 3 of us to disappear for a couple hours. You should take a break! You can even bring your dog.
They look great on your wedding website! Yea, they do!
By definitionelope (e·lope, iˈlōp) means? verb "Run away secretly in order to get married, especially without parental consent. More specifically, elopement is often used to refer to a marriage conducted in sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving hurried flight away from one's place of residence together with one's beloved with the intention of getting married." Here are 23 reasons TO elope!
1. You can be less formal.
Don't want to wear a ball gown like your mom thinks you should? Not comfortable in a suit and tie? Scratch all that and wear what YOU want. After all this is your day!
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2. It's truly romantic.
No, really.
3. You have better things to spend your money on.
Like a house, or a honeymoon, or a family vehicle, or rent, or anything else that is NOT a wedding.
4. You can choose your location!
You don't have to find venue that will hold 150 guests in your budget or worry about hotel accommodations either! Who is to say you can't get married in that quaint little spot in the woods you and your fiancé love so much? Or how about on a remote beach? Or over seas! The possibilities are endless!
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5. You can't please everyone.
In the end someone will not be happy about something like the music or the food or whatever. Seriously, with so many people giving opinions on what they think is best you can loose focus of what YOU really want for YOUR day!
6. You save time.
Planning a major event takes time. And a lot of it! You're busy, we know.
7. Privacy.
Maybe you don't need everyone in your business. Not into having everything posted on Facebook and Instagram? Well, if you elope you won't have to worry about being tagged in photos! Not everyone needs a gift registry. Who wants to write all those thank you notes anyway?
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8. You have been married before.
Yep, been there and done that. Maybe you don't feel the need for the traditional ceremony. You already did the big wedding thing and know the reasons to elope, so you can stop reading now :-)
9. Religion/Culture.
Blending various religious and cultural backgrounds may not sound as easy as you think. Eloping is a way to avoid the cultural and religious clashes.
10. THE HONEYMOON!
Who says your elopement location couldn't double as your honeymoon location? Go somewhere exotic! Remember you didn't have a wedding, so you can afford it ;-)
11. No invitations!
This person forgot to RSVP. Should we invite so and so? Wait, didn't they get divorced. What is their address? Did you invite so and so? Forget these questions because your eloping!
12. You don't want to wait.
And why should you? GET MARRIED NOW!
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13. Complex family tree.
The idea of all families getting along is awesome, but the reality is not all families get along. Avoid the arguments and fuss of family drama and ELOPE!
14. You. Are. Pregnant!
CONGRATULATIONS! Eloping is less stress on your body. Point blank period.
15. To be unique.
Do you know any couples that eloped?
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16. Avoid being a BRIDEZILLA!
It's inevitable. At some point someone will call you a bridezilla to your face or behind your back. Avoid this stereotype and elope!
17. NO REHEARSAL DINNER!
That is all.
18. The food.
No guest allergies to worry about. No per plate costs to consider. Eat whatever you want and a lot of it! And in most cases you will actually get to eat on your big day!
19. The PAR-tay!
2 words: OPEN BAR. Stress level -4. Now all your friends and family can join in for the celebration on a less planned scaled weeks or even months after you have eloped!
20. You have been together for-ev-er...
14 years later you decide to tie the knot. Everyone already thinks you are married.
21. Deceased family members.
Maybe your father has passed or even a sibling. After a major life event the idea of a big wedding sometimes looses it value.
22. Your Milkshake Brings All The Boys To The Yard!
Yep, you can booty shake to that song all day and not have your grandma give you funny looks.
23. THE PHOTOGRAPHY!
You can hire the photographer you want, instead of the photographer you can afford. You don't have to worry about splitting the budget between cake, flowers and dj. Photography can be the item you splurge on. Just because you decide to elope doesn't mean it can't be documented beautifully.
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