Planning a wedding is a lot of work and can get overwhelming real quick. There are a lot of things to take into consideration when trying to make major decisions about your wedding day timeline. Here are 5 things that can help make your planning a little easier once decided.
The SEASON OF your wedding.
During the winter the sun sets much sooner than the spring and summer time.
If you are having the wedding ceremony the afternoon or early evening and want outside photos you will most likely need to take the family portraits and bridal party before the ceremony. Having a first look is a great option: you have special individual time together and can take a majority of the portraits right after.
If you are set on not having a first look, an option is to still take family portraits and part of the bridal party photos before to save time.
THE WEATHER.
Unfortunately, I cannot control the weather. If I could it’d be sunshine and blue skies every day with a killer sunset :) If you plan to do an outdoor wedding a tent, umbrella’s or backup location may be something to consider. If your wedding is in the winter and you want the majority of photos outside prepare your bridal party and wear warm shoes. A cute fur shawl or blanket scarf is always a great way to keep the ladies warm.
Do you want the bridal party photos AT your venue or do you have a specific spot IN MIND?
I’m all for fun and creative spots, but practically this adds to time of the portraits. So make sure to factor in driving or walking time to and from this location back to your venue. Typically it takes 1.5-2 hours to take all the photos: bride and groom portraits, family portraits and bridal party photos.
Are you havING a cocktail hour?
A cocktail hour is a great way to utilize time to talk with guests instead of doing a formal receiving line or you can use it to take portraits if the rest of the day is already full.
Are you PLANNING a grand exit?
Do you want a grand exit but plan to keep the party going into the night? Having the exit after the ceremony ensures all your guests will be able to participate and your photographers will be there to capture it. My personal favorite exits have included: balloons, sparklers, lanterns, lavender/leaves/pedals, and tissues.
