ALWAYS leave wiggle room. These are big events. There will always be something that doesn't go according to plan. You want to enjoy your day - not trying to rush. I promise you, it's going to go by fast, and I want you to be able to take it all in! At any point in time during your planning process, please feel free to contact me if you want any help putting your timeline together!

I highly recommend getting someone to help with your timeline - not because you can't do it - but because it's a lot to think about and a second set of eyes/opinions can help you consider all options. If you have a coordinator, I'm happy to collaborate with them and help create a timeline if needed. If you don't have a coordinator, I'm also happy to help you, and have put together template timelines for several of my brides to tweak how they want! However you want to do it, I'm here to support you!

I've heard a lot of brides say they're afraid a first look will "take away the surprise" for your partner at the altar. Trust me - watching you walk down the aisle and realizing you're about to spend your lives together - seeing you beforehand will not take away from that moment. While your partner may know how gorgeous you're looking ahead of time, the emotion will still be overwhelming in the best way. It also means that they got to see you for the first time in a more intimate setting, just the two of you together, which is who it's really all about (plus, I'll be there capturing all the feels, so you can relive it later if you want!)

There are some benefits to consider by doing a first look. Not only do you get to see each other in a more private way before the rest of the world sees you commit to a lifetime together, there are several group photos that can be taken prior to the ceremony rather than after (bride with groomsmen, groom with bridesmaids, and entire wedding party). If getting to your guests as quickly as possible after the ceremony is a high priority to you, I would highly recommend considering a first look.

It is absolutely okay if you don't want to do a first look! It's your day, and we can make it however you want. It does mean, going back to being realistic about your timeline, that you will need a little extra time after the ceremony to get all of those group shots with your wedding party since they didn't get done before. We will take family pictures at the altar first, then proceed into photos with the wedding party. We will then release the wedding party to go mingle with your guests while we go take your couple portraits - your very first photos officially married!

We will do family photos immediately at the altar following the ceremony. It's the best way to wrangle everyone up before they head to the reception. One month prior to your wedding, I will send you a form to fill out of all the group photos you want at the altar post ceremony. I want you to get to enjoying your guests as quickly as possible after the ceremony, which means we need to have a list prepared for the groups you want family photos of so we can move through it efficiently. Your final shot list with the 'groups' you want family photos with post-ceremony are due one week prior to the wedding, along with your timeline.

Detail shots are beautiful! I will typically take these first thing when I get there, along with the venue, because nobody really wants me taking photos of them immediately when they start getting ready (you want me to take the 'getting ready photos' when people are more on the 'ready' end - so far, nobody has requested me taking their photo with bedhead and without any makeup on yet). This means I need the items for the detail photos first thing! Please have them all together in some form of safe container such as a box or tote. You can pick some or all of any of the following, but here's some suggestions:
HIS: shoes, ring, ring box, bowtie or tie, tie clip, pocket square, watch, cuff link, vow book
HERS: shoes, ring, ring box, bracelets, earrings, necklace, hair pieces, vow book, perfume
ADD ONS: anything you might want to accent items such as your wedding invitation, flowers, anything sentimental to you, textured fabric, etc.

In addition, please have your dress hanging on whatever hanger you want it to be photographed on (I recommend a wooden one!), as I'll be taking this photo prior to "getting ready" photos as well.

Yes! I'll explain what you should let them know, and also why:
Your Caterer: please ask them if there is a spot for me to eat dinner, preferably not too far away from the action in case I need to jump right on back into shooting - I don't want to miss anything for you! Optimal time for me to eat dinner is when you eat dinner, because nobody wants pictures of themselves with their mouths full, but I need to be able to at least hear what's happening in case you need me to hurry on back!
Your DJ: during your grand entrance with your partner and during first dances, please ask them to refrain from colored and/or distracting lighting (i.e. strobe lighting). I'll be photographing these important moments for you, but I don't want you to look hot pink because of a light they set off! Also, IF at any point your DJ is using lasers that will damage my camera sensors, I will not take photos during this time or will stand in a space I can safely avoid them to avoid ruining my camera and your photos.
Your Maid of Honor/Best Man: let them know I will be relying on them to gather the wedding party when the time comes for group photos. Whether you choose to do a first look or not, putting them in charge of getting the group together allows me to stay photographing you rather than trying to track down your wedding party.

Here's a few more tips to think about when you're planning!

Where you get ready matters! Try to find a room that has natural light/windows, is clean/room for me and for you to move around without clutter in the background, and a room that you can feel beautiful and peaceful in. You don't want a cramped, small bathroom with yellow overhead lighting to be where your getting ready photos are.
Optimal timing would be to have your ceremony approximately 2-2.5 hours before sunset. Obviously with venue/vendor availability that isn't always possible, but if it is an option, it allows us to ensure we get all the formal photos done and time for bride and groom photos right before sunset!
Consider having an 'unplugged' ceremony. I know people are excited and want to take photos because you look BEAUTIFUL! But, unfortunately their phones (and sometimes even flash), can sometimes get in the way of my perfect photo of you. There will be tons of lovely shots of you to go around from my end, I promise!
HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE! At the end of the day, you're marrying your person, and that's all the matters. Accept that something will likely not go according to plan, that it will still be the most perfect and beautiful day, and that stressing over the small things just won't be worth it. So get excited babe, you're GETTING MARRIED!

Within 24 hours of booking your wedding with me, I will go in and manually approve the booking. At this time you will receive three emails:
A confirmation booking email
A contract that will be due no later than 30 days prior to your wedding
The remainder of your invoice which is also due no later than 30 days prior to your wedding

30 days out from your wedding, along with your contract and invoice being due, I will reach out to see how you are doing with your timeline and send you a form to fill out for group photos post-ceremony. One week prior to your wedding I will request your final timeline if you have not yet provided me with one, as well as the shot list of the groups of people/family you want photos with post ceremony. This helps save time on the day of so you can enjoy as much of your day as possible!