Planning the perfect wedding timeline

The timing of your wedding day ends up being what makes or breaks the photographer’s ability to give you a variety of photos! And who doesn’t want to get their money’s worth?!? For this reason, we like to work closely with you during your wedding planning. We meet with all of our clients in the studio to discuss their plans at the time of booking. Then, as your plans come together, we ask you to keep in touch by phone or email so we can be in the loop and plan accordingly. Right around the ONE MONTH TO GO mark, we will meet up at the studio to finalize the details of your day. Right down to what photos you’re wanting, where we will meet, and the exact time each thing will take place.

Beach EngagementEngagement Session on the Beaches of Lake Erie. Southeast Michigan Engagement and Wedding Photographer.

The timeline of your day is dependent on a variety of aspects. In many cases, the church or reception hall may have a specific timeframe you’re required to work around. From there you’ll have to figure in travel time if working with multiple locations. ALWAYS ADD EXTRA TIME!***Sidenote: Don’t assume your entire bridal party and family knows how to get to the next place. Even when you clearly give them the address and time, someone is bound to get lost and/or be late***

Another thing to take into consideration is if you will be doing a receiving line after the ceremony where you would greet all your guests as they exit the church. That could take around 30-45 minutes and typically eats up photo time if we don't plan for it.

Family Wedding PortraitSchumaker Family Southeast Michigan Wedding Photography We ask our couples to make a list of “must have photos” because I would hate to miss anyone important to you! Working from the list can also save us from the awkward posing of, for instance, a set of divorced parents who haven’t spoken in year! (Seriously, just tell us all your drama so we can help be a buffer instead of creating more drama. I promise you…. Every family has their share! LOL)

Will there be any small children in your bridal party or family photos? Do you have a large bridal party? How many people will be in the family photos? Will you want an extended family photo? These are all questions we will go over to plan how much time you need to reserve for photos.

The ChurchChurch Wedding Ceremony Bride and Groom Formal Church Portrait Southeast Michigan Wedding Photography My best advice would be to add in some cushion time just in case. Add in an extra 10 or 15 minutes here and there for drive time and such. Something always comes up and then you get rushed. We want you to have a fun, relaxed day, so the more time we have, the more enjoyable it will be for everyone! Plus, we have time to get be creative and capture the unexpected things :) 

-Happy wedding planning from Bailey and crew of "b. Artistry Photography"