Planning the Timing of Your Wedding
The Wedding Timeline
Scottsdale Wedding Photography
When we meet with potential clients, we always go over a few tips we have put together over the years for getting the best wedding images and we explaing that wedding timing plays a big part in that. While much of this responsibility falls on the photographer you hire, there are a few things you can do that will impact the quality of your photographs. We’ve come up with these tips over the course of the 7+ years We’ve been shooting weddings and they have each risen out of negative or frustrating experiences our clients or even we have had on the wedding day. After the difficult experience, we’ve looked back and thought, “If only we would have….” and then filled in the blank with each of what turned into 4 tips. Since it is wedding planning season for many of you,
we thought it would be worthwhile to talk about each of these tips in detail on our blog!
Tip #1: Plan out the timing of your wedding thoughtfully.
This tip encompasses a lot of factors that will greatly impact the quality of your photography AND your experience as the bride and groom on the wedding day. The choices you make about the timing of your wedding day will impact the amount of stress you deal with, the extent to which you have the opportunity to connect with one another and the quality of your photographs–specifically as it relates to good lighting and the quantity of relaxed portraits that are able to be captured. Your wedding timeline will not only determine how much time you spend with your family and friends but, also will determine how your wedding photography will turn out. Remember friends: the party is going to be super fun, the food & cake delicious! You are going to look flawless in that gown that you have always dreamed of! But all of that will end and your photos are going to be that only thing left to remind of this amazing day! Your photographer should be experienced is knowing how to build a photography timeline for you that stratigically individualizes the timeing of your wedding to fit your wants and needs.
Whenever we sit down with potential clients to talk about their weddings, we like to get around to discussing the timing of their wedding with them. We want to make sure they are as prepared and educated with their options as they can be in order to make informed decisions that will be best for them. We oftentimes start out by asking them if they have their hearts set on not seeing each other until the ceremony. Traditionally, the groom waits to see his bride on the wedding day until she is walking down the aisle. We would say about 35% of the weddings we shoot, the bride and groom wait to see each other until the ceremony. But the trend is moving in the direction of spending more time together on your wedding day which means seeing each other before the ceremony. We really believe this is the best option for a number of reasons:
If you don’t see each other until the ceremony, you likely won’t get a chance to talk with the most important person in your life on your wedding day. You see each other during the ceremony, say your vows, then are swept away by the joy and love of your family and friends for the remainder of the day. If you see each other before the ceremony, you are able to have a private moment where you see each other for the first time while you are alone. You are able to react to one another verbally and much more openly because you aren’t standing in front of everyone you know. We absolutely LOVE this part of the day when couples first see each other before the ceremony. We are able to capture some amazing emotions as the couple sees each other for the first time and then we walk around the property shooting portraits of the two of them.
Here’s an example of some of the emotions that can be captured when you take this route
Scottsdale Wedding Photography
Tip #3: Portraits can be as quick and painless as possible.
As you can see, portraits can be taken care of before the ceremony in 2 hours. If you don’t see each other before the ceremony, portrait time will take up 2.5 hours of your day. In addition to the quantity of time being extended, the stress is also heightened when portraits are held off until after the ceremony. Gathering people before the ceremony is easily done through good communication before the wedding day. There are no additional guests present to work around. After the ceremony, everyone just wants to love on you and congratulate you and get to the bar. So many times during portraits after the ceremony, no one can find uncle Bob. More time is used gathering people and we usually have a difficult time getting everyone’s attention to accomplish the task at hand. It’s can become more stressful on everyone. However, the photographer you choose should be efficiant and comfortable in even the most stressful situations even if the timeline that is created is not their “prefered”. We believe it is always 110% what the Bride and Groom want and we strive to provide that beyond what is expected.
Scottsdale Wedding Photography
Tip #4. You can plan your wedding near sunset.
These are the ways in which the timing of your wedding greatly affects your photography. But photography aside, I really believe that these factors also affect your stress level and general enjoyment of the day. When we talk with brides and grooms about the options, we are really keeping their best interests in mind. We simply like to inform and educate otherwise many Brides arent aware of the Pros and Cons or the importance of the wedding timing.
Tip #5 Plan in cushion time