London Ontario Wedding Photographer ~ How to write a wedding day timeline!
February 7th 2017
Happy Tuesday everyone! When this new year began I decided I wanted to make a difference to my website and blog and start adding in not only more personal posts about me and my business but also to begin blogging about helpful tips and tricks for brides planning their big day! I have had the pleasure of photographing plenty of weddings over the last four years of my business and along with learning a ton about photography, I have also learned a ton about planning weddings as well. Of course it helps I am still in the process of planning my own but I wanted to put my knowledge to good use and help some incredible brides!
So first, if you don’t know me, I am Michelle! I am a wedding and engagement photographer based out of London Ontario, when I am not doing the job I love you can find me walking my adorable little corgi, binge watching way to much Netflix or at Starbucks having tea dates with friends. I have been planning my own wedding since August of 2015 and have been photographing weddings since June of 2013!
I find one of the number one concern and question I get asked by couples when I meet with them for consultations or pre-wedding meetings is one thing, how do I make a wedding day timeline? How do I know how long everything takes? How long will photos take?
So I am here today writing this blog post to give you 5 tips for writing your wedding day timeline that you AND your photographer will love!
you every vendor and photographer will have different ways of doing things so if you ever have any questions ask your photographer for help, I make wedding day timelines for my clients all the time and so do a lot of other photographers. They are there not only to capture memories but to make your day go as awesome and smooth as possible.
Lets begin!
Tip Number One:
If you’re not sure how long things take, ask!
If you are unsure of how long makeup and hair will actually take the morning of your wedding, be sure to ask your hair and makeup vendor! They will know right away how long things take depending on what you are looking for. Of course this will all very depending on how make people are getting hair and makeup done but at least you will have a good idea on where to start! Same goes for photography, I always suggest an hour and a half for my couple to do photos following the ceremony. Personally, this allows time for bride and groom portraits, bridesmaids, groomsmen and the whole bridal party without having to rush!
Tip Number Two:
Family Photos!
Family photos can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour in my experience! I always tell my clients to allow about 3 minutes per grouping, this is an easy way to get a general idea of how long all your family photos will actually take so you don’t cut into the reception time or the remaining photo time.
Tip Number Three:
Always allow for travel!
The easiest thing to forget about when it comes to planning a timeline is travel! Are you having your ceremony in a different area then the reception? Are you getting ready on the other side or town? Is your venue outside of the city? All these questions lead to how long it will take to actually get somewhere. I always suggest adding on an additional 10 minutes to the actual time to allow for traffic or other circumstances!
Tip Number Four:
Book a wedding day coordinator!
This is huge! I know a lot of brides don’t want to invest in a day of coordinator but let me tell you that money is worth it! Their whole job is to make your day go as smooth and fantastic as possible. They are there from start to finish and keeping everyone on time with the timeline. They will even help you make one to ensure your day stays on time! Coming from personal experience, from working with one and being in the wedding party with one, they are on top of everything you need for the day! If you take one tip away from this blog post this should be it!
Tip Number Five:
Lighting!
Of course this post is coming from a photographer but lighting is crucial to your day! Everything from the time of ceremony to the time photos are being done especially if you are planning a late fall or winter wedding where we lose light very quickly. Light is essential to a photographer and you will receive their best work when there is plenty of light to work with! You probably always hear about golden hour, which is the prettiest time of day to photograph. I know it is not always possible to schedule your images to be done during sunset, but even sneaking out for a couple photos together could make so some great shots!
These are my 5 best tips for planning and making your wedding day timeline! You can also head to my Instagram as I will also be listing all my advice in my Instagram stories!
I hope you found these tips helpful and of course feel free to send me a message at hello@michelleaphoto.com with any questions you may have!
Sincerely,
**Michelle A Photography is now booking weddings for 2017 and 2018! Contact hello@michelleaphoto.com to book your FREE consultation today!**