Let’s talk timelines! They can truly make or break a wedding day not only for you as the photographer – but for your bride and groom as well. I wholeheartedly believe that as a wedding photographer, it’s my responsibility to inform and guide my brides as we plan out their wedding day so that they have the most incredible and full experience possible! Without a proper timeline, a wedding day can be very stressful for everyone involved, and that is not the kind of experience I want my brides to have. So… how do you create the perfect wedding day timeline? I’ve created a sample wedding day timeline that will give you an idea of how much time I allocate for everything, and also included a few tips that I always like to keep in mind!
// Be sure to give yourself “wiggle room” in your timeline! There will always be unexpected things that come up, and you want to be prepared to handle whatever comes your way with grace and ease!
// Create a family shot list. Request 10-15 groupings from your brides before the wedding, and family pictures will flow so much more quickly and easily!
// Don’t be afraid to push things along on a wedding day! Things will never pan out as perfectly as you may think, but do you best to stick to the timeline while also serving and loving your clients well!
// Brides – get your details together beforehand! If you can gather all of your jewelry, shoes, invitation suite, garter, dress, etc. in one place, this will help your photographer so much! You can spend so much unnecessary time trying to find something that could have been organized beforehand!
// Last but not least, as the photographer – you have so much control over the flow of the wedding. Do your best to be prepared and create a timeline well tailored for your couples day. Yet even if you have a stressful, chaotic wedding, you need to be a peaceful, calming presence! Never allow your stress to be known or felt by your clients. As a professional, you need to handle any situations joyfully and calmly and be a blessing to your couples!
I hope these tips come in handy when you create your next wedding day timeline! If you ever have any questions about timelines or other business questions, feel free to email me at hello@jessica-lauren.com! Happy Thursday, friends!
Much love,
Jessica Lauren
(Images from second shooting with Courtney Smith Photography!)
