DETAILS DETAILS DETAILS!!

Ideal Time Allotment: 30 minutes

Ideal Time of the Day: Morning

Ideal Location: Bridal Suite or Hotel Suite

Advice – Having at least 30 minutes for details ensures that I have plenty of time to get that perfect photo of the dress, rings, shoes, bouquets, and other details of the day.

There are times when a hotel room is too crowded or simply unappealing; I have to take the dress all the way down to the lobby or even outside. This can take some time, but as you can see from the results, it’s well worth the additional work.

PREPERATION

Ideal Time Allotment: 60 minutes

Ideal Time of the Day: Morning or Early Afternoon

Ideal Location: Bridal Suite or Hotel Suite, Chapel

Advice – Having an hour of preparation is ideal for my wedding photography style. During this time, I am getting close ups of the makeup and hair being applied as well as the candid moments and the bridesmaids and groomsmen get ready for the day. Keep in mind that these are some of the most emotional and fun times of the day, so you don’t want to cut it short. While it doesn’t take guys an hour to get dressed, there are still tons of great photo-worthy moments during this time between the groom and his family and friends.

BRIDE & GROOM PORTRAITS

Ideal Time Allotment: 30 minutes

Ideal Time of the Day: Morning or Early Afternoon

Ideal Location: Bridal Suite, Hotel Suite, Venue Indoor or Venue Outdoor

Advice – Right after prep is the best time for individual portraits of the bride and groom (separately). Besides makeup and hair being completely fresh, the day hasn’t gotten hectic yet so I can take my time and get those perfect portraits.

Also, keep in mind that the window lighting in most hotel rooms creates a unique look that can’t be duplicated in any environment throughout the rest of the day.

FIRST LOOK & INTIMATE COUPLES SESSION

Ideal Time Allotment: 30-45 minutes

Ideal Time of the Day: Morning or Early Afternoon

Ideal Location: Venue Outdoor, Empty Venue Hallway (shaded areas with natural light)

Advice – The first look should be around 30-45 minutes. During this time, the bride and groom enjoy seeing each other for the first time on the wedding day. While the actual first look might only be 5-10 minutes, the rest of the time is spent on a few basic portraits of the bride and groom as a couple.

Ideally I am saving the bulk of the couples session for later (see the “couples session” section below). However, if there is no other time in the day, it is best to allocate another 30 minutes here so that I can make sure I have enough photos of just you two.

WEDDING PARTY PHOTOS

Ideal Time Allotment: 30-45 minutes

Ideal Time of the Day: Morning or Afternoon

Ideal Location: Venue Indoor, Venue Outdoor, Beach, Park, Off-site Location

Advice – Wedding Party Photos should be around 45 minutes to 1 hour. During this time, I get a variety of shots in a variety of poses. I start off with the basic, classic photos focused on great expressions and lighting.

Then I move into a set of fun and creative shots. Finally, I know how much your wedding party means to you, so we are sure to get pictures with you and each one of your bridesmaids or groomsmen individually.

IMMEDIATE FAMILY

Ideal Time Allotment: 30 minutes

Ideal Time of the Day: Morning or Afternoon

Ideal Location: Venue Indoor, Venue Outdoor, Beach, Park, Off-site Location

Advice – Immediate Family Photos should take another 45 minutes. It’s important to have additional images with your parents, grandparents, and siblings beyond the basic formal (mentioned in the section below).

Plan on 3 minutes per group on average. For example, if you have 10 groups, schedule in a 30 minute time slot.

We all know how much weddings mean to the immediate family, and I want to make sure I'm capturing enough pictures with them.

CEREMONY DETAILS AND VENUE

Ideal Time Allotment: 15 minutes

Ideal Location: Ceremony Site

Ideal Time of the Day: Morning or Afternoon

Advice – Please allow 15 minutes for me to take pictures of the ceremony site, completely set up with no guests or vendors in the area.

Before you have the guests seated, it’s important that I am there to capture the complete set up of your ceremony site so I can capture the scene at its best.

RECEPTION DETAILS AND VENUE

Ideal Time Allotment: 15 minutes

Ideal Time of the Day:  Early Evening

Ideal Location: Reception Site

Advice – Please allow 15 minutes for the second shooter to take pictures of the reception room, completely set up with no guests or vendors in the area.

Similar to the ceremony details, this is the only opportunity I have to capture the beauty of the reception room prior to guest arrival.

COUPLES SESSION – send off

Ideal Time Allotment: 20 minutes

Ideal Time of the Day: Dusk to Night Time

Ideal Location: Areas with interesting lights, fountains, city scapes and mirrors

Advice – During the reception, please plan on sneaking out for a couple of night shots. I only need 20-30 minutes, as I understand the importance of being a good host. However, this time is important if you appreciate night photography. The ideal time for this is right after you grab a bite to eat or during the open floor dancing after you’ve danced a few songs and would like a break. Another suggestion would be to get these shots at the very end of the night once all the guests have departed.

ADDITIONAL WEDDING DAY DETAILS

Table Shots:  Table shots are when you go around visiting tables. There are two options for photography during this time.

1. You can take formal pictures with each of these tables
2. I can simply focus on photojournalism, capturing the smiles and hugs as you mingle with each table.

If you’re planning on doing formal table shots, please keep in mind that these will take about 3-5 minutes per table. For example 20 tables would require 60-100 minutes of time.