Orchestrating a flawless wedding celebration takes coordination, intuition, and experience. Wedding photographers know that creating a great wedding photography timeline can help the day go smoothly and ensure great coverage. However, the best laid plans can be turned upside down in an instant.
Every couple wants a unique wedding album that tells their story. Here are some tips for capturing all the images you need by creating a great wedding photography timeline!
Just a Bad Dream
The Plan:
11:15 Arrival
11:30 Bridal suite for getting ready photos.
12:00 Groom’s room (same hotel) for candids and a few individual and group photos.
12:30 Back to the bridal suite to capture the final moments of the bride putting on her gown, a dress reveal to her bridesmaids, and individuals and groups.
1:15 Limo leaves for the ceremony. A 15 minute drive.
2:00 Ceremony
The Reality:
11:15 Photographer arrives.
On time!
11:30 Bridal suite for getting ready photos.
One bridesmaid forgot her special robe at home, waited for it to get dropped off. Hair and makeup arrived 15 minutes late. Hair and makeup finished at 11:45. Quick groups and candids.
12:00 Groom’s room for candids and a few individual and group photos
Arrived at 12:10. One groomsman is still en route to the hotel. ETA 12:20. Do all the shots except the group without him. 12:30 still down a groomsman. Do group photos. MIA groomsman arrives at 12:35 and needs to get dressed. He also can’t find his tie or pocket square. Skip new group photos and note to grab some later.
12:30 Back to the bridal suite to capture the final moments of the bride putting on her gown, a dress reveal to her bridesmaids, individuals and groups.
12:40 arrival at the bridal suite. Ladies are eating spaghetti sandwiches for lunch and nobody’s dressed. Lunch arrived late and they didn’t want to risk their formal wear getting messed up. However, everyone needs the makeup on the lower half of their face redone. One bridesmaid is out for a smoke. The bride’s mom is missing one shoe and went back to her room to look for it. At 1:15 everyone is dressed and photography is squeezed into 10 minutes.
1:15 Limo leaves for the ceremony.
Bridal party gathers belongings at 1:30 and gets into limo at 1:45.
1:45 Traffic delays. Arrive at the ceremony location at 2:15.
Even seasoned photographers get the jitters the night before a big event. Wedding-day work nightmares are real! Sometimes it’s hard to tell where the reality is and when the nightmare begins.
Creating a great timeline for wedding photography can help ensure that you are capturing the moments that your client needs to remember their day. Reliving their celebration through a beautiful professional wedding album for years to come is the end goal, so it’s important to have a solid plan.
Is Timing Everything?
Assigning a specific time to each wedding day event, photography and otherwise, sets an expectation. However, uncontrollable factors that take mere minutes can throw off the day. Creating a super detailed timeline may seem efficient, but having a broader and more open concept of when things might actually happen could be more helpful.
Take a look at all the events of the day. Note what photography is needed during that time, along with when the event will conclude. Having time scheduled for the wedding party to eat, and time to pack up their personal items before leaving a location will help determine how much actual time there is for photography. If things look too tight a conversation about an earlier start or a second photographer might be in order.
Adding Flexibility & Extra Time in the Wedding Photography Timeline
It’s important to factor in the possibility of normal disruptions like missing wardrobe pieces, and hair and makeup delays. Also when planning with clients be sure to mention all the activities and obstacles that affect the schedule. Remember, you’ve done this before. Chances are they have not.
Building buffer-time into the schedule that allows for the most significant events to go off on time and can make you look like a hero. Add time before and after each scheduled event to allow for setbacks especially as the day gets started.
Don’t be afraid to go off script if one group is running behind. Focus on the important images for the best wedding album design, and what you need to deliver to the client.
Back on Track
As hectic as the beginning of the wedding day can be, you can catch up. Give the couple a minimum of 30 minutes before the ceremony where NO photography is planned. This allows them time to get settled, and for the schedule to catch up if needed. If the morning runs behind, but the ceremony starts on time you are back on track.
The same goes for getting the couple in place for the reception. If there is one hour between the ceremony and the reception, don’t fool yourself, that’s not for an hour of photography. If the ceremony runs long and there are family photos immediately after, you probably only have 20 minutes for the bridal party and the couple. You should allow time for the couple to have a break and prep for the reception. If the reception starts on time, you are on time. Having a great wedding photography timeline includes allowing for a little downtime.
Getting Around
Transportation can be unpredictable as well. Travel times can’t be solely based on GPS. Time should include, onboarding, offboarding, parking, traffic delays, and even weather can be a factor. If planning on multiple locations for bridal party photos, a great wedding photography timeline needs to be realistic. Travel can be messy! If you can do great stuff at one location and get them to the reception with time to spare, do that.
When you get to your location, having a specific plan for groups, candids, and creative images to flow through will be your superpower. Be sure to grab that signature shot for the best wedding album cover.
Keeping it Real
A well outlined day also gives photographers the opportunity to capture all the images requested with time for creativity along the way. Even if plans hit a snag, a great wedding photography timeline with built-in buffers allows the option to pivot and stay on track. It also makes photographers more confident that they have all the images they need to create the perfect wedding album layout.
When the couple’s current schedule for events does not allow for all the time needed for the photography requested, create a plan for options. If the time allotted for 15 family photos after the ceremony is 15 minutes, so everyone can get to cocktail hour, offer some options rather than going with a flow that won’t work.
“ I notice the time for family photos post ceremony is 15 minutes. I might suggest just the immediate families then and then we gather the extended groups at the reception. Another option might be to do a first look and take care of immediate family photos before the ceremony.”
Nobody wants to hear no, but you can only put so many apples in one basket. Coming up with solutions will help alleviate stress for everyone involved.
Scheduling the Professional Wedding Album
Once the event is over, it’s time to schedule the album workflow. By creating a great wedding photography timeline you’ve set your client up with a gallery of great photos. Images are culled, edited and retouched if needed. Now it’s time for your client to select their images for their flush-mount wedding album.
Only the very best images make it into the album, and choosing the right ones can be challenging. Zookbinders can help to solve image overwhelm with our Selection Service. Our team can create a gallery of images just for the album that gives couples a headstart when picking out images for their professional wedding album design.
Zookbinders manufactures beautiful handcrafted albums for professional photographers at its new facility in Waterloo, Iowa. Learn more about getting started with Zookbinders and create your pro-account HERE.
