Without any travel, for family, bridal, and couple portraits. If you give me a list that is too long for the time frame we have, I will let you know that we can’t make it happen so we will either need to cut down your list or make time elsewhere in your day.

Please make your family photos as simple as possible, and avoid having too many combinations. To know how long family photos will take, consider that ONE family photo combination will take 1 minute. For example, if you have 20 family photo combinations, then family photos will take a minimum of 20 minutes.

One for you and for your soon to be spouse. For example, list all of the bride’s family photos, and then the groom’s.

When writing this list, as you create each combination, include every person’s name involved in the specific combo. Example: You want a photo with you, the groom, and your parents. You would list this as: “Bride + Groom with Sandy and John”, but using their actual names, of course! This way when I am organizing each group I can simply call out every person’s name for that photo.

Don’t just copy and paste these and send them to me. Why? Because they are usually SUPER long and not actually what you want anyway. When you are thinking of making your photo list, think about who is important to you. Who do you want a photo with? What photo will you treasure 20 years from now after that person may have passed away? Get pictures with these people.

Instead, try to combine family members and get larger group shots as this will keep the process moving along faster. The truth is, many couples don’t realize how tiring family photos can become, especially if you have listed a lot of combinations. If you want a photo with you and your Mom, that is totally okay! I’m all for it. I’m talking about combinations that are like you and Aunt Patty, and then you and Aunt Sandy, and etc! Instead, list a group photo that includes all of your aunts and uncles along with you and your partner.

This helper should be someone who knows the family well and can help me organize everyone I need for the photos. This can help move the process along quicker and get people out faster. This is especially a good idea if you want to take large group family photos.

Let your family members know ahead of time that you want them to stick around after the ceremony for photos. It happens all the time where Uncle Joe wandered off or left for the reception because he didn’t know. You can tell your family members ahead of time through any form of communication, or if they are attending your rehearsal dinner, that’s a great time to tell them as well!

Be sure to coordinate with your DJ’s timeline to ensure that you have me during your reception long enough to capture all of the main events, such as your first dance, cake cutting, parent dances, money dance, bouquet/garter toss, a special exit, or any other moments you really want captured.

Many brides purchase shoes for their wedding day that they end up hating and can’t wait to take off. Go for comfort if possible, or at the very least, bring an extra pair of shoes to wear during your reception so you can enjoy tearing up the dance floor! ;)

Rain is something none of us can control, so the best thing is to focus on making the most of your day and embracing it for what it is… rain or shine! :) After photographing several weddings where it rained, I find that rain can actually add a fun and romantic element to your wedding day, if you are willing to see it that way! It also makes for some unique portraits!

Buy some clear umbrellas (like pictured above) for you and your bridal party. At the very least, you can purchase one clear umbrella for you and your love bug.

Bonus Tip: I recommend buying ONLY clear umbrellas for a few reasons. One is that because they are clear, they allow light to come through onto your face. If you buy a solid color, it will cast a shadow which would be unflattering if it’s a color like purple or orange! Clear umbrellas also match any and all wedding styles and they look classy too!

This is something I can help you find as well. Some examples: Getting married in a park? Look to see if there are nearby pavilions. Another option is that sometimes if there are large trees next to each other, their branches can be thick enough to provide a “natural umbrella”. Getting married at a barn? Check to see if there are overhangs/awnings on any of the buildings, or even an indoor spot that will be available that guests won’t be in. Getting married in the city? Many businesses have overhangs. You could also consider nearby locations that provide covering.

There are a couple possibilities… one, buy umbrellas and embrace the weather! Another option is that we could rearrange the day and move portraits to earlier/later in the day to avoid the rain, if possible.

You probably noticed this listed in the sample timelines. These are details I try to photograph before guests arrive and while all of your decor pieces are undisturbed. You spend a lot of time, effort, and $$$ creating the perfect details on your wedding day. Allow space in your timeline for me to spend a few minutes photographing them so that you can remember them! Note: Sometimes it isn’t possible for me to photograph these if your ceremony and reception sites are separate and the guests will be arriving before I do. However, I always do my best to photograph these details even if guests are present.

This is immediately after the ceremony, when you greet all your guests as they head to cocktail hour. I typically encourage my clients to NOT have a receiving line as they can take longer than you think depending on how many guests you are inviting. Think about it like this: You invite 150 guests and you spend only 10 seconds greeting each guest. That right there is already 25 minutes that you’ve spent greeting, and that’s only 10 SECONDS per guest!! They also take away from portrait time between the ceremony and reception ending, which isn’t good if we already have limited time to photograph your family, bridal, and couple portraits!

Bonus Tip: Instead, during your reception, take time after you eat to walk to each table to greet your guests.

Make sure to incorporate time into your day to eat snacks, have meals, and have water available at all times. It’s easy to skip these things due to your nerves or feeling too busy. But it’s super important for your health and stamina, since you will be using a lot of energy throughout the day!

Wanna go out with a bang? Some couples end their night officially with sparklers, bird seed, eco-friendly confetti, bubbles, or even fireworks! These are all fun ways to wrap up your special day and make for a great “conclusion” in your photos. I suggest doing something that creates light (like sparklers) if you are doing it in the dark, so that I am able to photograph it without it being completely dark! Note: If you choose sparklers, make sure to purchase ones that are a couple feet long, so that they burn longer! If you purchase the shorter ones, by the time the last person has lit theirs, the first persons will most likely be burnt out already!

Bonus Tip: Don’t want to do an official exit but want to incorporate one of these into your wedding day? Consider doing it immediately after your ceremony ends (guests can throw confetti as you walk up the aisle together). Another option is having your guests line up outside after your ceremony. You can then walk through the line of people as they shower you with bubbles, bird seed, or confetti (see first image at the top of this page).

Consider booking an engagement session with me if you haven’t already. This is a great opportunity for you to experience working with me before your big day. It may help eliminate stress and get you comfortable with how I work. Even if you don’t book one, we will still make awesome images on your wedding day! :)