PHOTOGRAPHY TIMELINE

YOUR WEDDING

Photography Timeline

There is nothing better than looking back on photos full of stories, emotion, and memories from your wedding day. However, without a proper understanding of how photography interacts with your wedding timeline, you risk running behind in your schedule, leaving your guests unattended, and missing out on the photos you want most. Today I want to give you tips for planning your wedding timeline in a way that will maximize your photography and help get you the images you want most.

Plan more time than you think you need.

Many weddings have some aspect of their day take longer than expected. Plan extra time in your schedule and know that things might take a little longer than you thought. Plan extra time for travel, for hair and makeup, for extra portraits with the best light of the day. Give yourself buffers throughout the day to help you relax and not feel pressured. By Rob Jinks

I also suggest that my clients be done with any official photos 30-45 minutes before the ceremony. Downtime is important, your wedding isn’t all about photography and you need time to rest, enjoy the day, and be with your friends and family.

To first look or not?

An important question to ask is, should I have a first look or should we see each other for the first time at the ceremony? While I love the tradition of not seeing each other until the ceremony, there can be some big benefits to a first look. Seeing each other before allows you to capture images with each other, your bridal party, and family before the guests arrive, giving you more time to spend with your guests at cocktail hour. Just make sure you aren’t missing out on…

that means a first look would have to take place roughly between 2:00 and 3:00 p. m. Afternoon summer sun is high in the sky, casting deep shadows under the eyes and overall giving you unflattering light. Good photographers can work in any lighting condition to give you amazing images, but it can be helpful to plan some of your photography to happen during the best light of the day. Check when sunset will be on your wedding and try to schedule time during the hour or two before sunset, when the light is at a lower angle, to capture portraits together.

If your photographer is up for it, leave a few minutes to capture a night portrait during the reception. Taking a few minutes to capture photos with starts or city lights can give you very unique images and will give you a few moments rest before going back to the party.

Coordinate with all vendors.

If you don’t have a wedding planner, simply send out a timeline to all of your vendors to get everyone on the same page. I typically send out my schedule to all the vendors after talking with my clients two to three months before the big day. My biggest priorities are to talk with your hair and makeup artist to confirm when you need to be ready for photos, and with the DJ or band to understand the flow of the reception.

Let it all go.

Know that no matter how much you plan, not everything will go exactly how you thought, and that is ok! Find someone else who can push the day forward, don’t try to be the coordinator. Forget about the details and let it happen. Soak in every moment and focus on being present with your friends, family, and your spouse-to-be!

I hope this helps you get started on your wedding day timeline! Should you have any further questions feel free to reach out to me via at rob@robjinksphoto.com or on Instagram at @robjinksphoto, or visit robertjinksphotography.com. I am here to help!

Notes

Your wedding adventure isn’t truly complete until the last thank you note has been dropped into the mail. We all know how important it is to be gracious and show wedding guests that we appreciate them! As couples tackle the task of writing notes of gratitude, it is important that they avoid a few possible etiquette mistakes.

Most Common Thank-You Note Mistakes:

I get it. You’re busy. After you get married, your life usually goes through a lot of changes. First you’ve got the honeymoon. That’s at least two weeks. Maybe you’re moving in together or to a different city altogether.

It matters not. You have to find the time to get those thank you notes in the mail. Your guests bought you gifts, and helped to make your special day special. Sending out your thank you notes needs to be at the top of your priority list. How long is too long? Emily Post says three months, and I’m inclined to agree with her. If you can’t get it done in three months, you’re not busy, you’re putting it off. You don’t want Aunt Patty looking down her nose at you come Christmas time. Just get it done.

Not Personalizing Them

I understand the temptation. At one point it seemed like a good idea to invite 400 people, but now that you have 400 thank you notes to write… not so much. By Lisa Beth Miller pasta maker they got you. Make sure your spouse is sharing the load, and it won’t take too long.

Not Handwriting Them

You may not have touched a pen in years, but you’re going to have to pick one up for your thank you notes. It’s OK if your handwriting hasn’t improved since 5th grade. It just needs to be legible.

Why is hand writing your note so important? Simply put, hand writing is more personal. I still keep every handwritten letter that I receive. You can glean so much more by looking at someone’s writing. You can see the patience and care that went into the note.

Thank you notes may be the last remaining form of communication where handwriting is important and necessary.

Forgetting Someone

No one likes to be forgotten. If Jack and Jill Jones gave you the box set of The Office for your wedding, your thank you note to them needs to read “Dear Jack and Jill Jones”. If it just reads, “Dear Jack Jones,” don’t be surprised if Jill starts skipping out on your dinner parties.

Unlike the rest of the faux pas on this list, this one usually occurs by accident. But, accident or not, you want to avoid it at all costs. It would be better to not send a note at all, than to omit someone who cared enough to attend your wedding and buy you a gift.