We’ve seen many, many weddings and can help guide you to making a timeline that will result in a stress-free day for everyone involved (and maximum photo time!).
Include us in creating your timeline as early as you can. Our only goal is for you to have the very best wedding you can - one that allows ample time for the things most important to you, so you never feel rushed.
From the beginning. We often craft a (very) preliminary basic timeline with our clients the first time we speak with them. During the planning process, everything shifts around, but it’s helpful to have a starting point. Also, remember that once you set a ceremony time, your ability to make other schedule changes becomes limited. Since ceremony time is one of the first decisions you will make regarding timeline, make sure you consult with your wedding vendors before deciding!
There are so many variables that affect your wedding schedule. Some of them are obvious (sunset time, ceremony length), but you probably won’t think of others unless you work in the wedding industry (the number of cousins you have, whether your gown has a corset back, if you think you will be hungry by 7pm, etc). Our team has spent years crafting schedules with our clients and we want to help ensure you leave plenty of time for the things most important to you, whether that means tons of family portraits with your grandmother, or a fun champagne toast with your bridesmaids.
Your wedding planner! Most of our clients do work with planners and we love that. A great planner is worth their weight in gold, as they can help you avoid costly mistakes and take loads of stress off your shoulders (ask us if you need a referral to a great planner). We often start discussing timeline with our clients and planners many months before the wedding, and when we do so, the day flows smoothly and we are able to do our best work for you.
Timeline
A stress-free day is a well-planned day, and we will go over all the details and make sure we have everything we need. In our downtown studio or over the phone, you will leave your final meeting knowledgeable and confident in your timeline and photo list.
While we talk about your timeline throughout the process, everything comes together at our final meeting (which, while not very creatively named, is in fact often our final meeting before your wedding). In person or over the phone, we do these about a month before your wedding. This meeting lasts about an hour and we lead you through every question we have found we could possibly need to know the answer to in order to do our very best work for you on your wedding day. Schedule, photo list, must takes - we cover it all!
Nothing! Everything you need to know is in your brain. We will lead you through everything, and by the end of the meeting all those small questions that were lingering will have been answered.
Nope. At your final meeting, we will ask a series of (many, many) questions and craft a shot list together. After the meeting, we will share the list with you so can make sure it’s exactly what you want.
One timeline, one meeting, one studio! This is one of the greatest benefits of using the same studio for photo and video - we work as a team and make sure the schedule we create optimizes time for both photo and video. You don’t have the burden of managing two separate vendors, contracts, and companies!
A huge benefit of having timeline conversations with us early and often is that it can help you answer questions that might seem unrelated to your photography. We can help show you how your wedding day will flow while you still have time to make changes.
They certainly can, but there are lots of ways to craft a beautiful schedule without one. I suggest keeping an open mind about this, and deciding once you get an idea of what a wedding timeline would look like both ways. If you are 100% sure you don’t want to do a First Look (or vice versa!), then let us know as soon as possible so we can work from a timeline that will work for you.
More than anything, it’s a mistake to assume something is going to happen, just because it seems likely. Do you want to take a group photo with your work friends? Then put it on the schedule! Your wedding day will be a whirlwind. If you tell us about any must-take photos, then we will make sure to remind you on your wedding day and carry that burden for you. Don’t assume that things will “just happen,” as you will inevitably be disappointed if they don’t, and we can’t prevent this by planning ahead!
You can, but you don’t have to! If you have one or two photos that you adore, then please show us and we will do the best we can to recreate them. If you have a Pinterest board of 100 wedding photos you love, share that too! While we won’t be able to recreate so many, it can be helpful in giving a general idea of the types of photos you like the most. However, there is no pressure to scour the internet for wedding photos. You hired us because you like the work you see us create, and we are very comfortable taking control and letting our creativity flow!
Aislinn chats about creating a timeline early, family portrait lists, and must-take photos!
