Timing is everything: Wedding Timelines.

They say timing is everything, no? It is. And especially on your wedding day. There are so many things to include, and the biggest mistake I see is when couples don’t allot enough time for photographs. Your wedding photographs are documenting your love on the most important days of your lives, and will forever become heirlooms, and if photographs are important, then they need to be a priority in the schedule.

On a few rare occasions I have been allotted ten minutes for photographs with the bride and groom, and I photographed them to the best of my ability in the very limited time I had. There was no time to absorb the location, seek better lighting, or put the couple at ease while in front of the camera. I had to complete their photos, right then and there. And although the images came out well, imagine what could have been done with more time. I make images, I make photographs, I make art, and it’s quite difficult to accomplish given such a limited time period.

Most of my clients choose to see each other before hand (some of them here, here, and here) to allow for just that, more time for photographs and to enjoy the cocktail hour with their friends and family, and to relax and enjoy those moments alone on their wedding day. The first look is growing in popularity simply because it’s more practical on a limited time schedule. My couples are scheduling the time for photographs, instead of just squeezing it in between the ceremony and reception. I normally work closely with brides on the schedule, and whether or not you decide on doing the first look, I suggest allotting no less than forty-five minutes alone with the bride and groom, twenty-five minutes for bridal party photos, and twenty minutes for family formal photos.

Click here for a Wedding Timeline sample that you can download and change to fit your day.

And here is a little peek from Chaela and Scott’s wedding right before we walked around downtown Annapolis for forty-five minutes.