Wedding Photography Timeline
How we work with your wedding day timeline is important. Remember, the day will start early and go extremely quick. Scheduling time for the photographers is crucial for success. Here is a general outline on what to expect through out your day. Light in the early morning and late afternoon is always ideal for photography and the use of off camera lighting will be used for situations that require it.
Keeping the best light in mind, we like to start the day early with the bride in the bridal suite. We use this time to get those detail shots of the dress, shoes, jewelry, and other items that will stand out for the bride. This typically requires about 30 minutes of shooting time.
BRIDE DETAILS: Early Morning in the bridal suite = 30 Mins
Following that bridal detail shoot, we transition right into the bride & groom preparation portion of the wedding day. This is a fun time that all the ladies in the bridal party gather and we can capture the bride and maids coming together with make-up, hair, and the final dress fitting. As for the groom and groomsmen we capture their candid camaraderie and detailed items also. Ideally we ask for another 45 minutes to capture the process for both bride and groom. We realize that during this time these small rooms can be easily over crowded with people and equipment, so we move shooter 2 to the next location...the venue. Once the preparation phase is over and the bride is looking amazing and fresh, we take the opportunity to shoot just a few individual portraits.
BRIDE & GROOM PREP: Early Morning in bridal and groom suites = 45 Mins
The best time to get great images of the venue is in the morning when everything has been carefully set up and there are no guests present. Shooter 2 will focus on getting additional details and the venue itself. This again should be another 30-45 minutes planned.
VENUE SHOTS: Early morning/afternoon = 30-45 Mins
Following the wedding ceremony please allow 45-60 minutes for group shots of family, friends, and relatives. The time frame greatly depends on how many people are present. We will ask for a list of family that is needed in the photos and our assistants will help arrange groups and ensure that the process goes efficiently.
GROUP SHOTS: Following Ceremony/early afternoon = 45-60 Mins
After a short break it is time for the wedding party shots. Wedding party photos consist of the new couple and all the bridesmaids and groomsmen. We have a great time with the groups of friends and allow their personalities shine through. Don't worry we will get a few formal pictures of the line with smiles also. Set aside about 45-60 minutes for this portion of the day.
WEDDING PARTY: Off site/venue = 45-60 Mins
If we were not able to schedule a time for your couple session earlier in the week, late evening on the wedding day makes a great time to stretch those legs and capture you newly weds together for the first time. Followed up with a beautiful shot of the setting sun together. This is a critical time for your package. We ask for 60-90 minutes of uninterrupted time to get all the shots that you will look back on and enjoy.
COUPLE SHOOT: Venue = 60-90 Mins
It's party time! Now you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your night with all in attendance. Well almost, we are all most done with the planned shots. Watch out because more than likely we will at some point perform a "Sneak Out" for one final fine-art session that should last no more that 15 minutes. Keep that in the back of your minds, and we will try and accomplish this during a time most people will not miss you.
SNEAK OUT: Venue = 15 Mins
Whew, that is a lot of shooting! That is not even including the journalistic photos that follow the action wherever it leads us. Please note this is a general idea of how a typical wedding timeline occurs, your situation may dictate necessary changes to that itinerary.
LIGHTS!
Natural light is what we are all about! We set up our cameras to take the best advantage of the clean light that nature gives us. ...but what happens when the light fades or indoors happen? No worries there, we are well equipped to light up the darkest areas to create the best images.
Timing is everything when utilizing sunlight. Shooting in the early morning light is good, full light in the afternoon can cast unsightly shadows and can be a challenge, that is why we prefer to work in what is known as the "Golden Hour". The golden hour is the hour of the day just before the sun goes down & this is where the magic of photography takes place. We follow the golden hour up with the help of speed lights and capture that classic wedding pose of our clients and that amazing sunset.
CAMERA!
Wonderland works with professional Nikon cameras and Nikkor pro lenses to capture your day in the most pure sense. It is also our policy to run dual memory cards to help protect against data errors that might potentially delete hard earned photographs.
Group photos are a must and the stand and say "Cheeeeese" images are great, but we strive for something more that you probably will not find in your friend's wedding book. We accomplish that unique look using, well, your own unique personalities. We like to work around the concept of light and fun. The more fun you are having the better and more natural your photos will be.
ACTION!
We feel the best way to cover a wedding by far is with two shooters. With Wonderland you will always have two experienced photographers included in the basic package. What most couples don't realize is that the photographer is typically the closest to the bride and groom throughout the day. When available, we encourage our clients to utilize our assistants to help accomplish small tasks that will help make the day's transitions flow much easier. When it is all said and done we go the extra mile to help get our clients the best images that they can cherish for a lifetime.
