If you are reading this, it means you and your significant other are less than a month away from your big day! We can’t wait to share this intimate moment with you. On this page, you will find important information regarding Zach and I’s work flow for your wedding day. Please give this a read, and when you are done, fill out the questionnaire on the bottom of the page!
Here’s a simple overview of our standard wedding day
Pre-Wedding
The week before, I review the pre-wedding questionnaire. I then create a schedule for the day, determining what time we must leave our house, where we will stop along the way for gas, coffee, and snacks, and what time we will arrive home. At this point, I give our dog sitter an idea of when she must arrive and what time to expect us to be home.
The evening before, Zach rotates all the batteries on the charging station in our home office. He performs basic maintenance and cleaning of our gear, such as wiping down the lenses and removing any dust and dirt from the camera bodies.
The morning of a wedding, Zach packs all the gear so it is ready to go. Then we hit the road!
Getting Ready
Typically, the women take longer to get ready than the gentlemen. We try to arrive after the bridal party is already situated and getting ready. During this time, Zach and I take the dress to a discrete location for some detail shots. After that, Zach hangs around the bridesmaid and bride while I create a spread of important items, such as the rings, bouquet, veil, shoes, etc. There comes a point where one or both of us will join the gentlemen for a few shots of the groom tying his tie and putting on his shoes and jacket. We then take a portrait of the groom, if desired.
Next, the bride gets into her dress but does not zip/lace/tie it. We join her (typically in front of a mirror), and her mother, maid of honor, or other important individual will perform the zipping/lacing/tying. If the bride is wearing a veil, we take photos of that as it is placed in her hair. We then take a portrait of the bride, if desired.
Pre-Ceremony
We take approximately fifteen minutes to take some quick shots of the ceremony and reception locations. This gives us the chance to get shots of the décor, cake, and favors before they have been touched by guests. This is the time that a first look or first touch will happen.
Ceremony
Everyone’s ceremony is different, but don’t worry, we pay apt attention to capture all the important moments. This can include things like parents entering, the wedding party walking down the aisle, the groom’s reaction to the bride, the bride being given away, exchanging vows and rings, the first kiss, and the newly married couple coming back down the aisle.
Post-Ceremony
Some couples do a receiving line after the ceremony. Zach and I remain close to document the reactions of your loved ones in this special moment. After the receiving line (or if there is not one), we bring the immediate family of the bride and groom to a pre-determined location for formal photos.
For family photos we typically include the Bride and groom's:
Parents
Grandparents
Siblings
Any children of siblings
Any children of the bride and/or groom
For family photos, we try our hardest to stay close to the ceremony location. We try to finish with grandparents and children first so they may be dismissed as early as possible. It is our philosophy that the bride is included in all the groom’s family photos, and the groom is included in all the bride’s family photos. Weddings are about bringing two people, and therefore their families, together.
After family photos, we steal away the bridal party for group photos. Then we split up: the gentlemen go with Zach, and the ladies come with me. Once we finish with the group pictures, we send the maid of honor and the best man to retrieve the bride and groom some hors d’oeuvres and beverages.
We begin a brief couple's session with a quick break. At this point, we have the freedom to move around a little bit more and get some diversity in photo location.
Reception
Like ceremonies, receptions are different for everyone! Some couples go immediately into their first dance, some wait until after dinner. Some couples do a garter removal and bouquet toss, some decide to do neither! Whatever is planned, we work closely with the DJ to keep an eye on the times of the evening. Before the end of the night, we touch base with the couple to ensure there are no other photos they want. We also inform them of the wait period for their photos as well as a timeline on the final payment.
Post-Wedding
Once we arrive home, Zach begins the upload process. This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Then, the editing process begins! Zach goes through multiple drafts, ensuring everything is perfectly arranged. Before the images are sent out, Zach and I watch a slideshow of your wedding together. After that, it is ready to be given to the newlywed couple!
Other Important Info
Zach and I provide documentary style photography, which means we do as few posed shots as possible. It is our goal to translate your wedding day exactly as it happens into images. Our gear is as minimal as possible, making it easy for Zach and I to blend in as just another couple of guests.
We recommend family and wedding party photos happen after the ceremony. This is the standard, but some couples want to do them before the ceremony. If doing them before the ceremony, I strongly urge you and your significant other to consider a first look. It is really hard to manage keeping the bride and groom separate, and we don’t want to miss out on a genuine moment. It is also really hard to get family all in one spot, which is why doing it after the ceremony is easier. Everyone should already be relatively close by at that point.
Outside of the information requested in the questionnaire, we don’t need to be sent a shot list. Typically, a shot list includes everything that we already know to photograph. We also pride ourselves with easily blending into the crowd, and constantly having to double check a list makes us stick out like sore thumbs!
It can be helpful to assign someone as a photo helper. This person can be a bridesmaid or a family friend, someone who knows the names and relations of the people we need for the formal photos. They can help usher people in and out and make the photo process run smoothly.
We prefer to eat immediately after the bride and groom. Typically, the first event begins when the last person is served- if we are the last person served, we won’t have time to eat! This way, we will be eating at the same time as the wedding party. No one wants photos of themselves eating!
It is really nice to have a place to sit and recoup. Being assigned seats at the reception isn’t something we request, though appreciate greatly when it happens. Some couples choose to have a vendors table, which is an easy way to be sure we are all on the same track.
In our questionnaire, we ask for basic information that will allow me to create the schedule I need for your wedding day. Please be as specific as possible when listing times and locations. Street addresses are very helpful!
