Now What? Guide

YOU’VE BOOKED!

Now What?

Weddings can be overwhelming.

***This guide is to offer my advice to help make your wedding run as smooth as possible!***

+ GOLDEN HOUR

+ TIMELINE TIPS

+ FAMILY FORMALS

+ BRIDAL PARTY

+ FIRST LOOK

+ DETAILS

+ FLORALS

+ GRAND EXIT

**+ Now What? Form**

GOLDEN HOUR

You may hear me talk about it from time to time, that magical golden hour! It’s important to your day, but just how important? Let’s just say I build your entire timeline based on it!

It’s always my goal to get you the best photos possible, and this means blocking off about 20-30 minutes during golden hour. This often dictates when your ceremony start time is, and also if you’ll do a first look or not. Or potentially pulling you from your reception really quick!

Please take the time to consult with me before firming up your ceremony start time to ensure we can get you these photos! Below you will find a rough time of when golden hour is, each month in the state of Colorado. Ideally this is when we are taking your bride and groom portraits, so your ceremony start time needs to be based on the times below.

January 4:00 PM
February 4:30 PM
March 5:10 PM / 6:10 Daylight savings
April 7:00 PM
May 7:20 PM
June 7:45 PM
July 7: 55 PM
August 7:35 PM
September 7:00 PM
October 6:00 PM
November 5:20 PM / 4:20 Daylight savings
December 4:00 PM

TIMELINE TIPS

Your timeline is so crucial to actually getting to enjoy your wedding day. I take time with all my couples, even if they have a planner - to calculate the timing to best suit your day! I know most of my couples are unsure of how long things typically take to photograph. In this section I’m going to explain how long they ‘typically’ need and why! Along with sample timelines.

Getting Ready // Allow about 30-40 minutes, please be sure to have all your ‘details’ together for me to photograph straight away (see details section). My suggestion is to have your hair and make-up fully done by the time I get there, that way we can just do touching up photos for ‘getting ready’ shots.

Putting on your dress // Allow 15 minutes for this. Be sure if you want your mom, sister, maid of honor, etc. to help you with this, that they are also fully ready and dressed for photos.

First Look // Allow 20-30 minutes if you’re doing one! I encourage my couples to make it a special moment. Exchange vows, give each other a gift, dance, cry, get it all out! This is more than just getting more photos from me! It’s a special moment for the two of you to be fully alone on your wedding day!

Bridal Party Photos // Allow 30-40 minutes. Depending on how big your bridal party is the time will vary. Also doing a first look will dictate how long these take. If you do a first look, plan on doing ALL the bridal party photos before the ceremony. Please be sure to stress the importance of time to the bridal party, and arriving to photos fully ready and sober.

Ceremony // Typically ceremonies are 30 minutes. This of course varies for each wedding, but
I suggest starting about 5 minutes late to allow for late guests to arrive before you walk down the aisle. I also suggest having an unplugged ceremony to avoid cell phones being in your aisle as you walk down.

Family Formals // 30 minutes max. Family formals can be tricky in that its organizing a LOT of people in a short amount of time. See my family formal section for suggestions!

Bride & Groom Portraits // Ideally these are 25-35 + minutes, during that golden hour time frame. If that time isn’t right after your ceremony/family formals, plan on being pulled from your reception for photos. I aim to do this while your guests are eating so no one notices you are away!

Reception Photos // 2-4 hours. This ranges from wedding to wedding, but my suggestion is, if you aren’t doing a grand exit, then there is really no need to keep me there until the very end. Reception photos are fun, however after about 2 hours, they can become repetitive.

Toasts // I would advise to do toasts AFTER golden hour photos to avoid missing golden hour. Yes, I’ve missed it before due to toasts!

SAMPLE TIMELINES

8 HOUR WEDDING
With First look // Photographer time 1:30-9:30 PM
1:30-2:00 Details/Getting Ready photos
2:00-2:15 Put Dress on
2:20-2:50 First Look
2:55-3:20 Bridal Party Photos (together and separate)
3:25-4:00 Family Photos
4:05-4:45- Freshen up/relax - photographers get detail photos
5:00-5:30 Ceremony
5:35 Sign marriage license
5:40-6:20 Enjoy cocktail hour
6:30 Grand entrance
6:35 Thank you/welcome speech by B&G
6:40-7:00 Golden hour photos in field
7:05 - Eat/Greet tables
7:40 First Dances
9:15 Fake Sparkler Exit
7:30-9:30 Reception photos

8 HOUR WEDDING
No First look // Photographer time 2:00-10:00 PM
2:00-2:30 Details/Getting Ready photos
2:30-2:45 Put Dress on
2:50-3:25 Bridal Party Photos (separate)
3:30-4:00 Family formals (separate)
4:05-4:45- Freshen up/relax - photographers get detail photos
5:00-5:30 Ceremony
5:35-6:00 Family Formals
6:00-6:15 Bridal Party Photos
6:20-6:40 Bride & Groom Photos
6:45 Bustle Dress
6:50 Grand entrance
7:00 Eat Dinner/Greet Guests
7:45 Toasts
8:00 First Dances
8:15-9:45 Reception photos
9:50 Line up for grand exit
10:00 Photographers/guests leave

FAMILY FORMALS

Family formals! Those photos we all want, but let’s be honest...they can be a bit time consuming.

I advise my couples to keep it to 10-12 groupings total (5-6 on each side). This may not sound like a lot, but remember you have your entire reception to get tons of photos with family and friends!

Plan on about two minutes per grouping.

Sometimes it takes longer, sometimes it’s quicker - it really comes down to a few things. Is everyone there and listening? Are purses, drinks, sunglasses all set aside? These are the small things that add up to a lot of time. Prep your family ahead of time to allow these to go as smooth as possible.

Another ‘game changer’ that I suggest to ALL my couples is to compile a list of everyone’s names. I will run down the list, and probably ask a family member to help me recognize faces and get everyone in order!

If you have a family member who needs to be done ASAP, please put them at the top of the list. Please send this to me a week prior to the wedding BY NAME (not just mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, etc. so I can call out names).

SAMPLE FAMILY FORMAL LIST

Bride Side
B&G - Mom & Dad - Shelly & Steve
B&G - Mom & Dad + Siblings - Shelly, Steve , Matt, Anna B&G - Siblings - Matt, Anna
B&G - Grandparents - Howard & Irene
B&G - Grandparents + Cousins - Howard & Irene, Matt, Anna, Tyler, Emma, Chris
Groom Side
B&G - Mom & Dad - Tim & Jenna
B&G - Mom & Dad + Sibling - Alan
B&G - Sibling - Alan
B&G - Grandparents - Ina & Bob
B&G - Grandparents + Cousins - Ina, Bob, Alan, Ian, Christina

B&G with both parents - Shelly, Steve, Tim & Jenna

* Please note that the photographer is not responsible for groupings missed if they are not on a provided list prior to the wedding date.

BRIDAL PARTY

Bridal Party! We LOVE them, thats why you asked them to be apart of your day, right?!

I just ask that they value the time allotted for their photos with you two. Bridal parties can tend to be a little crazy, and it’s SO important to get their photos done quickly so they can go enjoy the day too!

FIRST LOOK

Do You or Don’t You?

I never want my couples to feel pressure either way! I want this day to be about you two.
However there are pros and cons to doing one. I hope this helps you decide what is best for you two as a couple!

PROS
Allows for an intimate moment for just the two of you with no one else
Allows for a more flexible timeline
Allows you to enjoy cocktail hour and more of your reception
More photos in your finished gallery
Allows for private vows, gifts, tears and nerves to get out before the ceremony.
A reaction that your significant other may not feel comfortable giving in front of a crowd

CONS
The ‘walking down the aisle’ moment for the first time seeing each other may feel a little different (but it doesn’t have to!)
If you don’t a first look, a cocktail hour is generally one hour and 15- 20 minutes since I have to do ALL your photos after the ceremony
Dictates a specific time for your ceremony based on golden hour
Less photos in your finished gallery

DETAILS

Detail shots! I always aim to get my couples fun detail photos, however I do need YOUR help to gather these items! Here is a list of details to remember.

Bride

+ Shoes
+ Rings
+ Necklace
+ Earrings
+ Garter
+ Perfume
+ Save the date
+ Invitation
+ Family heirloom
+ Handkerchief
+ Hair accessories
+ Spare florals from your florist (ask for ahead of time!)
+ Pretty hanger for dress (not the plastic one!)
+ Vow books

Groom

+ Shoes
+ Tie
+ Watch
+ Socks
+ Belt
+ Boutonniere
+ Groomsmen gift
+ Family Heirloom

TIP
Put these in a box before your big day, that way when I arrive they are ready to photograph. This is generally the first shot I do!

I have a details box I bring to every wedding. This includes items like: Ring boxes, ribbon, small artistic pieces and fabric. However if there is something specific you want, I would suggest buying it and putting it in your details box for me to photograph.

FLORALS

If you know me, you know I LOVE florals.
Hence the giant floral tattoo on my arm!

My suggestion is to go all out for your bouquet. It’s in SO many photos throughout the day, bride and groom, bridal party, family formals, ceremony...lets just say, it’s in a lot of photos.

TIP
Be sure to specify to your florist the size you want. I hear way too often that bouquets are smaller then they were expecting. Also be sure to have your florals delivered earlier in the day so we have them for ALL the photo before the ceremony.

GRAND EXIT

I get asked often of fun ideas that make for some fun photos! Here are some ideas!
Be sure to check with your venue ahead of time so you know whats allowed, and what’s not!

SPARKLER EXIT!

It’s a classic and I never get tired of photographing them! Be sure to purchase WEDDING sparklers. These sparklers do NOT smoke and can range in times from 1-5 minute burn times. The longer the burn time, the more time we have to get them ALL lit and do some fun photos in the middle of tunnel and at the end!

TIP
We can do this as a ‘fake exit’ at any point during the reception. This allows guests to not be super intoxicated (you laugh, but guests and fire can be risky!). This also allows my end time to be earlier then the official end time for your wedding.

PETAL TOSS!

I love petal tosses. This can be done at the end of your ceremony, or as a grand exit!

TIP
Search “freeze dried rose petals” on Etsy. These are frozen rose petals that won’t brown on the edges. Rose petals are great because they are bigger and photograph the best. Be sure to have the officiant announce to toss petals (I’ve had guests be very confused on what to do with them )