How to Get the Most Out of Your Wedding Photos (And Spend Time with Your Family and Friends)

If you’re like most couples out there, it’s probably important for you to get all of the photos you want of your wedding day. 

The big and small, seen and unseen, and candid and emotive moments.

But how would you feel if I told you that your photographer will be in your face the entire day? Or leave you feeling exhausted from the non-stop pictures they’ll force you to take?

Will your photos even be worth it if you don’t experience the moments you want captured?

If you’re like most of my couples, you and your fiance want to spend ample amounts of time celebrating with your friends and family. As you should. And you want the process to be easy and flow naturally—all without having to feel like the paparazzi is stalking you.

Is this even possible?

Absolutely. With me as your photographer, anyway. 

This is because I keep your priorities top of mind when creating your photography timeline. And you’ll never feel like the paparazzi are at your wedding because I remain unobtrusive - quietly capturing the photos you’ll want to look back on decades from now. 

So let’s talk a little more about the importance of the wedding day timeline. And how it helps you get the most out of your photos.

Why is having a wedding day timeline important? 

A timeline is like a recipe. It has all the ingredients and steps written out. It shows you precisely what you need to do and when you need to do it. 

So, just as a recipe will tell you how to make a cake or casserole, a customized wedding timeline will show you (and your other vendors) the what, where, and when of everything that will happen. 

A timeline is also a huge resource for your photographer. Specifically, it helps us understand what’s important to you. 

For instance, if you prefer the quiet energy and atmosphere of getting ready versus party pics on the dance floor. Or if getting pictures out of the way by doing a first look is more important than sticking to tradition if it means you get to enjoy cocktail hour with your guests. 

A wedding timeline also keeps things compartmentalized and running smoothly. Instead of leaving things up to chance and risking the day revolving around photography, we can carve out pockets of time to get the essential photos like family formals. 

What happens if things get off track? 

Sometimes weddings run late. If it does happen, it’s usually at the beginning of the day with hair and makeup. Or occurs during family photos. 

But when you have an experienced photographer who is quick on their feet, it’s really no big deal. Why? Because they know how to pivot, work quickly, and have usually built a buffer in your timeline for when things run behind.

Other unexpected things can happen too, like rain. So if we need to, we’ll find an indoor space to get the portraits you want (which I’ll have already planned out). Or we’ll wait until the rain passes. Which usually in Colorado doesn’t take too long.  It’s your choice! Either way, we’ll get photos without gobbling up too much time.

Helping You Create a Foolproof Wedding Day Timeline

Want to know a secret?

To make sure you get photos with beautiful, natural light, build your wedding day timeline backward, starting with your ceremony. 

Ultimately, your ceremony is the whole reason everyone is there - to see you get married. And because it usually happens right around sunset, it’s a determining factor when it comes to light.

And if you need help deciding when to hold your ceremony, I recommend about an hour before sunset time (which you can easily look up on Google.) This way, we can take advantage of as much of the golden hour light as possible.

From there, I help my couples build their timeline based on what’s important to them. Then, we’re able to determine what photos we’re able to get throughout the day. 

About two weeks before the wedding, we’ll hold a final meeting either in person or over the phone. During this meeting, we’ll thoroughly review the timeline together and go over any other details/questions/suggestions/etc. So that I know with absolute certainty what I need to focus on throughout the day.

One last thing 

Unfortunately, some photographers make the day about them. They control the schedule and the moments and movements of the day. And in the end, your photos are a contrived look from their point of view. 

Unlike other photographers, I take a fly-on-the-wall approach. Which means your moments are captured authentically and naturally with ease. I’ll be there to step in when you need me. But, ultimately, the day revolves around you - even if that means getting off schedule.

If working with me sounds like something you’re interested in, reach out and say hello.