The BRIDE GUIDE
This is the GO-TO guide for my brides!
Everything you need to know for your big day!
THE TIMELINE
After booking, I’ll be sending out a wedding questionnaire. This is the first step of creating your timeline. (please have this filled out within 5 months of your wedding date.) After this is filled out, we’ll meet or have a zoom call and discuss in detail what you’re looking for. We should have this call when you have a ROUGH timeline from the venue - when is the ceremony, cocktail hour & reception start/end times.
The key with your timeline is to always leave some extra time and don’t cram in too much in a tight schedule. Always leave some wiggle room, always.
Here is a sample timeline I’ve created to help guide your day! This is a timeline example WITH a first look/touch.
BRIDE
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Try to have all these gathered & ready for the photographer when I arrive.
Invitation suite
Shoes
Ring(s)
Ring box (If Available)
Jewelry (bracelets, earrings, necklace)
Hair pieces
Vows, Letters or BOTH
Perfume -
Take off your Apple watch.
There, I said it! Take it off. Take it off at least 1 month prior to your wedding.
Simple tip that makes a huge difference.
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These are “best practices” if POSSIBLE to include & keep in mind:
1) If there are any textured / sentimental details that you love that you feel like would make great accent items to your detail shots then feel free to have those ready to go too. (lace, fur, miniature plants, anything “sentimental”. I’ll come equipped with accents, this is just if there is something you love or has sentimental value.)
2) Please have your dress on a cute hanger. If you didn’t buy one specifically for it, that’s okay! Any nice wooden hanger will do just fine (We want to avoid the plastic hanger)
3) I love to incorporate floral in my detail shots. (here’s where you may want to reach out to your FLORIST.)
If at all possible, I love to include the brides bouquet. The most ideal thing is to have the bouquet AVAILABLE at the bridal suite when the photographer arrives.
GROOM
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Try to have all these gathered & ready for the photographer when the photographer arrives. (Brides, its a great idea to throw these all in a box or bag of some sort & give it to your Groom, or the most trusted Groomsman)
Shoes
Bowtie or tie
Tie clip
Pocket square
Watch
Cuff links
Vows or letters or BOTH. -
The Groom AND Groomsmen should be showered and shaved for the photographers arrival.
Give the groomsmen a copy of the timeline (at least the morning) so they know when to be ready.
They DO NOT (& honestly, should not) need to be in their suit/tux, but they should be “presentable”. We will do some “fun & before” photos then get in their tux.
If you are doing any sort of “entrance” for your groom and groomsmen (think, game day fit) style, please let your groom know & have tux bags as well.
Make sure to be intentional about your getting ready location.
It can define the whole mood & feel of your photos. Try to keep garbage & wrappers away, eat in a separate area (or be mindful of how you display the food) and try to designate an area (preferably by lots of large windows) that we will take photos in.
What I’m getting at is -
generally getting ready spaces are smaller, maybe hectic & there’s a lot of “stuff” (all to be expected) - Try to be intentional with the space 🤍
The GETTING READY space
THE CEREMONY
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Try to avoid MIDDAY for ceremonies. Choosing a time a bit later in the day, when the sun is a little lower and not right over our heads, can create some beautiful landscape photos, and flattering skin tones. The ideal time would be about 2-3 hours before sunset.
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When positioning your outdoor ceremony think of this. The sun should be setting behind the officiant. When the sun is behind the officiant, then the bride, groom and whole wedding party are not facing the sun. If the ceremony is facing the sun it will then cause everyone to have squinted eyes, and harsh face shadows, which can be really unflattering. Essentially, make sure the sun is setting behind you.
& MAID OF HONOR, it’s your time to shine (one of them, anyway!) - Its your job to have the officiant move for the first kiss! Make sure they take just a small step towards you, so the bride and groom get their solo first kiss! -
Consider having an unplugged (or version of unplugged) ceremony.
This is going to ruffle some feathers, I know it - but its worth it.
I just cannot recommend this enough. So many times, cell-phones, iPads, & other flash-cameras are lining the wedding aisle in the photos & there’s just not enough photoshop in the world to correct it.
I highly recommend having the officiant announce in the beginning of the ceremony “this is the time to take your phone out and take a photo. After this moment, the bride and groom request that you be present with them in the biggest moment of their lives” or some version of this - explaining that the guests that were invited mean so much to the bride and groom, and you would love to have them present with you during this moment.
This is a version of an unplugged ceremony but gives the guests a moment to capture their photo of you for their memories! It honestly works so well, everyone is present and with you, plus when you get the photos of your families reactions to your vows… they won’t have a phone covering half their face!
PHOTOS & PHOTO LISTS
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This is short, sweet & to the point.
The day is about YOU. That means it’s crucial to set aside AT LEAST an hour for JUST YOU & THE GROOM photos. These are the ones you’ll hang in your home, these are the ones that will fill your albums.
So when we’re making your timeline, let’s set aside at least an hour for me and you to be together!
I also want to touch on one more thing. BRINGING THE DRAMA TO THE PHOTOS.
If you give me 20 minutes after sunset, when the sky has gone dark.. to bring out the flash & take some backlit, dramatic photos - give me 1-2 photos - you will NOT be disappointed. These might be the ones you love the most. — It’s just something to think about.
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This is grandma and grandpa’s favorite part of the day. Undoubtably, they are wonderful photos to look back on, some of everyone’s favorites and the one’s that will get hung in families homes!
But, the truth is.. this is not the Bride and Grooms favorite part of the day. So understanding how to make this as seamless as possible is a MUST. We generally, at most, have 30 minutes to complete this portion of the day.
IF POSSIBLE: Please provide a list (I will attach a sample) in questionnaire (I will send this to you) of the formal family photos you/your family wants. I hand this directly to my assistant, she will prepare everyone in a line, so we can jump in and jump out around the bride and groom.
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I will send a BLANK template questionnaire to you 3 months before your wedding. Please return 2 months before your wedding.
COUPLE:
BRIDE+GROOM+GROOMS PARENTS (Jen & Garry)
BRIDE+GROOM+BRIDE PARENTS (Mike & Kelly)
BRIDE+GROOM+BOTH PARENTS
BRIDE+GROOM+BRIDE GRANDPARENTS (Bob & Sally)BRIDE:
BRIDE+MOM (Kelly)
BRIDE+DAD (Mike)
BRIDE+SISTER (Lauren)
BRIDE+BROTHER (Tom)
BRIDE+FULL FAMILY (Mike, Kelly, Tom, Lauren, Bob & Sally)GROOM:
GROOM+MOM (Jen)
GROOM+DAD (Garry)
GROOM+SISTER (Londyn)
GROOM+BROTHER (Crosby)
GROOM+FULL FAMILY (Jen, Garry, Crosby, Londyn) -
When we have our call or meet at the venue, we need to talk about any “specialty shots” you want or maybe some fun ways to make your day unique.
Some of the things to think about are First Looks, Letter Readings, First Touches, Sparkler Exits, Bubbles exit for the church, matching robes for brides, Game day FIT entrance for the groom & groomsmen.
OR, any pranks you want to pull (think best man shows up for first look or the Bride ICEs the groom; a little old school example, but you get the idea.)
The possibilities are endless.
THE RECEPTION
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This is it Your first announcement as husband and wife in front of ALL your friends and family!
Just before this moment is when I’ll be shooting all your reception details & possibly doing a room shot with you and your groom.
Here’s what’s important —
Please communicate with your wedding planner and/or DJ to turn off any colorful lighting, strobe lighting, and any other distracting lighting that they plan to use during the reception. And to ONLY leave on the warm, ambient lighting for the entrance, first dance, any special parent dances, and during cake cutting (really any special “reception” event)
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Feeding your photographers (really, all your vendors):
I’ll have myself, a second shooter & most likely an assistant with me. SOME venues will feed us first & that is ideal. Talk to your wedding planner, coordinator or venue about this - because if we get served dinner last, we’re surely going to finish eating dinner last which means you may be waiting on (all) your vendors to eat before you can proceed.
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Everyone wants a photo with you & if they weren’t important to you, they wouldn’t be there so let’s make sure you get a photo with them.
I can’t recommend this “everyone photo” method enough. It’s become quite the trend and for good reason.
HOW IT WORKS:
We put the Bride and Groom in the middle of the dance floor, you have the DJ play a really fun, upbeat song & have the DJ call each table up 1 by 1. It’s more of a race, race to you, photo, race back to table. BUT, you get a photo in a really fun way with EVERY guest at your wedding. We get some really creative and fun photos this way. It’s one of my favorite new trends!
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IF you’re doing a sparkler exit - this section is for you!
It takes about 15 minutes to coordinate and requires some prior warning. Let your guests know, just by word of mouth, that you’re doing this!Don’t worry, this one is fun. Just follow my lead & I got you!
You want 10-12” sparklers, at least! Not the short ones & have multiple lighters so whoever is lighting them, can go quicker! We need to get you in those sparklers before they go out!
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If your venue doesn’t allow sparklers but you want a special exit? Let’s make it special! Theres so many options, a final dance with confetti, streamer exits etc.
We will make it special for you
THE LAST TOP-NOTCH TIP
BE IN THE MOMENT. That’s the biggest tip to remember. The rest of this is just a guide, from someone in the industry, to help make your day go smoother. But at the end of the day - be in the moment and I’ll capture it.
This is your wedding. Not your parents, not your grandparents, not Aunt Sally or Uncle Billy’s chance to relive their wedding. It’s yours.
How do you both envision starting the rest of your lives together? It’s all about the moments, and the LOVE you two share & I’m here to tell your story in photographs to live on for years to come.
