Whilst planning your wedding photography timeline and logistics is something I take total ownership and care of, I find it’s incredibly helpful for my couples to know what to anticipate. This guide is designed to help you optimise your day for the best possible images, without stripping away the real, unscripted moments that make your wedding yours.
Suggested Photography Timeline
A realistic timeline keeps everyone relaxed. Whilst every wedding day is unique, here is a rough breakdown of how much time we ideally might want for each chapter of the day – portrait times are really down to the preference of each couple and the ability of family and friends to help get the formals done quickly and painlessl:
- Details & Getting Ready: 60–120 minutes
- First Look & Couple Portraits: 30-60 minutes
- Wedding Party: 20–30 minutes
- Family Formals: 20–30 minutes (roughly 3 minutes per group)
- Reception Coverage: From your grand entrance to the final exit
Getting Ready
On most wedding days, I first meet up with my brides as they are getting their hair and make-up done. It’s normally a really fun time to document as all the planning of the last few months is finally coming to fruition. There’s sometimes a hint of nerves and there’s often a lot of laughter.
The “Motley Crüe” Rule
I tend to shoot the room as it is to convey the true mood of the day, so if your room looks like backstage at a Motley Crüe gig, that’s what your images will look like.
- The “Clutter Buster”: Assign a bridesmaid, groomsman, usher, or family member to be the official room tidier. About 20 minutes before I arrive, have them do a quick sweep of the room to pop loose rubbish, plastic bags, and luggage into a wardrobe, cupboard, or an adjacent room so your backgrounds stay clean and organised.
- Check the Space Ahead of Time: If you’re getting ready or even just getting into your dress at the church, you might want to have a look at the room you’ll be using ahead of time. You might find that it isn’t the most ornate setting for your images, so it’s worth bearing that in mind. Some brides prefer to put on their dress elsewhere for pictures, even if it means slipping into something else for the trip to the venue.
Chasing the Light
When you’re getting ready, as with all photography, light is really the key to everything. I really do prefer to use available light whenever I can as I prefer the look of a naturally lit scene rather than artificially creating light using flash. I also find flash makes people more aware of the fact they are being photographed, which makes the whole idea of photojournalistic or ‘candid’ photography go straight out of the window.
- Pick a Room with Big Windows: I recommend getting ready in a room with good-sized windows. If they have blinds and/or curtains so we can alter the light in some way, that is even better.
- Sharing Space with Hair & Makeup: If your make-up artist is using some kind of lamp or artificial lighting, I will go with the flow there in order to respect their work. That being said, if you are sitting right next to a window and I think the light it provides is going to add to the quality of the photography, I might just step in and suggest we try using that, at least for a few frames.
- Trust the Process: I do sometimes like to manipulate the light I am working with in order to enhance the images, so don’t be surprised if I draw curtains or block the light in some way. If I do this, it’s purely to complement the mood of the image I am envisioning. I say this more for mums and other people in the room who might think I am a bit crazy. You need to trust me on this one!
Notes on Wedding Day Hair & Makeup
Your hair and make-up trial is the perfect time to experiment, but keep a few photography-specific logistics in mind before you lock in your final look:
Updo vs. Hair Down: Updos are timeless and elegant, but don’t force it if it’s not you. Some brides simply look and feel their absolute best with their hair down. Go into your hair trial with an open mind, try a practice run with your hair stylist, and trust what makes you feel the most confident rather than what tradition dictates.
The “Glossy” Foundation Trap: While a dewy, glossy foundation looks stunning in person, it can easily translate to looking overly shiny or greasy under camera flashes and direct sunlight. Chat with your make-up artist about finding a balance—a satin or demi-matte finish often photographs beautifully whilst keeping that natural radiance.
The “Curtain of Hair” Dilemma: Having tendrils, bangs, or loose pieces of hair framing your face is a gorgeous, romantic style. However, if they hang too low or too thick, they can act like curtains. When you are standing at the altar facing your partner, those pieces can completely obscure your face and expressions from your guests—and my camera. Often, all that’s left visible is a little nose peeking out! Consider pinning those face-framing pieces back just enough so your profile remains clear.
Details
Whilst the girls are getting their hair done, I will spend a short window capturing some of your personal details. If you have been looking at my portfolio or blog posts, you’ll know that my style is far more focused on the real, raw emotions of the day rather than spending hours arranging elaborate, highly styled displays.
Laying out traditional flatlays (those perfectly styled top-down shots of invitation suites and rings) is incredibly fiddly and time-consuming to do properly. On days with a compressed timeline, I prefer not to spend precious time styling these, as I’d much rather be documenting you and your favourite people reacting to the morning.
I absolutely shoot details, but I do them creatively and organically in my own way. However, if styled flatlays are definitely your bag, please ask your wedding planner to lay them out for me ahead of time. That way, I can photograph them quickly and get straight back to documenting the moments that actually matter.
The Detail Box Trick: To help things run smoothly, pop any key pieces you definitely want captured (like your dress, rings, shoes, and a copy of your invitation) into a single shoe box or bag before the wedding morning. When I walk through the door, you can simply hand me the box, and I can shoot them quickly and creatively without interrupting your morning.
The Boys
Most of the time, the guys really want very little interaction with the photographer ahead of time, but there is always a lot of great potential for some cool, documentary-style photographs as the guys hang out and get ready.
I will chat with you about this ahead of time to see what your preferences are, but even 15 to 20 minutes with the guys once they’re in their suits will provide some great photos for the album. Of course, if the guys want to spend more time taking photos, that is great news!
The Attire & Logistics Check
Most guys want a hands-off approach to the morning, but a little preparation prevents a massive rush right before the ceremony.
Fit is Everything: Your partner is going to look absolutely incredible, and you want to match that energy. It drives me crazy when brides spend so much time and effort looking amazing and the guys have ill-fitting clothes. Make sure the groom definitely, and the ushers/groomsmen, have a properly fitted and/or tailored suit or tuxedo (and the same goes for shirts!). There is nothing worse than jackets with cuffs hanging down past the knuckles, or trousers sitting at half-mast. Inspect the fit during your final pickup so you look sharp, feel comfortable, and can move freely on the dance floor.
Learn to Tie Your Tie Before the Wedding Day: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to step in and tie ties for an entire room of guys, or document a groomsman frantically watching a YouTube tutorial on how to tie a bow tie. While checking out a phone screen makes for a funny candid photo, bow ties are notoriously fiddly and can easily throw your entire timeline off if you’re running behind. Practise a few times the week before!
The First Look
I’ve written a pretty in-depth blog post about the pro’s and cons of the ‘first look’ over here. If this is something you’re considering, you might want to give it a read. Here are the highlights:
The “First Look” Cheat Sheet
The Big Wins (Why You Should Do It)
- Lock in the Best Light: Essential for late fall and winter weddings when the sun sets early in Eastern NC. It guarantees beautiful, natural-light portraits before it gets dark.
- Knock Out Family Formals Early: You can get all your wedding party and family group photos out of the way before the guests even arrive.
- Actually Attend Your Cocktail Hour: Because your portraits are already done, you can head straight from the ceremony to your party to mingle, drink, and eat your appetizers.
- Intimacy & Nerves: Gives you a private, quiet moment to connect and watch the wedding day stress instantly evaporate.
The Trade-offs (What to Keep in Mind)
- An Earlier Start: You’ll need to move up your timeline for hair, makeup, and getting dressed to accommodate the pre-ceremony photos.
- Tradition: Traditionalists might prefer the classic reveal at the altar, though seeing each other beforehand doesn’t take away from that walking-down-the-aisle magic.
Family & Group Formals
This is probably the part of the day when we need to be the most organised. We’ll chat through this when we come to planning the day’s proceedings, but I basically ask my couples to put some thought into who they want in each photo so we can get through them as quickly as possible.
Give Your Family a Heads-Up: Inform everyone on your list exactly when and where they need to be for photos. Remind them not to wander off to the bar or the drinks reception area until they’ve been explicitly released by us. A little thought can go a long way into making things run smoother and releasing people as quickly as we can so they can head to the bar!
Create a List Early: Ahead of the wedding, we will build a definitive, structured list of every single family breakdown you want.
Keep it Focused: Try to limit your formal list to immediate family (parents, siblings, grandparents). Extended family photos (custom groups, cousins, aunts, uncles) are usually much easier and faster to capture informally during the reception.
Wedding Portraits
Again, my goal here is to take the pictures for you as quickly and painlessly as possible in order to get you back to the drinks reception to be with your friends and family.
Pre-Wedding/Bridal Sessions: Some couples who want a wider, more relaxed selection of creative images in a gorgeous location without the time constraints of the wedding day will talk to me about booking a dedicated pre-wedding portrait or bridal session.
No Cheesy Posing: We won’t be doing any cheesy shots or poses at this time (unless you want to!), but we will just spend some time together looking for the light and a nice environment for you to interact in naturally. You’ve just got married so there’s plenty to think and talk about together!
The Golden Hour Mini-Session
Even if you choose to do a First Look and finish your portraits before the ceremony, I highly recommend sneaking away for just 10 to 15 minutes right around sunset.
The light at dusk (Golden Hour) is incredibly soft, warm, and romantic. I will keep an eye on the sun throughout the evening and quietly pull you two away between reception courses or during a quick band break. It serves as a beautiful breath of fresh air for the two of you to connect alone, and it consistently yields some of the most stunning images of the whole day.
The Reception
OK, so now it’s time to let your hair down and have some fun.
I’ll chat with you ahead of time and work with the band or DJ to ensure we’re all on the same page with regard to the timeline for dances, toasts, cake-cutting, bouquet toss, etc. That way, you can just relax and enjoy yourselves without having to look at a clock once. Your only job is to live in the moment and have the time of your lives.
