WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY TIMELINE | IDEAL TIMES FOR YOUR ATLANTA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Are you looking for an Atlanta Wedding Photographer who can help you get an idea as to what your wedding day timeline will look like? Most brides and grooms have no idea about a Wedding Photography Timeline because of course you haven’t gone to 300 weddings like we have! There can be a wide variation in cultural aspects of different weddings, so there is no one size fits all wedding timeline template. However there are definitely timelines that are ideal for you to consider for your big day.

Most brides and grooms see beautiful wedding photographs, and automatically want them. However many brides and grooms don’t realize that there must always be time allotted for these photographs to be taken. Beautiful wedding photographs do not happen by accident. They are planned, and time is placed for them.

Wedding Rings, Dress, Shoes, and Detail Shots.

Ideal Time Required: Usually I would spend around 90 minutes total at the Bridal Preparation location. This is plenty if all the girls are on time and nobody is lagging behind, but for the details themselves, 30 minutes is required.

Ideal Time: Ideally this would be done with the photographer undisturbed, during the Bridal Preparations in the morning. It helps if the photographer doesn’t have people peering over their shoulder, so that the creative energy can flow.

Ideal Location: An uncluttered environoment is ideal. Have the room clear of bras and underwear and bridesmaids suitcases and baggage. Often if a room is too cluttered we will remove the dress and take it outside somewhere to get a beautiful artistic photograph.

Preparation Photographs

Ideal Time: As mentioned above, I would normally spend 90 minutes with the bride photographing bridal preparations. However this is including the 30 minutes above spent on detailed photographs. During this 90 minutes I like to capture the start and ends of the hair and makeup, the bride being assisted into her wedding gown, the first time her mother and father see her in her wedding gown.. I actually have another article about the importance of having your parents at your bridal preparations. You can read it here.

Ideal Time of Day: If your ceremony or first look are at 3pm, I would usually need to be on location 30 minutes or more before the bride. so I would spend that total 90 minutes with the bride most likely 12.30-2pm, and then allow drive time to get to the ceremony or first look. Including the detail photographs it’s 90 minutes that I spend with the bride.

Ideal Location: Many brides get ready at their parents home, or a hotel room. With either option you want to make sure that you keep clutter and mess to one corner, so that we have a nice clear space to photograph.

Groom Preparation Photographs

Usually on a wedding day I would spend 45 minutes to an hour with the Groom and Groomsmen. I attend the groom preparation prior to attending the bride. If both Bride and Grooms teams are getting ready at the same hotel but on different floors then I may jump between rooms, but if the groom is at a different location the I go to the grooms place for up to an hour photographing the groom preparation before heading to the brides.

Ideal Time: Ideally an hour plus drive time before I’m due to start at the Bridal Preparation location. It takes guys a few minutes to get ready, so if it’s a hot day they can always strip off again after I leave.

Ideal Time: In the morning, 60 minutes plus driving time before I head to the bride.

Ideal Location: Similar to the ladies, a clutter free room with natural light if available.

FIRST LOOK | BRIDE AND GROOM PORTRAITS

Wedding Party Group Photos

Ideal Time: 60 minutes or longer. Time on a wedding day flies by. These are the images that you will cherish, will blow up on your wall, and will love forever.

Ideal Time of Day: If you have a break of 2 hours between the Ceremony finish and reception start, then this can be done after the ceremony. If you have tight time-frames then the first look and extra time for the bridal party should be considered.

Ideal Location: Here’s the beautiful part. You can choose locations that you love, that mean something to you. Keep in mind some locations may require photography permits at the clients expense. For couples getting married on private grounds for both the Ceremony and Reception, we can do it all on site, or at a location nearby.

Advice: An hour is the minimum suggested time to allocate to have enough time to create both the expected formal photographs of the bridal party, as well as a nice selection of unique, fun, and creative images.

IMMEDIATE FAMILY + FAMILY PORTRAITS

Ideal Time Allotment: 20-40 minutes depending on the length of your list. Be realistic when you make the list.

Ideal Time of Day: Either before or after the ceremony.

Ideal Location: This can be done at the ceremony location, or the reception location. Full shade is preferred but is not essential.

Advice: Your family is important to you and they want to be included on the day. We want to make sure that we are capturing the right people at the right time. Have a guest who might be a cousin on each side in charge of the list of names, so that they can call out to people to get in the images as people are more likely to listen to a familiar voice than to the photographers during the family portrait times.

Ceremony Detail and Venue Photos

Ideal Time Required: 15 minutes.

Ideal Time of Day: Usually 45 minutes before the ceremony begins.

Advice: It’s important for wedding guests to keep the ceremony spot clear until 20 minutes before the bride will be walking in. We like to take these photographs without handbags and coats being left on chairs.

Bride and Groom Portraits

Ideal Time Requirements: 30 minutes to an hour

Ideal Time of Day: Sunset

Ideal Location: Either the Reception Grounds by arriving early, or a location close by. Hotel Room is an option.

Advice: The romantic couples session times with the bride and groom are usually the last things to be done before the bride and groom walk into the reception. It allows us to get some beautiful and intimate captures without having an audience and the distraction of other guests or friends around.

WEDDING CEREMONY PHOTOGRAPHS

Reception Details and Venues

Ideal Time Allocation: 15-20 Minutes

Ideal Time of Day: Before any of the guests have entered the room, but after it’s completely set up.

Ideal Location: Reception Site

Advice: Please allow 30-40 minutes before the reception where there are no guests or vendors in the area. As with the ceremony detailed shots, this is our only chance during the day to capture the atmosphere of your stunning reception area prior to the guests entering.

Wedding Reception Photographs

Ideal Time Allotment: To capture everything at the reception we like to cover the reception from start to finish.

Ideal Time of Day: Reception

Ideal Location: Your Reception can be anywhere. I’ve captured either photography or video or both, at back yard weddings, large reception ball rooms, nightclub environments as well. Your imagination is your limit.

RECEPTION SNEAK OUT PHOTOS

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If you’re looking for an Atlanta Wedding Videographer then you can check out my sister site. www.skysimonefilm.com