Choosing a dress
A lot of our photo and video style comes from movement. When looking at dresses, consider how well you can move in each dress. If your dress is stiff, your photos will be more stagnant. Definitely think about this as you search! Also think about the material, some dresses are like lint rollers that pick up everything they touch on the ground.
We can work with your dream dress and capture it beautifully, no matter what it is!
First looks
We highly recommend you consider adding a first look to your timeline. This recent trend is one of my absolute favorites. First of all, it’s so nice to be able to have a few minutes alone with your person before the ceremony! It also provides a great time to get more portraits of the two of you together on your wedding day. If you do a first look it also means we have the option to do family and bridal party photos before the ceremony, and it’s nice to be able to get those done on a more flexible schedule!
If you’d rather go the traditional route and see each other when you walk down the aisle, that’s great too!
Getting ready
We love getting to be there for the laid back time before the wedding day really starts. We recommend having us come 45 minutes before the wedding dress goes on. That way we have time to get final hair and makeup touches, as well as some details.
It’s a great idea to have someone (not you!) in charge of helping keep the area clean so there’s not clutter in the photos. Also think about the lighting where you’re getting ready. If it’s in a dark space, that will definitely affect your photos. Airbnb can be a great option! Some more modern hotels have great lighting as well.
It makes things much much easier if the guys are getting ready close by!
Ceremony lighting
If you’ll be sealing the deal midday, make sure where you’re standing doesn’t have spotty lighting. Outdoor ceremonies are our favorite, but they do require some extra thought. If possible, have the sun behind where you’ll be standing so you can be evenly backlit. Another option is to wait until closer to sunset when the light is much softer! As long as you have enough buffer time and some time for portraits afterwards.
If you have any questions about ceremony placement feel free to reach out and we can let you know what we think!
Sunset photos
I highly highly recommend prioritizing sunset portraits of the two of you. If you take one thing from this guide, take this! If we can sneak away from dinner or cocktail hour or whatever is happening for just 20 minutes, sunset photos are my favorite. It’s also so special to have time with just the two of you to soak everything in! This small window is usually when my favorite images are created. Most photos you see on my Instagram are from this time.
Group photos
For group photos I recommend having 25 minutes scheduled. In this time I can do immediate family and bridal party. I always do shots with just the siblings and parents.
You are welcome to give me a shot list of group photos you’d like. If you would like photos with people not in your immediate family or bridal party, it’s smart to have someone who knows everyone in charge of the list! That way someone can gather everyone and it goes faster and is less stressful for you.
EXITS
I have such a love for exits! If you aren’t planning on having an exit, another great option is to do an exit from the ceremony. I’ve also had couples have everyone gather around them with sparklers for their first dance!
If you want to do a sparkler exit, make sure you buy the 36” long sparklers! They give us more light to work with and gives you enough time to run through twice! That’s an option many couple choose and that way you get twice as many sparkler photos. If sparklers aren't your thing, we love tossing lavender, flower petals, or confetti as an alternative!