The Timeline Series: Part 1 | Details & Getting Ready

We love sharing tips and tricks for brides to help them make the most of their wedding photography experience! The other day I was brainstorming what we could share and started thinking about one aspect of wedding photography that often brings up a lot of questions… and that is the photography timeline for the day! We create all our brides a custom photography timeline for their wedding day but sometimes there is confusion on exactly what is meant by “detail photos” or “just married portraits” so we thought we should break it down!

What we’re planning is a 10 part series highlighting all the different main photography parts of a wedding day:

Part 1: Details and Getting Ready

Part 2: Getting in the Dress

Part 3: First Looks

Part 4: Bride and Groom Portraits

Part 5: Bridal Party

Part 6: Ceremony

Part 7: Family Photos

Part 8: Just Married Portraits

Part 9: Reception Details

Part 10: Reception

Our goal is to share each part of the timeline and what typically goes on during theses times. We will also go over what we capture and our best tips and tricks for how to get the most out of your photos during these times! We’re also including some favorite photos at the end of the post which may be our favorite part 😉

Details & Getting Ready

First up, Part 1! This is always the first part of the timeline and includes detail photos, photos as you and your bridesmaids are getting your hair and makeup done, and if you and your bridesmaids have matching PJs/Robes we always take a group photo!

Time:

We always give 1 hour to capture this part of the day.

What We Capture:

You may be wondering what exactly we mean by “detail photos”. We always set aside the first part of the day to photograph your dress, shoes, rings, invitation, perfume, and any other sentimental things you want photographed. Typically while Jacqueline does the close detail photos such as the rings and invitations, Laura is photographing the dress and popping in to photograph you and your bridesmaids getting your hair and makeup done. Once everyone is ready, we will get you and your girls together for a group photo in your getting ready outfits!

Tips & Tricks:

#1 Gather all your details together in a box or bag before your wedding day. That way when we get there, everything is in one spot and you don’t have to rush around to find everything. Don’t forget to have all THREE rings gathered (your engagement ring, wedding band, and your groom’s wedding band!).

#2 Have a space cleaned up and designated as the photo spot for the group photo! Whether that’s a bed for y’all all to sit on or a blank wall, having everyone’s stuff cleaned up ahead of time makes for an easy transition (bonus points if its close to a window or in a space with lots of natural light!).

#3 Plan to be ready earlier than you think you need to be. One of the biggest things that causes wedding timelines to fall behind is hair and makeup, so make sure you communicate with your hair and makeup artist what time you need to be ready by!

Side note: We always suggest our couples have at least 8 hours of wedding day coverage and this is why! We want to be able to capture everything for you, from beginning to end! Having these detail photos and getting ready photos tells the story of your day. We blog all our weddings and use these photos to showcase your entire day. If we are creating an album for you these detail photos are perfect for the first page of the album! Here are some recent full wedding days that have been featured on the blog:

Here are some of our favorite detail, getting ready, and group robe photos from this part of the day! Stay tuned for next weeks post… Part 2: Getting in your dress!