Wedding Guide
It’s Official!
YOU GUYS!!! I am so incredibly excited and honored that you have chose me to photograph your wedding day! I know this decision was tough, and important. I promise to be your person that you can run to with any questions, ideas, or to help during this wedding planning process.
My promise is to give you a one of a kind experience. I want to help you turn your dream wedding ideas into a plan and reality. Along with giving you some amazing photos that you will love years down the road.
So, you're planning a wedding...
Now What?
You can count on me to be your hype woman that is able to help you feel calm during the planning process and on your wedding day. You can count on me to care about your feelings during the process and on your wedding day.
Throughout planning you will receive emails with tips and tricks from me, along with check in and questionnaires!
Then about a month before your wedding day we will get together either over the phone or in person to solidify your mock family shot list and your wedding day timeline!
You may be hiring me as your photographer, but you can count on me to be your big sister, personal attendant and cheerleader. My promise is that you will be heard and understood.
Vendor Recommendations:
These may vary depending on where the wedding is taking place, but I have some staple vendors that I always enjoy working with local to the area that I live.
Let me know if you need anything other idea for vendors!
FAQs
Q: What is your turnaround time?
A: my turnaround time for an engagement session is 4-5 weeks. The turnaround time for a wedding day is 7-9 weeks.
Q: How many images can we expect from our engagement or wedding?
A: I don’t limit the amount of photos that I deliver because I want to give you all of the best photos that tell your story! For an engagement session I typically delivery 100-150. For a wedding day, you can expect about 50-100 images per hour shot.
Q: How do we pick photo locations?
A: It’s really cool when couples make the experience unique to them and their relationship. We can stay local, choosing a place that you two frequent quite a bit, we can head to the mountains, or head to some body of water! Choose what will best share your love story.
Q: How do you deliver photos?
A: I delivery photos through an online gallery which has all of the high resolution photos taken from both of your engagement session and the wedding day. This online gallery provides an easy link that you can send to your family and friends. It also has an add to cart option that you can buy your images and have them mailed to you! I will give you a print release for the photos so you can have them printed anywhere, but it is nice to have both options of adding to cart and printing where you want.
Q: What if it rains on our wedding day?
A: Rain doesn’t worry me at all! I will be checking the forecast leading up to the wedding day and if it looks like there will be some rain, just come prepared. There are some darling clear umbrellas you could have on your wedding day. My biggest advice is to just embrace the rain. It isn’t ideal, but I encourage you to stay positive and know that your pictures are still going to turn out amazing. We can even end the night dancing in the rain!
Q: Can we share our images to social media?
A: I would love it if you shared your images on social media! Just make sure you tag me @madison.michelle.photography
Wedding Timeline Examples
8 hour coverage
1:00
1:30
2:00
2:30
3:00
4:00
4:30
5:45
6:00
6:45
7:30
8:00
9:00
detail photos
getting ready
first look / couple photos
wedding party
family
ceremony
cocktail hour
grand march
dinner
speeches
sunset photos
first dances
photographers done
10 hour coverage
detail photos
getting ready
first look / couple photos
wedding party
family
ceremony
cocktail hour
grand march
dinner
speeches
sunset photos
first dances
photographers done
11:30
12:00
1:30
2:15
3:00
4:00
5:00
5:50
6:00
7:00
7:45
8:30
9:30
1
Delegate someone to be your go to person! This is the person that if anyone has a question they go to that person rather then to you! They can also be in charge of your phone. You don’t need to be handling the questions of others on your wedding day.
Tips for you!
2
Pack a wedding day emergency kit! Hope for the best day ever, but it is always good to have back ups! You never know what will happen
3
Be present during your day! Majority of the time the day will go by so fast and it can be hard to be present. Don’t stress over the little things that you can’t control. Embrace the day as it comes and make it the special time full of memories you and your loved ones will cherish forever.
4
Assign someone to get content of your wedding day. It is such a blast to be able to have little clips of video on your phone of your wedding day! Have that person be in charge of getting small clips throughout the wedding day and at the end of the night have them airdrop everything over to you and your partner!
First Look vs Traditional
First look or no first look? This is one of the most asked questions I receive as a wedding photographer. It is definitely a tough question since there a benefits to both.
Benefit of no first look: you get to have that special moment of seeing each other as you walk down the aisle and see each other for the first time. You will get more time to get ready.
Benefit of a first look: Sometimes it can be difficult to showcase emotion in front of a bunch of people. By choosing to have a first look you get to let the emotions fall naturally, and you can have more time together to be uninterrupted vs. just after the ceremony and during the reception.
Ceremony:
When planning an outdoor ceremony, be mindful of the weather that is typical for your chosen date, and have a backup plan in case of rain or extreme temperatures. When choosing a ceremony time be considerate of the sun's position at the time of the event. Avoid spots with uneven lighting or where you will be facing the sun directly. If possible, choose a location based on the sun's position during that season and time of day. If you have mobile impaired grandparents be considerate of accessibility for them. Additionally, consider potential noise levels at the ceremony location.
These are just some factors, to take into account will help ensure a smooth and enjoyable outdoor ceremony.
The Detail:
Please prepare a box full of all the details that you might want in a flat lay. By having everything in one box it makes it so easy for me to grab the box and shoot it when I get there. Sometimes when things aren’t all together it can be stressful and take time to gather everything. This could include both sets of rings, invitations, shoes, tie, boutineer, jewelry, etc.
Getting Ready Space:
When choosing a getting ready location there are a few things to consider. Choose a spacious room to accommodate everyone comfortably, including the bridal party, hair and makeup artists, and photographers. Opt for a room with plenty of natural light, which is ideal for makeup application and photos. If there isn’t enough natural light, do not worry! I have enough experience to find the right light.
Ensure there are enough mirrors, including full-length ones, for everyone to see themselves clearly while getting ready. Double check that the space is well-ventilated and has air conditioning or heating, depending on the weather.
For the hair and makeup, along with your bridal party, make sure there are plenty of electrical outlets for hair tools, phone chargers, and other devices. Having extra power strips can be helpful.
If the space doesn’t have a lot of hanging opportunity, using garment racks for dresses and suits, and have a designated area for accessories, shoes, and other items is a great idea.
Don’t forget to provide snacks and beverages to keep everyone energized and hydrated. Avoid messy foods that could stain clothing. Have an emergency kit on hand with essentials like safety pins, sewing kit, stain remover, tissues, pain relievers, and breath mints.
Don’t forget to have someone tasked with brining a speaker and playing music while you are all hanging out and getting ready together. Play calming or upbeat music to create a positive and relaxed atmosphere.
These are just a few things to consider for your getting ready space.
Things to include in a WEDDING DAY Emergency bag:
tweezers
bobby pins
hair tires
eyelash glue
travel lotion
hairspray
chapstick
baby wipes
makeup remover
tide to go pen
breathe mints
white chalk
tissues
floss
deodorant | spray or stick
fashion tape
sewing kit
static guard
lint roller
baby powder
advil
bandaids
super glue
clear nail polish
q-tips
safety pins
Tips
Make a fun playlist of songs to play while you are getting ready! This will help you enjoy the moment and it is also great to have to look back on years down the road to have those songs take you right back to that moment.
Plan fun gifts to give to your party. This is the perfect time to get those fun photos.
Think outside the box with doing fun things at this time with your girls or guys.
Family Photos
Sometimes family photos can be daunting and exhausting to think of all the different pairings that could possibly happen. About a month before the wedding I will send you a fully detailed out family shot list, but for now here are some pairings to help you potentially think about. When in doubt focus on bigger groupings, those ones are more than likely the ones you would hang on your wall.
Bride & bride’s parents
Bride & Groom, Bride’s mom, bride’s dad
Bride & Groom, Bride’s mom, Bride’s dad, Bride’s siblings
Bride & Groom, bride’s grandparents
Bride & Siblings
Bride & Groom, bride’s siblings
Groom & Groom’s parents
Bride & Groom, Groom’s parents
Bride & Groom, groom’s dad and stepmom
Bride & groom, groom’s mom and step dad
Bride & Groom, Groom’s parents, groom’s siblings
Sunset Photos
I am all for sunset photos. One because I am a lover of a good sunset, but the biggest win for sunset photos is to take a break from being “on,” and getting to spend some quality time together. This is a beautiful time to get some quality time with your spouse and to step away from the pressure of entertaining during your reception.
I hope you found this wedding guide helpful as you begin planning.
Do not hesitate to reach out of you have any other questions or have ideas you want to brainstorm.
Email: madison@madisonmichellephotography.com
Insta: @madison.michelle.photography