If you have gotten this far into my series "How To Rock Your Wedding Portraits: The Ultimate Guide to Maximize Your Wedding Photography Investment", I am sure you are learning that wedding planning is A LOT of work. It is my hope that you find these articles useful by establishing realistic AND managing expectations so that you are prepared on your Wedding Day! My other goal is to educate newly engaged couples about what we as a team can accomplish when we work together and you are able to make quick decisions with all the variables in front of you. With that said, read on as I share what I have learned in the past that has worked to make my client’s wedding day seamless - let's dive in!

Working behind the scenes in the Wedding Industry for the past 12 years has taught me a few things:

⟐ Murphy's Law really is a thing

⟐ Preparation and good communication is the key to a successful Wedding Day

⟐ Wedding Day timelines are guided by the Photographers

I know, I know, you weren’t expecting that last bit, and it may even sound a bit confusing. Let me break it down further. Whether you are working with a Wedding Planner, Venue Coordinator, or doing everything yourself, a Wedding Day Timeline is necessary to guide all of the events, including but not limited to: makeup, cake delivery, and reception setup. This list is so long and even more detailed that your entire day will have time allotted specifically for each event. For instance, your ceremony might have time carved out exactly for 30 minutes, but your first dances are for only 10.

With time not being created equal, it is still imperative that the transition to each of these are smooth so YOU don't worry. The last thing you want is to stress out about traffic or a groomsmen showing up late on your wedding day. It happens, and there's no controlling outside factors 100% of the time, but guess what: THAT IS OKAY. Your wedding day will unfold organically even if things don’t go according to plan.

Trying to rush and complete everything within the confines of time creates tension, but I have found that trusting the universe to work its magic, going with the flow, surrendering to being present and in the moment, focusing on the love and happiness surrounding you, and knowing that no matter what, your wedding day will be beautiful and more than you could have possibly imagined as you celebrate such a wondrous occasion with family and friends! So…how do we make your Wedding Day experience seamless? Read on!

In my experience, it is very helpful to navigate a wedding timeline by collaborating with the Wedding Planner/Coordinator, or creating the Photography Timeline myself. Each section of a wedding day is naturally guided by what the media team accomplishes; and even then, I am in charge of the transition to each event. There are two reasons why:

1. Every one of my couples obviously ALWAYS hired a photographer, but did not always hire a videographer.

2. Unlike videographers that move on quickly once they get their shots that are arranged by us, photographers take more time while also taking their time to ensure they get the pictures that are necessary so we can move on to the next thing. From adjusting camera settings for lighting changes, posing people for Wedding Formals, arranging a Flatlay, to fluffing out the bride's train on her dress, I liken that what we do is essentially perfect the imperfections by being intentional, and taking deliberate care in the photographs we take that reflect not just moments suspended in time, but creating artistic pieces that our clients will cherish for a lifetime.

If for any reason the media team realizes that they are going to run over time, and certain events/people haven’t been photographed as scheduled, there is usually a high probability that depending on the event, time can be made to do it later as to not disrupt the flow of the wedding day.