If you’ve found your way to this blog post, I already know your wedding is going to be special. Knowing the title of this post spoke to you enough to take a peek means you’re likely the kind of the person who deeply cares about learning how to make the most of your wedding day experience, and approaching every aspect with intention. Let me first say that I see you, I value your energy, and I’m so excited you’re here, because I truly believe this post is going to be game-changer for you!

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From the second you wake up, to the moment your reception ends, it is non-stop. Non-stop thoughts in your brain, questions to answer, tasks to be done, pictures to take, places to be, people to see – if you don’t carve out dedicated time to spend with your fiancé, there’s a very good chance the only time you get to even talk to each other on your wedding day is when you’re exchanging vows during your ceremony and in-between bites at the beginning of dinner before speeches start. I don’t say this to overwhelm, I say this to encourage you to plan for something better.

So here is the number one piece of advice every wedding photographer wants you to know…..and you may have heard it before, but likely no one has fully shared what it actually entails, so be sure to read until the end! Ok sweet friend, here it is:

Plan the day YOU want.

Or, said another way:

Prioritize the experiences you want to enjoy.

In other words:

Create a timeline that reflects the wedding you want to have.

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Ok duh, right? Well, actually it’s not that simple. We’ve already established you’re a planner, right? I know you’ve got a Pinterest board full of cute ideas, wedding tips and photo inspo you’d like to capture. Friend, I am the same way! And if I wasn’t a wedding photographer myself, I would think my meticulously curated wedding board would be the ticket to making my dream wedding vision come to life. But while Pinterest (or your friend’s Facebook wedding album for that matter) is an AMAZING resource, it often leaves out context. How much time it takes to get all of those shots we’re now so accustomed to seeing, and therefore think are standard.

We’ve seen posed-heavy galleries so often that it’s easy envision our galleries the same way. These galleries are the result of spending every ‘free’ moment of the day, taking pictures.

For photo lovers, this is a dream! If getting as many pictures as possible is your top wedding priority, that’s amazing. But I know that isn’t every couple’s focus, and it breaks my heart every time I see those folks ushered into the now standard packed-to-the-brim photo-centric timeline. Couples who were rushed through their entire wedding day bouncing from photo-op to photo-op and then wondering where the day has gone. Couples who would rather pick a few key posed photos so they can be fully present with their friends in family while their photographer captures sweet candids in the background.

So how do you build a timeline that serves you?

Ask your wedding planner and photographer for recommendations how to best organize the day to support what’s most important to you. The earlier in the planning process the better! Before that meeting, talk with your partner and discuss your biggest priorities so you can share them with your vendor team. Here’s a few things to consider:

• What am I most looking forward to about my wedding day?
• In 3 adjectives, how do I want my wedding day to feel?
• In 3 adjectives, how do I want to feel during my wedding day?
• When it comes to my wedding, my #1 priority is ___________.
• What moments are the most important for me to have captured so I can look back on?
• What key images will I want to hang on my wall?
• Do I want to be present at my cocktail hour?

Congrats on doing the hard work upfront to make your wedding day everything you want it to be!

I LOVE helping couples document their love story in their own way. Eager to learn more about the unique wedding + elopement experience I provide? Get in touch me HERE!

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