Halifax Wedding Photography - Wedding Timeline - Part 1

Your timeline is one of the biggest factors in the success of your wedding.   I’d like to start by saying that I’m not an expert on planning a wedding day timeline.   I just thought it might be helpful to share, from our point of view, what we’ve experienced to be an ideal wedding day timeline.

TIP: As you start planning your wedding day, start with times for the events that you know won’t change (ex. Ceremony) and work forwards and backwards from there!

Most weddings that start late are because of hair & makeup.  Consider doing a trial!  It will not only help give you a good estimate of how much time it will take, but it will also help you figure out exactly what you want your style to be before your wedding day!    Don’t forget to take into consideration how many hairstyles will need to be completed.

No matter if you’ll get hair and makeup done at a salon or have the stylist come to you.  Allow at least an hour of the stylist’s time for each updo (more depending on the complexity of the styling).  If you’re planning to have the hair stylist come to you and do everyone’s hair, please consult with them for the amount of time needed to complete all hairstyles and plan accordingly.   The same is to be said for makeup, consult your makeup artist on the amount of time needed for each application!
 

We generally start our day with the bride, capturing some prep shots.  If you’re getting your hair and makeup done at the location you’ll be getting dressed, it’s ideal to have us arrive after hair is almost complete but before the makeup begins.  This allows us some time to capture some beautiful detail shots of your dress, shoes, jewellery etc.  As well as capture the final touches of your makeup being applied.  If you’re getting your hair and makeup done at a salon we find it works best if we meet up with you when you arrive at the location you’ll be getting dressed at!

If you’re getting ready in your home or someone else’s, we ask that you choose the largest room with the most available natural light for pictures possible!   The same goes for a hotel room, we want you to get your dress on in the room with the most light.  Please be sure to do a quick sweep for clutter, or have the maid service come in and tidy up while you're out getting your hair done!

If you would like some pictures of the groom before the ceremony, we recommend that you both get ready in close proximity to each other.   There may be two or more of us, but we all travel together in one vehicle.  We also find the morning runs smoother when we’re all together working as a team!  If you are separated by more than 10 minutes please take the travel time into consideration both ways, add 45 minutes for the grooms prep pictures and a minimum of an hour for the bride.   We also recommend for the groom that they already be wearing their dress pants and shirt when we arrive.  Please leave cufflinks, ties, shoes, jacket and corsage for when we arrive!   We commonly find the groom is completely dressed when we arrive, allowing us with very limited photo options.   We also recommend for brides and grooms, that they person helping with the tie and corsage, as well as helping the bride with her jewellery and doing up the dress, be completely dressed before assisting!

Please also keep in mind that we like to be at the ceremony location 20-30 minutes in advance to set everything up and get photos of programs and any decorations you may have!

Stay tuned for Part Two next week!