lv wedding experience

 The wonderful part about your wedding is that it’s exactly that – yours. I LOVE when couples plan the day exactly how they envision it playing out, so these sample timelines are just little bits of info that can help you gauge how long you might want me along for! They are not hard and fast rules, just some things to take into consideration so that we don’t feel rushed or stressed about documenting your day!

“Getting Ready” Photos – Schedule 1.5-2 Hours

As you both prepare for the big day, there are so many moments worth documenting. I love to capture those connections that happen as the nervous excitement builds … usually with a few of your favourite people by your side. “Getting ready” coverage allows you both to look back on how the other one spent the few hours before you finally get that first glance. Moments with your family and friends, as you get into your wedding day attire, but most importantly the ones where you can all just be yourselves and get excited about the day ahead is what is captured here. I typically recommend scheduling about 1.5 Hours, but if you love the idea of documenting this part of the day – push it to two! 

First Look – Schedule 15 Minutes 

These are totally optional, and there is no right or wrong way to see each other for the first time. Want some privacy? Great! Rather wait for the ceremony? That’s awesome too!

The First Look (aka the “Reveal”) is an awesome way to see each other for the first time in a more private setting where you can take your time, savour the moment and enjoy each others company before you make it official! I love to set aside a little bit of time for you two to hang out alone as we document these first few moments of the day you get to spend together.

 Ceremony – Schedule 20 Minutes – 1 Hour

Ceremonies are usually structured with your Officiant, and each couple is different in terms of the layout and timeline they want during this part of the day. Sometimes you’ll opt for a shorter ceremony, while others will have more traditions or elements that make it a little big longer. There is absolutely no wrong way to have your ceremony so this part of the timeline is totally up to you! I’ll be there to document all the big and small moments throughout!

Family Formals – Schedule 30 Minutes

The Family Portraits are some of the most important photographs of the day! They often hold the most meaning to all your family members, and instantly become heirlooms or staples in the homes of all your closest people. As you know, I grab a list of important photos ahead of the big day to make sure that we don’t miss anyone; and I’ll also make sure to have it organized in an awesomely efficient way! Depending on your list of photos, the family group shots typically take about 20-30 minutes. If you think your list might exceed this time, reach out to me and we can discuss!

Wedding Party – Schedule 30 Minutes

We’ll have lots of fun hanging out and documenting your time spent with those you’ve chosen to stand by your side! Typically, we’ll move around our photo locations as a group and alternate between large and small group shots to get plenty of variety. Depending on the size of the group, I typically recommend about 30 minutes as a good starting point. If you have a few extra people in your tribe, lets discuss adding on a few minutes to this part of the day!

Newlywed Portraits – Schedule 30 Minutes

Let’s not lose track of what this day is all about. Getting to document your first few hours of marriage is such a blast. Although your connection is going to be documented throughout the entire day, I typically ask couples to allot about half an hour to explore our photo locations and have some fun. Often, we’ll combine this part of the day with the wedding party portraits so that we don’t need to revisit any spots, and so that we can maximize your time… but if you’ve already had your Engagement Session, you know exactly what to expect during your time in front of my lens!

Cocktail Hour – Schedule 1 Hour

Cocktail Hour is a goldmine for candid images. It’s one of my favourite places to be a storyteller and capture all the unique relationships that exist on a wedding day. Not only is it a great space to document your guests, but also one where you two are interacting with them! The official Cocktail Hour schedule is often done with your wedding venue as you coordinate the time for dinner, but any time I can spend documenting some of these moments is great.

 *Please also note that on some wedding days (and as per your preference) we use this Cocktail Hour time to document your family photos, wedding party, and newlywed portraits. So depending on your preference and layout of the day, candid images of guests may just get moved to the reception!

 Reception

The reception is filled with so many incredible and real moments, and I love to document every bit of it. Every dinner service, set of traditions, or other elements you want to use to celebrate differ from couple to couple. Chat with your venue or planner to determine when they foresee dinner wrapping up and that should help you gauge a timeframe for my coverage! Some important moments during your reception could be your First Dance, the speeches, any special events or surprises you have planned, and of course – the dance floor. 

Dancing – Schedule 1-1.5 Hours

Party time. Once everyone is out of their seats and the music starts, I love to hop onto the dance floor with you and your guests to document all the magic. If your guest list is one that’s ready to party and you love the idea of fun, candid, and sometimes-outrageous images I’d extend this coverage beyond the typical 30 minutes. If your crew isn’t one to be closing down the place in the wee hours of the morning, maybe you stick with the half an hour of coverage before I wrap up! Every couple is different in terms of their priorities, so the great part is that this is also up to you!

Sunset – Schedule 15 Minutes

I’ve saved the best part of the day for last – except for the actual “getting married” part. If we’re at a venue where we can sneak out for the last few minutes of daylight, we will! I always know what time the sun is setting and definitely give you two the heads up on when it would be best to sneak out. We’ll make sure we don’t miss anything happening inside the party, but taking a few minutes to get a breather and some incredible glowy images is something you won’t regret. 

SAMPLE TIMELINES 

SITUATION 1 -- 1:00pm Ceremony – (No First Look) – 11 Hours

 “Getting Ready” – 11:00am – 12:30pm

(travel time + wiggle room to ceremony)

Ceremony – 1:00pm – 1:30pm

Family Photos 1:45 – 2:15pm

(travel time + wiggle room to photo location)

Wedding Party Portraits – 2:30 – 3:15pm

Newlywed Portraits – 3:15 – 4:00pm

(travel time to venue)

Cocktail Hour – 4:30pm – 5:30pm

Reception – 5:30 – 9:00pm

Dancing – 9:00 – 10:00pm

 SITUATION 3 — 4:30pm Ceremony – First Look – 9 Hours

“Getting Ready” – 12:30pm – 2:00pm

(travel time + wiggle room to First Look)

First Look – 2:15pm – 2:30pm

Wedding Party Portraits – 2:30 – 3:00pm

Newlywed Portraits – 3:00pm – 3:45pm

(travel time, then tucked away @4:00pm as guests arrive before ceremony)

Ceremony – 4:30pm – 5:00pm

Family Photos 5:00 – 5:30pm

Cocktail Hour – 5:00pm – 6:30pm

Reception – 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Dancing – 8:30 – 9:300pm

 TIMING

When you’re crafting your schedule for the morning of the big day, here are a couple things to keep in mind! First, I think it’s best to allow a little wiggle room for any unpredictable situations that might come up. Hair and Makeup may run a little late, a groomsman might get stuck in traffic, or it might take a few extra minutes to eat breakfast — who knows! Adding in a bit of extra time is always best to avoid any stress as we get closer to leaving (trust me on this one!) I will try my best to keep everyone on track for the timeline already in place, but it’s always better to be safe than to be rushed!

Second, I will also help let everyone else know to be dressed and ready before you are! You’ll both be the last to get dressed and ready to go so we can move right into some quick portraits before we head out the door! That means showers, hair, makeup and final touches for your family and crew are set to be done before yours. Plus, it’s always best to have everyone else in their wedding day attire instead of their PJ’s in the background of your photos getting into your dress or suit!

Third, some of you might have other vendors that need to know when you have to be ready! Brides, I’d love to have you ready (hair and makeup done) to get into your dress at least 1 hour before we leave the house or hotel room. This means that all the other ladies getting hair and makeup done are on the same schedule! Grooms, you’ll start getting into your suit about 45 minutes before! A quick reminder of these times will definitely come from me on the day of the wedding, but this is just a guideline to use with other vendors!

Last, allow a little bit of extra travel time if needed! Depending on how much time it takes to get to our next destination, don’t forget to factor this into your timeline too! (So many things to think about, eh?!)