It is your Wedding Day!  You have invested time, energy and money to make everything perfect.  Beside your memories the best thing you will take away from your wedding day are your Wedding Pictures.  To archive your beautiful day, looking your best, with all your loved ones, a few simple photography timing tips will make all the difference in the outcome of the images you get. 

The most important thing is that it is your wedding day to plan it exactly the way you want.  Remember that! An experienced photographer will get your shots, and work with whatever you give them.  These are tips to guide you, but you make the decision on everything, your photographer is to be there for you.  

After shooting over 100 weddings I know the perfect formula for getting the best images from your high end photographer. 

1. Start extra early, and plan extra time for each portion of the day.  Everything takes longer, so you just end up staying on time.  If you end up with extra time, a good photographer will use that creatively.  Regardless, with extra time built in, nerves will stay low.  Truthfully you know yourself and your friends and family, who's always on time and who isn't?  Plan for that, then you don't worry, it's been planned. 

2. Have your photographer arrive when your hair and makeup are nearly done, or depending on where you get ready, have it all done.  That way your photographer can go to work immediately making beautiful pre wedding images; the bride dressing, special moments between the bride and her family and bridesmaids, details, first looks, and art shots of the bride.  Now as a mother of teenage girls and thinking about how I will spend my money when they marry, I will not pay a photographer for the hair and makeup portion.  Yes you can come away with some pretty 'getting ready shots', but not the bang for the buck.  

3. Your wedding day can be shot by one photographer.  You must plan accordingly before the wedding so the groomsmen and bridesmaids each have their allotted time with the photographer.  It's extremely helpful if everyone in the bridal party is on time. Plan plan plan, that's all there is to it.  

4. Time of day.  Think this one through from start to finish.  I work in Florida where weddings are outside year round.  It's unfortunate when everyone is together, looking their best, in a beautiful location, and the ceremony ends after the sun has set.  All the shots are in the dark, and you may as well be inside a banquet hall.  This goes back to planning and padding your time.  Be proactive and know for yourself what time the sun sets, and if you plan on having pictures done outside, plan your day around that.  Make sure there is at least one hour of daylight left after your ceremony ends, it's a wonderful time for your portraits.

5.  One photographer is sufficient for your reception.  Once all the key events from the reception have happened (special dances, toasts, garter/bouquet toss, and cake), you've got the key images that you need from a professional.  If you have hours of dancing planned you don't need a professional photographer for that entire time.   An exception is if you have a dramatic exit planned then you'll want professional photography, or you can stage the exit for an earlier time.  

These are just some tips to help you plan your day with your professional photographer.  Remember. you get what you pay for, these are your lasting memories and this is the day you've thought about and planned for a long time.  You want those stunning images to have as a lasting memory of your wonderful day.

Shiree Annette Photography - www.shireeannette.com - 813-598-8275 - [email protected]