Things to Think About When Planning Your Wedding Photos Part 1

Time of day

Do: Plan for portraits during golden hour

Timing is everything. When planning out the timeline of your day, it is important to remember when things will be happening. For those dreamy, glowy photos, plan on having your photographer outside during golden hour, which is the hour directly before the sunset. During this time, the sun will be low enough to create those strong golden hues, soft shadows, and some serious sun flare. Swoon.

Don’t: High Noon

Try to avoid photos around the noon hour. The strong light created by the noon sun will cause your dress to photograph too bright and lose its details. When the sun is directly overhead, it also creates strong lines and harsh shadows. Trust us on this one, and your photographer will be grateful, too.

Location

Do: Plan ahead

Don’t: Visit crowded areas

We recommend finding someplace with a lot of natural light and greenery. Avoid areas that are going to be busy and crowded. There is nothing worse than having a beautiful photo ruined by a photo bomber in the background!

Do you have enough time?

Do: Plan extra time

Don’t: Forget to factor in travel time

Many couples fall into the trap of just running out of time. Make sure that you have allowed for enough time to get to and from your locations so that you don’t end up rushing through your photos and missing out on those candid moments. We recommend 45 - 90 minutes for portraits. Plan on about 45 minutes for the family portraits after the ceremony, and another 45 minutes for the bridal party and couple photos.

Want to learn more? Check out Part 2 here.