Want to save the day for your bride and groom on the most important day of their lives? Then put on your photographer superhero cape and show them how you control the most uncontrollable thing there is – time! By far, the MOST stressful thing I have encountered for brides on their big day is dealing with time management! Below are five strategies to help manage the day and make it a happy memory, so that when the bride looks back and remembers your work, she won’t think she was rushed, but instead treated like queen for a day!
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Wedding Day Timeline in Advance
Review with your bride (and whoever else is helping with the day, whether that is a special events coordinator, family member, or friend) in advance the timeline for the day. Everyone should be on the same page about what time the bridal party and family members need to arrive and if they should come dressed, or come in ready to dress (and if the bride wants pictures of that). Then, you as the photographer, need to build at least 30-60 extra minutes into the schedule, you’ll see why in minute. You should also suggest to your brides to send this timeline out to everyone involved in the wedding, whether it’s by email, paper copies, or text, this provides a central schedule for everyone to refer to.
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Review What Pictures Will Be Taken and in What Order – and Do the Guys First!
No matter what any of my brides say, always try to gently steer them to letting the groom and groomsmen have their formal pictures taken first. Let’s face it ladies, we just have so much more prep than men! And we want to take our time looking our best, and not feel rushed. It’s great to have built into the wedding day timeline who will be in what pictures when, so the bridal party and the family members know what time they need to be there, and you as the photographer know who needs to be in each shot.
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Arrive Early
This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s surprising how many people underestimate the impact of extra time. It is so much better to be early than late, and have extra time on your hands to get set up. The worst thing is that you have too much time on your hands! The best thing is all the extra pictures! So many brides really enjoy looking at all the “detail” and “getting ready” pictures that are captured at the beginning of the day. This also allows for more pictures before the ceremony, and then less pictures are needed after, which means everyone gets to eat and party at the reception earlier!
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There’s No Prize for Walking Down the Aisle on Time
Tell all your brides, “this is YOUR special day, and everyone will wait for you to walk down the aisle.” Assure them that no matter what happens, you promise to make it work and get them down the aisle in a reasonable time. Since you’ve already reviewed the timeline in advance, and built extra time in the schedule (now you see why that is an ace in the sleeve!), know in your mind that you are perfectly fine and make sure to let the bride know that now. The bridal party will go from feeling frazzled to feeling relaxed and happy! And relaxed and happy brides take the best pictures!
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Be a Girl Scout
Before the event, do everything you can to be prepared in every way. If you’re not familiar with the venue, scout it out in advance. Make sure you understand the bride’s expectations for the day and who is coming with her and what accessories she is wearing. You should already have in mind picture locations at their venue and posing ideas for the couple. If the light, weather or anything else crucial to the photography set up changes, know you can fall back on any of the things you have already researched and will do fine. It’s your job as the photographer to keep a steady feedback to the bride that everything is running smoothly and everyone is looking great. Any issues you encounter, resolve quickly, and keep the positive momentum going – it’s the way the bride feels at the end of the day that takes her pictures to the next level, and you want that to always be the outcome.
About the Author
RachelJPhoto is a wedding and portrait photographer based out of Louisville, Kentucky. She believes that photos don’t have to be super expensive, just super fun! Visit her at www.racheljphoto.com.
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