This topic wasn’t really something I had to think about when I was a bride…My wedding was in June and we had a brunch reception in the early afternoon so the wedding ended long before the sun went down and I was able to give my wedding photographer, Katelyn, a ton of time for portraits before and after the ceremony…

BUT lately I’ve been learning more and more that if you’re planning an early spring, late fall, or winter wedding this is definitely something you have to consider in regards to your wedding photography, especially if your wedding date falls after daylight savings time…Once the sun goes down there isn’t really an opportunity to take anymore pictures outside!

Photography was a huge priority for me on my wedding day, and although I know that’s not the case for everyone, if you’re hiring a professional photographer to take your wedding photos then you probably want to get the most out of that investment! I really enjoy working with brides to create a schedule that’s customized to fit their particular wants and needs, which allows them to get as many photos as possible in the time that they’re willing to set aside for pictures. I studied Public Relations and Meeting Planning in school, so creating schedules and timelines is something I’m familiar with and really enjoy! Here are a few things to consider when planning your wedding timeline (especially when the sun is setting a lot earlier in the day):

1. What time are you having your ceremony? – This is obviously the most important factor…If you’re having your ceremony at 5 and it gets dark at 6, this clearly doesn’t allow for enough portrait time after the ceremony. Consider this early on before you send out your invitations with a set ceremony time!

2. Are you doing a First Look? – This can make a HUGE difference in the amount of portraits that you will have time for…Especially if your ceremony is later in the day. If you’re doing a first look then you usually wouldn’t have to worry about scheduling as much time after the ceremony for portraits.

3. Make sure you let people (ie. bridal party, family members, etc.) know where and when to be ready for pictures…This can save a lot of time because then you won’t waste time looking for anyone on the wedding day!

4. Consider how far apart your different venues are…Is your ceremony location really far away from your reception venue? Where is your getting ready location? The farther apart these locations are, the more time you have to factor into your timeline for traveling…

5. And the last thing I’ve been learning is that it’s never to early to start planning your timeline! It’s likely that the earlier you plan it out, the more flexibility you will have in changing things if necessary…

Happy Wednesday! Yay! We are half way through the week!