A NOTE ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Welcome

I'm so excited to be working with you and can’t wait to get to know you better over the next several months! I know photography is one of the larger investments you're making for your wedding day and I'm so honored you chose to work with us!

Even if you're working with a wedding planner or you're planning a simple wedding, there are likely still a lot of moving pieces left leading up to your big day. 

Having photographed weddings for over four years, I tend to get asked the same things over and over again. So I thought it would be beneficial if it was put together in a guide that walks you through everything from timelines to engagement sessions and inclement weather.

thank you again for choosing to work with me and please don't hesitate to let me know if I can offer any additional guidance throughout the wedding planning process!

- rebekah

engagement session

I'm big fans of engagement sessions for a few reasons. Not only do they allow you to get comfortable in front of the camera, they also give you the opportunity to showcase your personalities in a more casual setting that is significant to the two of you. I've created an entire page dedicated to outfit tips, location ideas, timing considerations and more!

plan your session

There's a big difference between looking at yourself in the mirror at a hair and makeup trial and actually seeing how that hair holds up in the elements and how that makeup photographs. When it comes to being confident in your choices on your wedding day, photos are invaluable!

If you're considering a Bridal Portrait Session, I strongly recommend a full trial run of hair, nails, makeup and your bouquet. I typically spend 1-2 hours shooting at bridal sessions and it's nice to have something to hold to make your hands feel a little less awkward! 

When it comes to choosing a location for your bridal portrait session, we recommend using locations that are well manicured, clean, and have great variety in indoor and outdoor locations.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGES OF A BRIDAL PORTRAIT SESSION IS THAT THEY CAN SERVE AS A PRACTICE RUN FOR THE BIG DAY THAT YOU CAN SEE

Bridal Portraits

Wedding venues are usually a wonderful place to start - especially historic homes and resorts that have well manicured areas. I want to keep your dress as clean as possible and still get a lot of amazing images inside and outside.

When it comes to selecting a date for your bridal portrait session, another great thing to keep in mind is the weather. In order to avoid being too hot during the summer months or too cold during the winter months, I highly recommend Spring and Fall. However, I'll shoot anytime and anywhere there's great light!

Many venues charge a fee for portrait sessions. Although inconvenient, the fee is often worth it in order to have use of their getting ready room and other venue services. I typically have to work with the venues on times, but I love to shoot bridal portraits in the afternoon as late as we can to get that softer afternoon light. However, if your venue has strict hours, we are happy to work with their allotted times.

Make sure to bring your jewelry, your veil and your shoes to your bridal portrait session! 

BRIDAL PORTRAIT SESSION CHECKLIST 

Dress

Undergarments

Shoes

Veil

Bouquet

Ring

Hair pieces and jewelry

Hair + Makeup similar to look on your big day!

That moment the Bride and Groom see each other for the first time on their wedding day is magical. And this is true whether the couple chooses to wait until the bride walks down the aisle or chooses to do a “first look’ prior to the ceremony.

First looks—a private moment couples choose to spend together prior to the wedding ceremony—have become more popular over the last few years. About half of our couples this year have chosen to do a first look.

While we consider ourselves people who value tradition, there are definitely a few good reasons to consider a first look. Here are 3 reasons to consider a ‘first look’:

IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHETHER A FIRST LOOK IS RIGHT FOR YOU, STOP HERE.

Is a First Look Right for You?

1. A FIRST LOOK CUTS THROUGH THE CHAOS OF THE DAY.

Once the ceremony begins, the day takes off quickly. A ‘first look’ is an opportunity to enjoy some quiet time alone, enjoy each other’s company, and reflect on all this day means before your day takes off.

Wedding days can be a whirlwind and they tend to fly by. There’s much to do, and a lot of people to see and to catch up with. We always encourage our couples to take a few minutes every so often during their wedding to stop and soak in everything that’s happening.

2. IT MAKES MORE TIME FOR PICTURES WITHOUT SACRIFICING COCKTAIL HOUR

When there is no first look, the majority of the pictures have to be taken after the ceremony. Family pictures are generally done as soon as the ceremony ends because it’s the easiest time to round everyone up. Next up is full bridal party, and then bride and groom portraits. This generally runs into cocktail hour.

A first look opens up time prior to the ceremony for full bridal party pictures and, sometimes, for a few bride and groom portraits (although we prefer to do bride and groom portraits at sunset). This allows the couple to get the most out of cocktail hour, which makes the rest of the evening feel less rushed.

3. AVOID POSSIBLE BAD WEATHER AND/OR HAVE TIME TO FRESHEN-UP AFTER CRYING

If you’re expecting poor weather on your wedding day, it might be best to plan on a first look because it gives you more options for pictures. If it’s pouring rain after the ceremony, you’ll be thankful you had pictures done in advance.

And reason 3b is for all you cryers out there. If you know the tears are going to fly the first time you see your other half the day of your wedding, a first look will give you time to freshen up before the ceremony.

First look or not, the first time you see each other on your wedding day will be special.

Whether you choose to do a first look or the traditional "no see before the ceremony" we will work with you on making sure you have the best timeline and plan for images.

If you're choosing to go traditional, you'll need two different sets of photo times: images taken before the ceremony and images taken after the ceremony.

You'll need to plan for about one hour of pre-ceremony bridal photos (bridesmaids and bride's family) and about one hour of pre-ceremony groom photos (groomsmen and groom's family) at separate times. You'll also need 15 minutes of combined bridal party portraits, 15 minutes of combined family portraits and at least 30 -45 minutes of couple's portraits after the ceremony if you're not doing any portraits together until after the ceremony.

WHETHER YOU'RE PLANNING A FIRST LOOK OR STICKING WITH TRADITION AND NOT SEEING YOUR GROOM UNTIL YOU WALK DOWN THE AISLE, WE HAVE TIPS TO HELP MAKE PLANNING YOUR TIMELINE AS EASY AS POSSIBLE!

Wedding Day Timeline

WEDDING TIMELINE WITHOUT A FIRST LOOK

WEDDING TIMELINE WITH A FIRST LOOK

build the perfect

f you're doing a first look, photos can be done all at one time, taking an average total of 2 hours pre-ceremony (although we also LOVE grabbing just the two of you for a few additional bride and groom photos at sunset!)

If you choose a traditional aisle reveal, all we ask is that you keep your ceremony time in mind when planning your wedding. 

If you're planning a sunset ceremony or an evening ceremony, it's best to do all photos before the wedding, as daylight is crucial to getting amazing portraits for your families, bridal party and your couples portraits. Making sure we have enough time while the sun is up is a great way to make the traditional ceremony work.

View Timeline Examples

view the timeline

view the timeline

RAIN TIPS

If the forecast is calling for rain, fear not because rainy days can still be beautiful! If you don't believe us, just take a look at Matt & Kate's wedding day. It rained the entire day and it was still beautiful!

If rain is in the forecast, we recommend ordering a few clear umbrellas on Amazon. It also might be good to re-evaluate portrait locations to make sure we can still shoot in natural light - even if it means heading offsite. 

If you don't own a pair of cute Wellies, now may be a great time to order a pair - even if you're just wearing them in between shooting locations. 

If you're not working with a planner, it might also be a good idea to check in with your entire vendor team to make sure they're aware of the weather. Hair and makeup may need to be tweaked to withstand humidity and if your wedding is outdoors, DJs and bands may need to take extra precaution to protect their gear. A quality rental team can also minimize the amount of mud at outdoor events.

While we can't guarantee that rain on your wedding day is good luck, we can put a plan in place to ensure a beautiful day and beautiful images.

Rainy day weddings may require a little more flexibility and creativity, but there isn't any reason why they can't be as beautiful and as joyful as sunny weddings!

We love capturing all the little details you've carefully chosen to be a part of your wedding day! Once we arrive at your wedding, we need about 30 minutes to capture and style details. We recommend choosing a getting ready location filled with natural light and, if possible, please keep the space free from trash and clutter.

It would be wonderful if you could put all of your rings, jewelry, shoes, veil purse, perfume, invitations and other keepsakes together in one spot for us. Please unwrap your dress but don't worry about styling it - we'll hang it in a beautiful spot! 

Wedding Day Details

BRIDAL DETAILS CHECKLIST

Dress

Dress Hanger

Rings (both engagement and wedding bands)

Shoes

Veil

Bouquet

Hair pieces

Jewelry

Invitation Suite ( 2 full sets with envelopes + stamps)

Any other paper stationary you may have like program cards.

Any other sentimental keepsakes you would like to include
This is completely optional - but if you have something sentimental you'd like styled with your details, we love including family heirlooms in our detail shots.

Bonus: We'd love to have a few cuts of the florals you'll be using throughout your wedding day. If your florist will supply us a small bucket of extra pieces we can incorporate those in your detail shots.