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THE

WEDDING DAY GUIDE

YOUR WEDDING DAY

The following is a simple guide to help you get the most out of your wedding day coverage. Most weddings are unique and will have slightly different touches or variations, depending on the timings and circumstances of the day. Don't feel constrained to stick to everything listed in this guide, let it only inform and inspire you!

Before It All Begins

Engagement Session

Romance, Impression & Timeless

The engagement session can take place anytime before your wedding day and there are times it has even occurred a week before a wedding day. It’s best not to leave it that late, if you can organise it as far ahead as possible, this allows me to get the images back to you in a timely fashion. especially if you plan on using the images for your reception or as save the dates cards. If you need to see some inspiration head over to the Engagement Stories section.

Daylight Savings

Everything about your wedding day will be dictated by the sun, and nothing will swing the sun on the horizon more wildly than daylight savings. When daylight savings ends in April (for those lucky couples in NSW, Victoria & SA), the sun will set progressively earlier from 6PM, setting as early as 5PM in June.

Ceremony times should be adjusted to start between 2:30PM and 3:30PM to allow time for any formal family portraits and bridal party portraits.

During daylight savings, the sun will set from 7:30PM onwards, and things will generally be warmer in the Summer months. A later ceremony can alleviate this somewhat but may not be practical with reception timings.

The Lead Up

The week (or weeks) leading into your wedding should be as stress free as possible. Your last week shouldn’t be mad dash to get loose ends tied up or cause needless anxiety, it needs to be as stress free as possible. Ideally you want to feel like you’re on a holiday.

If there are many things that need to be done, delegate or hand them off to your friends and family. Don’t micromanage it, just be content with what eventuates.

Grab a drink and sit back!

Basic Wedding in a Nutshell

Here’s what a basic wedding timeline will resemble:

10:00AM to 11:00AM – Hair & Makeup begins. Starting with bridesmaids and mother of the bride

12:30PM to 1:30PM – Groom & groomsmen should start donning their suits, which should be untagged, unwrapped and ironed.

1:30PM to 3:30PM – Bride makeup should wrap up. Pre-dress photo op with bridesmaids. Then once bridal gown and accessories photos have completed, bride can begin dress preparations

4:00PM – Official Ceremony Start time

4:15PM to 4:45PM – Actual ceremony start time. This allows for any late running guests and any potential hiccups, such as traffic or a nerve settling break, that may delay the ceremony

4:45PM to 5:15PM – Post ceremony period. Hugs and kisses, the optional group photo and/or formal family portraits with immediate family, if time allows this can also include extended family & friends

5:15PM to 6:15PM – Bride & groom and bridal party to head off for photos

6:15PM to 6:30PM – [OPTIONAL] Reception setup photos prior to entry to guests, if time allows

6:30PM to 7:00PM – Entree

7:00PM to 7:20PM – [OPTIONAL] Sunset Photos during daylight savings months. Usually takes between 10-20 minutes.

7:30PM to 8:00PM – Mains

8:00PM to 8:30PM – Speeches

8:30PM to 9:00PM – Dessert + More Speeches

9:00PM to 9:30PM – Cake Cutting + Father/Daughter Dance + First Dance

10:00PM – [OPTIONAL] Bouquet Toss & Garter Toss

11:00PM – Bride & Groom Exit

 

 

Other Things To Consider

First Look

They buck tradition yet first looks can be absolutely amazing.

It gives couples a very private and intimate moment right before their wedding ceremonies, helping to soothe nerves and unleash emotions together in a quiet space away from guests.

At the same time, it can be an opportunity to bring forward the bridal party and couple photo session that normally occurs post-ceremony. This allows bride & groom to stay with their guests from ceremony right through into the reception.

The Second Photographer Conundrum

Having a second photographer not only gets you more photos, different angles and gains you a second professional opinion (the more great minds the better).

It can immensely help to relax your wedding timeline, allowing events to occur in parallel, such as both bride and groom preparations occurring at the same time, or reception setup pictures during the bridal shoot.

DON'T FEAR THE RAIN

Nothing seems to cause more fear or dread to brides than the thought of rain on their wedding day. Yet, those fears are usually unfounded. Rain gives some truly timeless and beautiful images, landscapes become ever so green and vivid, and the daylight softens to a nice even glow. Granted, the use of umbrellas is a must (especially those clear, see through ones) and expect your wedding gown to get a bit of a pounding.

Can't Wait For The Sparklers?

If you can't squeeze in that sparkler exit at the end of your wedding reception, you don't have to wait.

Got the space? How about a sparkler first dance?

Or grab your bridal party or some friends hand them some sparklers and we'll work some magic.

Or better yet, we can just bring the two of you out for a session under moonlight.

Just remember to bring along the long stem sparklers.

Featured Vendors

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