Shot list.

This is not a list of shots for the whole day. If you hired a photographer they know exactly what they need to be capturing. You are also hiring them for their creative eye so don’t worry about having a shot list for them. Have a shot list of immediate family member combinations that you want during family portraits.

This needs to be a realistic list for your family and timeline. Go over this list with your family as well. You dont want the day of family members yelling out combinations that are not on your list. This causes chaos and confusion and takes time.

Keep your list simple so don’t get too crazy with extended family. Make sure family knows where and when these will be taking place. Especially grandparents they are always in a hurry to get tot he reception to get the party started lol jk.

Timeline.

This is where couples I feel struggle with the most. We are not event planners and suddenly you have to plan one of the biggest events of your life. You also don’t really know how much time to allow for the wedding day festivities. This may sound crazy but I base a lot of it off of the time of the sunset. That plays a huge roll in certain things.. portraits, ceremony, and reception. My tips for timeline are don’t start too early, leave wiggle room, and pay attention to the light. Keep your vendors in mind ask their opinion on the timeline before you finalize it. Dj’s love to offer timeline building. This is great for the reception but does not help for the rest of the day. The DJ should not be making the final decisions for when you have your outdoor portraits because that is not their specialty. Usually once the receptions starts I personally don’t need a detailed timeline anymore so the DJ is more than welcome to plan the first dances and toast times.

Your photographer is spending the entire day with you so don’t be afraid to ask for their professional advice.

 

Read over your vendor contracts.

Contracts are very important. A lot of times we dont really read the fine print. Having some free time you can read over your contract to ensure that you are considering all of the needs of your vendors. For instance vendor meals is one that is often overlooked. Knowing an approximate time frame you will get your photos back from your photographer is one that is typically in there. I personally have the longest amount of time you could expect however I try to deliver them as quickly as 2-3 weeks. This just helps set expectations and keeps you informed to avoid anything on your day.

 

Add the photobooth!

Photobooths are often a last minute add on. I get it. When first deciding on your budget you want to focus on the most important vendors. Entertainment sometimes gets saved for the end. I like to explain to my couples that the photobooth is a really fun way to later see your reception through your guests eyes. Its just one more way to document the night. They will be making memories and enjoying every second of taking photos. Bonus is that you can get photos with more guests that will last a lifetime. So if you did’’t add one DO IT! This goes for other things as well like a donut cart, Ice cream sundae bar, live painter, bounce house or anything else you can think of! We recommend using Expose for the photobooth.

 

Pick a person to answer questions.

So you can stay in the moment on your wedding day pick someone to be the point of contact for all of your family, friends, and vendors. You want to avoid being asked a million questions while you’re prepping for your walk down the aisle. Ask a bridesmaid, planner, friend, or family member who can help with this. Make sure you go over everything with them before the wedding so they can answer most questions without bothering you.