WEDDING GUIDE EXAMPLE

perparation guide

First and foremost Congratulations on the wedding and thank you for choosing me Janine as your Photographer. Within this guide there are some things that may help guide you in preparing your day but also for me to capture those moments, making your day as smooth as possible. Each part will have preparation guidelines that you may want to take into consideration, as well as a list of photos I am looking at taking. As your session is not fully confirmed in regards to the outline so far this guide will be brief but will be helpful in the meantime. Once we have set an outline for your day this will be updated.

1. Day/s Before Wedding Day - Prep
2. Day of - Getting Ready
3. Ceremony
4. After Ceremony
5. Schedule
6. Image List - Example / not all can be done

Session Details:

Date: ---

Session Start Time: 11:30am

Time End: 9:00 pm

Getting Ready Location Bride/smaid: ---

Getting Ready Location Groom/smen: ---

Wedding Venue: Valley Ridge Golf Course - 1618 Valley Ridge Park NW, Calgary, AB T3B 5L4

(please note photos in here are for example sake and may be updated with photos of your pinterest board and were not taken by Janine)

DAY/S BEFORE THE WEDDING DAY PREP

Both

• DO, Drink lots of water daily - helps achieve a nice glow
• DO AVOID any alcohol or salt rich food close to your wedding date - you don't want to look swollen
• Moisturize daily, this will help with your skin prep for makeup as well as your photos.
• Nails clean and or manicured
• Hair cut, hair style figured out and shave if wanted or needed.

First Look Location - Only if you are doing this

• If you have a general idea of where you want your first look be sure to know where one another is during this time. This will be in our schedule for now I have left this up.
• If you do want to do a first look, where?

Practice 

• If you have a ring bearer/flower girl practice them walking slowly up an imaginary aisle
• Walking a short distance as if you are walking down an aisle
• Get your bridal party to practice walking aswell, remind them to look at the camera/up and keep smiling.
• Stop at the pretend altar
• Depending on your ceremony type - If standing do practice turning at the altar to face one another, not the priest.
• Practice putting rings on one another at the pretend altar - slow pace (we move at your pace)

Bride

• Clothes ironed/steamed - do not do this after your hair is done (curls will flatten)
• Wedding dress free of creases
• Veil and garter
• Clothing you are getting ready in while you get your hair and makeup
• Shoes polished/cleaned of debris
• Jewelry polished, set aside.
• Scent of choice, set aside
• Make up, set aside.
• Hair style, you have an idea
• Nails done and clean

Groom

• Clothes ironed/steamed, left to hang on hanger
• Shoes polished/cleaned of debris
• Tie(if wearing one) free of creases
• Belt
• Jewelry polished and set aside.
• Scent of choice, set aside
• Hair cut, shave

DAY OF - FIRST LOOK

Things to note - only if we are doing a first look - this is an example as there will be first looks with others not the bride and groom themselves:

1. Those who are attending the first look to be aware of the time we are doing the first look.
2. Photographer will grab Groom to set them up, and let them know which way to turn. This will be the shoulder the bride taps on. This will be confirmed on the day of as we need to determine lighting conditions as well as location.
3. Once Groom is set up, Photographer will grab Bride. Photographer will notify Bride of which shoulder to tap on. The Photographer will place and stop the bride before allowing them to walk to the Groom. Bride can take her moment to surprise the groom. 

DAY OF - CEREMONY DECOR

If venue does not supply the décor these are things to note:

1. There will be a person helping or in charge of your décor if you have not outsourced it or have a wedding planner. Have all decorations in your helpers vehicle ready for them to leave with the décor and to set up the venue before your arrival (some venues allow the day before). Let them know how you want it. This should be the last thing on your mind and not for you to worry about.
2. If you would like to double check the décor preparations before your ceremony we can make adjustments to our schedule breakdown

DAY OF - CEREMONY

Things to note:

1. During the entire ceremony, don’t forget to smile
2. Before you walk down the aisle, make yourself proper, double check you have the rings if you don’t have a ring bearer, your tie and collar are straight, makeup doesn’t need to be touched up, veil is set up properly, POCKETS are empty
3. Walk slowly up the aisle
4. Walk slowly down the aisle
5. (if non traditional church ceremony) Once you reach the altar, make sure your backs are not to the crowd, look/face one another. Note: it's extremely cute when you are looking at one another and smiling.
6. Bride or Groom - check each other out, we move at your pace, if the bride needs help with her gown or veil help her . Even a simple mouthing of compliments goes a long way.
7. One Bridesmaid at alter she is to set up your train and then veil, then hand over your bouqest
8. More than ones Bridesmaid, at alter 2nd bridesmaid grabs bouquet, maid of honour fixes the train.
9. When putting on the rings, breathe and take it slow, I will be capturing this moment and your reactions
10. Seal it with a kiss moment - feel free to take your time and cherish this moment. You may be nervous or everything may be a blur. Breathe, look at one another, smile, kiss, dip kiss. The possibility is endless at this moment.
11. When walking are we doing something simple mid way like a kiss or something else if or if not smile be happy! 

DAY OF - AFTER CEREMONY - PORTRAIT SESSION - TBC

Things to note:

1. Confirm who will be attending the after ceremony portraits.
2. preferably the maid of honor and best man who has been notified ahead of time that the photographers will need there help.. Most possible if anything more so with the carrying of the bouquet, veil, gown, etc. list of people in the photos and gathering them for the next set of photos
3. Try NOT to start drinking before this. Please be mindful that I have captured weddings where this has been done and some people are just not able to adjust to it. If you are please make sure to eat but also be mindful have a glass or less
4. Confirm any special photos that want to be done.
5. Please have your veil and bouquet with you at all moments.
6. Have any other miscellaneous details you would like

DAY OF - SCHEDULE

Please note that this is just a general outline of what your day may look like.

11:30 am - Photographer's & Videographer's time starts

Janine to be with bride/maids:

12:00 PM - Bridal party getting ready in PJ's photo's

• change immediately after

12:20 PM - Bride gets dressed with Mom

12:30 PM?? - Bride detail photo's (rings, dress, jewelry, invitations, flowers, vow book)

• solo photos of bridesmaids

12:30 PM?? -Bride & Mother final look photo's

12:50 PM - Bride only photo's (special gift)

1:10 PM - First look with Bridal Party?

1:15 PM - Photos with Bridal Party & Mother of Bride

1:40 pm - We leave for the venue

At the venue

2:05 PM - bride First look with Son, Father of Bride 

Paul to be with grooms/men party:

12:20 PM - Groom gets dressed with Son

12:30 PM?? - Groom detail photo's (vow book, suits, father & son)

12:30 PM?? - Groom & Mother final look photo's

12:50 PM - Groom only photo's (special gift)

1:00 PM - Photos with Grooms Party & Son

1:30 PM - Groom leaves to venue / Photographer leaves with party

At the venue

Taking Candid Photos / Detail photos of the ceremony location

Combination:

1:50 PM - Groom arrives venue 

• Groom arrives and makes their way inside, bride waits in vehicle preferably tinted until someone confirms that Groom is inside. This is so that they DONT see one another

2:00 PM - Bride arrives at venue

2:05 PM - Bride First look with Son, Father of Bride (Janine)

2:10 PM - Guests arrive at venue

• Bride waits at her bridal room or wherever she is doing her first look
• Wedding Party matches up
• Make sure ring bearer has the rings

2:30 PM -Ceremony Begins 

3:00 PM - Ceremony Ends 

3:15 pm - Take portraits after ceremony inside the hall?

• Please confirm who will be in the photos ahead of time OR they will not be included in the photos
• Please have someone who knows almost everyone to have that list so they can get them set up and ready

3:45 pm - Take portrait session nearby at Portrait Session Location

4:15 pm - Paul to make his way back to Reception to take detail photos etc.

4:30 pm - Portrait session ends

4:40 PM - Wedding party line up for entrance 

4:45 PM -Wedding party entrance 

4:50 PM - Bride and Groom entrance

5:00 pm - Photographers to sit where and eat where?

6:00 PM - Speeches

6:25 PM - First Dance

6:30 PM - Father daughter dance

6:40 PM - Cultural outfit change

6:50 PM - Bride and Groom Re-enter

7:00 PM - Groom and Mother of the Groom Dance

7:15 PM - Cake Cutting 

7:45 PM - Final outfit change

8:00 PM - Party start up

9:00 PM - Photographer and Videographer end time **

DAY OF - IMAGE LIST (example)

• Based on the timeline (if under 5 hours) given for photography not all of these groups/per person photos will be able to be done.
• Please confirm who will be in the photos ahead of time OR they will not be included in the photos this also eats up into the time if they are not aware.
• Please have someone who knows almost everyone to have that list so they can get them set up and ready.

Things to note - this is not in chronological order and will be adjusted with your timeline for example, if you want portraits before or after the ceremony.

Before Getting Ready - Items needed

• Rings
• Items wanted/included in the details shot
• some ideas: shoes, cologne, invitation card, bouquet, suspenders, cuff links, etc

Getting Ready

• dress hanging
• bridesmaids in robes
• cheers/drink together???

Solo (simple capture list)

• Bride with bouquet
• Bride alone
• Groom alone
• Groom holding cuffs

Couple (simple capture list)

• Up close
• Far away
• go for a kiss
• Looking at one another
• Bride looking at photographer Groom looking at bride
• Arms width apart
• Forehead touching, nose touching eyes closed
• Dip kiss
• Temple snuggle
• Reverse bear hug

Couple with Wedding Party (Bridesmaids and Groomsmen + Flower Girl and Ring Bearer)

• Groomsmen on Grooms Side, Bridesmaids on Brides Side
• Intertwine, wedding partners partner up and half stay on brides side, other half on grooms side.
• Couple with flower girl and boy

Just Bridesmaids

• Couple with Brides-maids
• Bride with Brides Maids
• Bride with Maid of Honors
• Bride with each one ??

Just Groomsmen

• Couple with Groomsmen
• Groom with Groomsmen
• Groom with Best Man
• Groom with each one ??

Couple with Everyone Else

• Couple with all immediate family
• Couple with Brides Parents
• Couple with Brides Grandparents
• Couple with Brides Generational Photo (Parents + Grandparents)
• Couple with Grooms Parents
• Couple with Grooms Grandparents
• Couple with Grooms Generational Photo
• Couple with closest friends

Optional

Partner One

• Partner One with their parents
• Partner One with each parent separately (if divorced)
• Partner One with In-laws
• Partner One with their grandparents
• Partner One with Siblings and/or Kids

Partner Two

• Partner Two with their parents
• Partner Two with each parent separately (if divorced)
• Partner Two with In-laws
• Partner Two with their grandparents
• Partner Two with Siblings and/or Kids

Misc

• Candid, silly or relaxed shots
• Family friends
• Couple with any pets

Reception

• Details of Venue before guests arrive
• Introduction of Bridal Party
• Speeches
• MC
• Games with Couple
• First Dance
• Cake
• Cake Slicing
• Dance floor
• Candids