CHRONOLOGY OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
IDEAL TIMES
Advice and tips for organizing your wedding in Puglia
With the diversity of cultural aspects of our weddings, it is difficult to pinpoint an exact timeline pattern for wedding photography. However, there are ideal time frames to consider when planning your day. Some of these times may seem long on paper, but keep in mind that 1) the day will fly by, 2) most weddings are slightly overdue, and 3) we'll make these photo sessions fun, so it won't seem like much time. RINGS, DRESSES, SHOES AND OTHER DETAILS
Ideal Time Breakdown - 30 minutes Ideal Time of Day: Morning Ideal Location: Bridal Suite or Hotel Suite Tip - Having at least 30 minutes for details ensures we have plenty of time to get that perfect photo of the dress, rings, shoes, bouquets and other details of the day. There are times when a hotel room is too crowded or just plain unattractive; we have to bring the dress to the entrance or even outside. This can take some time, but as you can see from the results, the extra work is worth doing.
PREPARATIONS
Ideal time split - 60 minutes Ideal time of day: morning or early afternoon Ideal location: bridal suite or hotel suite Tip - Having an hour of preparation is ideal for our style. During this time, we're getting closer to applying makeup and hair as well as candid moments and bridesmaids and groomsmen getting ready for the day. Keep in mind that these are some of the most exciting and fun times of the day, so you don't want to cut it short. The main shooter will be with the bride while the second shooter will be with the groom. Even though the boys don't take an hour to get dressed, there are still plenty of great moments during this time between the groom, his family and friends.
INDIVIDUAL PORTRAITS
Ideal time allocation - 30 minutes Ideal time of day: morning or early afternoon Ideal location: bridal suite, hotel suite, venue lobby or facility garden Tip - Right after preparation is the best time for individual portraits of the couple (separately). Other than completely fresh makeup and hair, the day hasn't gotten hectic yet, so we can take our time and get those perfect portraits. Also, keep in mind that window lighting in most hotel rooms creates a unique look that cannot be reproduced in any setting for the rest of the day. FIRST LOOK AND DAYTIME COUPLES SESSION
Ideal time split - 45-60 minutes Ideal time of day: morning or early afternoon Ideal location: venue garden, empty venue corridor (shaded areas with natural light) Tip: The first look should take approximately 45-60 minutes. During this time, the bride and groom enjoy seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day. While the actual first look might only last 5-10 minutes, the rest of the time is devoted to some basic portraits of the bride and groom. Ideally, we are saving most of the couple session for later (see the "couple session" section below). However, if there are no other times in the day, it's best to allocate another 45 minutes to an hour here to make sure we have enough photos of the two of you.
WEDDING PARTY PHOTOS Ideal time breakdown - 45-60 minutes Ideal time of day: morning or afternoon Ideal location: driveway entrance, garden, beach, park, off-site location Council - Wedding party photos should last from 45 minutes to 1 hour. During this time, we get a variety of shots in a variety of poses. Let's start with the basic classic photos that focus on great expressions and lighting. So let's move on to a series of fun and creative shots. Finally, we know how much your wedding party means to you, so we're sure to have photos with you and each of your bridesmaids or groomsmen individually.
IMMEDIATE AMILY Ideal Time Breakdown - 30-45 minutes Ideal Time of Day: Morning or Afternoon Ideal Location: Driveway, Garden, Beach, Park, Offsite Location Tip - Immediate family photos should take another 45 minutes. It is important to have additional pictures with your parents, grandparents and siblings in addition to the basic formal (mentioned in the section below). Schedule an average of 3 minutes per group. For example, if you have 10 groups, plan in a 30-minute time slot. We all know how much weddings mean to close relatives and we want to make sure we capture enough photos with them. CEREMONY DETAIL AND VENUE Deal Time Allotment - 30 minutes Ideal location - Location of the ceremony Ideal time of the day: morning or afternoon Tip - Wait 30 minutes for the second shooter to take pictures of the ceremony location, completely set up without guests or vendors in the area. Before seating guests, it is important that we are there to capture the complete set up of the ceremony site so that we can capture the scene at its best.
COUPLES SESSION Ideal time allocation - 1 hour Ideal time of day - late afternoon (sunset) Ideal location: garden, beach, hotel lobby, park Advice - The couple session should last approximately 1 hour and should ideally take place from 30 45 minutes before sunset. It's the best time in terms of lighting. It also allows us to capture great panoramic shots with colorful skies. If your wedding is downtown or in an area with tall buildings, it's not that important for us to have this specific time frame (although it helps anyway). However, if you've booked your venue because of the spectacular ocean view or the winery's beautiful vineyards, it's essential to follow this advice in your timeline.
RECEPTION AND VENUE DETAIL Ideal time split - 30 minutes Ideal time of day: early evening Ideal location - Welcome site Tip - Wait 30 minutes for the second shooter to take photos of the reception room, fully set up with no guests or vendors in the area. Similar to the details of the ceremony, this is the only opportunity we have to capture the beauty of the reception room before the guests arrive.
WELCOME FIRST LOOK Ideal time allocation - 10-15 minutes Ideal time of day - At the end of the cocktail hour before the doors open for guests Ideal location - Reception site Advice - This is the time when the space of the reception is revealed to the couple for the first time. It's a great opportunity to capture a genuine reaction, as well as a moment alone with the dance floor to practice your first dance, which also makes a great photo!
COUPLES SESSION - RECEPTION IS DISCOUNTED Ideal time split - 20-30 minutes Ideal time of day: from dusk to night Ideal location - Areas with interesting lights, fountains, cityscapes and mirrors Advice - During the reception, please plan to sneak out for a couple of night shots. We only need 20-30 minutes, as we understand the importance of being a good host. However, this time around it matters if you appreciate the night photography we provide. The ideal time for this is right after having a bite to eat or during the outdoor dance after you've danced a few songs and would like a break. Another tip would be to take these shots at the end of the evening, once all the guests have left. Check out our wedding reception timeline post for more tips on how to organize a great wedding reception. More details on the wedding day Table shots - Table shots are when you go around the tables. There are two options for photography during this period. (1) You can take formal photos with each of these tables or (2) we can just focus on photojournalism, capturing the smiles and hugs as you mingle with each table. If you plan on doing formal tabletop shots, keep in mind that these will take around 3-5 minutes per table. For example 20 tables would take 60-100 minutes of time. Cultural Weddings - For cultural weddings like Indian weddings, there are items like the Baraat that take time to photograph. More information on this and Indian weddings visit our Indian Wedding History page.
