Wedding timelines are essential, no matter the size of the event. With numerous moving parts, participants, and potential issues, it's not surprising that wedding planners often have multi-page timelines. Their timelines include everything. Who needs to be where and when, what time each vendor is showing up, contact details for everyone involved and countless other details that are absolutely necessary for them... but not for us photographers and videographers. The couple choose us because of our experience, our talent and our expertise. To be able to deliver that we need to set ourselves up for success to ensure they get the absolute best results from their photographs and film.
This page will outline an ideal wedding day working off of a 5pm ceremony timeframe. This ideal timeline is also based off of a wedding day that includes a first look. It's important to keep in mind that every wedding is different and the timeline may vary based on travel times and unique situations.
Purity Weddings is a fine-art wedding photography and videography husband+wife duo.
Based in Los Angeles - available Nationwide.
Featured on: Style Me Pretty, Bridal Musings, Brides, The Knot, Black Bride, Southern California Bride and more.
DETAILS/ENVIRONMENT 12.00-1.00
As photographers and videographers, we always begin our coverage by capturing the details. These shots tell a significant part of the story and give us a chance to get into the groove of things. We take shots of the dress, shoes, jewelry, invitations, and other important items to make sure that every aspect of your big day is captured in detail.
Sometimes we prefer to create a whimsical composition with a lot of elements, while other times, we opt for minimalistic and sophisticated shots. The style of the wedding day and the items provided to us influence our approach. Here is a list of items that might be included in such shots, in addition to our own styling props: shoes, rings in a box, invitation suite, menu and name cards, vow books, floral leftovers, perfume, jewelry, bouquet, and any other sentimental items that hold special value to you. To ensure a smooth process, we suggest gathering all the small details in a zip-lock bag or a shoe box and having it ready for your photographer. You can also chare a photo of your details with us beforehand, so priou to the big day we already have an idea of what we can create with them.
We also use drones to get aerial shots if allowed. These images help to create a complete and comprehensive story of your special day.
GROOM’S GETTING READY 1.00-2.00
We focus more on the finishing stages of the men getting ready. We especially like the interaction, camaraderie, and emotion between them. The excitement, joy, joking, playfulness and even nerves are genuine, real, authentic feelings.
Tips:
- keep in mind that we need at least 30-40 mins to take genuine shots. The more the better. 1 hour would be fantastic.
- try to avoid regular hotel rooms, almost all of them are too similar. If your venue doesn't have any suites, prefer an Airbnb that fits your wedding style. It will help your photographer and videographer to catch the vibe of your wedding and showcase their creativity
- a spacious place with natural light coming from big windows is the best place
- hide all of the bags, water bottles, casual clothes, etc. beforehand
- bring all your details to one spot. It saves lots of time. Also think about what you are going to give us. Do those things have a significant value to you? Do they match each other?
- don't start by taking a shower right when your photographer is due to arrive!
- do the homework with your guys. Let the best man know that he will probably have to help you with putting your jacket on. Bring some drinks to make a toast.
- don't leave anything in your pockets
- boutonnieres on the left :)
BRIDE’S GETTING READY 2.00-3.00
The best way to start is taking some shots of the last makeup touches. By the way, it is not at a necessity to be alone, the best way to get wonderful pictures - invite bridesmaids. Not just to take a look at you being stunning, but to help you with your gown and to have fun! Bring some bubbles or coffee and cupcakes, or anything else you love. Be creative - it inspires so much! You should have enough time to relax and let us to take your dream wedding pictures. Think in advance about your outfit (sexy robe or cute pajamas?) and the perfect location. And don't forget to bring some accessories to make your pictures unique. After the bride is in her gown, she can put on her jewelry, veil, shoes, etc. and we will shoot some additional bridal portraits!
It's also an absolute truth that a good photographer can shoot anywhere, under any lighting situation and in any environment, but to be the most creative, several factors are required. The main two are: a unique or a very minimalistic interior, and a natural light source (enough light coming in through the windows to light the room with the lights off). If you're going to book a hotel, check with your photographers first!
FIRST LOOK 3-3.30
This is one of our favorite parts of the wedding day! We will find the perfect location for our couple’s First Look prior to the getting ready portion of the day! Don't worry, we'll ensure the location is private and as secluded as possible for an intimate and special moment.
COUPLE SESSION 3.30-4
Following the First Look, we typically capture half of the romantic portraits of the bride and groom while the initial excitment is still present. The remaining portraits will be taken after the ceremony. This allows us to prepare for the reception and gives the couple a chance to either spend time with their guests during the cocktail hour or have a private moment before the celebration begins.
Keep in mind that the lighting conditions play a crucial role in determining the shooting locations. Therefore, we can only make a final decision on the portrait locations on the wedding day itself. As we capture the couple's portraits, the bridal party can start making their way to us for Bridal Party portraits!
BRIDAL PARTY PORTRAITS 4-4.30
Now it’s time for Bridal Party shots! During Bridal Party portraits, we will make sure to take some great shots of the guys and girls both separately AND together!
After the bridal party portraits have been taken, the bride will go into hiding to avoid early guests seeing her. Meanwhile, the ushers will start their duties. During this time, we will take photos of the ceremony venue, and the videographers will set up their sound recording equipment.
If your family is already at the venue by this time, adding about 10-15 minutes will give us a chance to capture all, or most, of the family photos before the ceremony begins.
CEREMONY SET UP 4.30-5
If the reception is in the same location as the ceremony, We will use this time to shoot the reception decor UNTOUCHED. If your ceremony area is all set by this time as well, we’ll be able to capture all the details in one timeframe.
If the ceremony and reception are in different locations, we recommend having a cocktail hour outside of the main reception area if possible so that we can grab some great shots of your reception before the night begins and guests start laying down purses and coats on their seats!
CEREMONY 5-5.30
It’s time to get married!! Most ceremonies are 30 minutes long. If your ceremony is longer than 30 mins, we’ll make adjustments to the timeline! Cherish these moments! Your ceremony will pass by so quickly!
When choosing the side for the bride to stand during the ceremony, prefer the side where her hair won't cover her face.
Your first kiss as husband and wife is a pivotal moment and will be captured during the ceremony. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to share another kiss as you exit the aisle as newlyweds. To ensure we capture this special moment, it's important to hold the kiss for at least 2-3 seconds. Don't be afraid to extend the kiss and make it last, whether it's one long kiss or a series of sweet pecks.
FAMILY FORMALS 5.30-6
Family formals normally take place immediately following the ceremony. To ensure a seamless experience, please provide us with a list of all the family members you want included in the portraits (bride+groom+groom’s family, bride+groom+bride’s family, etc.) at least a week before the big day. About 10 combinations is a perfect amount.
Additionally, kindly inform all close relatives that they are expected to remain at the ceremony venue for the family portrait session. This will avoid confusion or delay in gathering everyone as it is much easier when everyone is aware of the plan beforehand.
Assign a wrangler (ideally the most loud and excited of your bridesmaids) to assist with organizing and gathering people for photos. This can help ensure a smooth and efficient process on your wedding day.
SUNSET ROMANTICS 6-6.30
The post-ceremony photo shoot is a fantastic time for capturing gorgeous, candid moments! The light is gorgeous, the couple is excited, and we can relax and just enjoy capturing those romantic moments.
Typically, we only need to take photos during half of the cocktail hour, which allows the couple to either join their guests, sample the tasty appetizers and drinks they selected, or spend some quality time alone before the reception festivities begin.
RECEPTION BEGINS 7.00
This is when the bridal party lines up for introductions and the party begins!! By this part of the day, our timeline isn’t as strict.
A few random but important tips:
It is a good idea to allow us 10-15 minutes to photograph the reception details, if we haven’t done this yet along with the ceremony details.
Coordinate with your caterer to have the vendors' meal served at the same time as yours, so we won’t miss any important events.
Plan events like cake cutting and bouquet toss to occur early enough in the reception for us to document them, in case we are not there till the end.
Allocate some time for dancing shots. Give us about 30 minutes to an hour to capture those cool dancing moments, as it often takes guests a bit of time to warm up and hit the dance floor.
Purity Weddings is a modern wedding photography and videography team based in Los Angeles, owned as husband and wife. We travel all around, not just in California, but nationwide to capture beautiful moments on your wedding day. We believe our photographs and films together embody a unique visual memoir. We take pride in our photographs and films, which reflect a distinctive visual style that sets us apart from other artists. We like to create a clean look, accentuated by soft light and warm colors. Our vision unifies elements of fine art with the details of a documentary, so our images are sophisticated, authentic, and timeless.
We're inspired by all couples with a real love story to tell.
Featured on: Style Me Pretty, Bridal Musings, Brides, Wedding Chicks, The Knot, Southern California Bride, Lovely Day Journal, Love Stories TV, BlackBride, Sisters in Law, Modern Weddings and more!
