The Ultimate Photo-Ready Wedding Timeline & Logistics Guide
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Your Wedding Morning: Maximising Light & Comfort
At your wedding, the getting-ready photos are where your story begins! I promise it is not about watching you get ready (that is creepy); it is about capturing the authentic excitement, the small details, and meeting your closest friends and family to build a trust and comfort that makes the rest of the day flow perfectly.
Here are three simple ways to make your morning photos stress-free and stunning:
Position Yourself for Perfect Light
Light is everything. To ensure your portraits are bright and flattering (and to help your make-up artist!), please position yourself near a large window with natural light. This provides the softest, most beautiful illumination. Standing in a dimly lit corner under a single lamp simply will not do your gorgeous look justice. We want your photos to glow, not look gloomy.
Create the ‘Chaos Corner’
Wedding mornings come with a lot of necessary luggage—suitcases, clothes, bags, and half-eaten snacks. Let us use the ‘Chaos Corner’ strategy. Designate a single corner of the room for all clutter. This small, 5-minute task ensures the rest of your space looks pristine and maximises our time together for those beautiful, clean shots. No one will ever know the chaos corner exists.
Prep Your Special Items
I know your wedding morning is a whirl of activity. If you want detail shots (dress, rings, invitations, shoes, perfume, etc.), please have them gathered in one spot (maybe near your Chaos Corner) and all tags and packaging removed before I arrive.
My heart breaks when I have to fuss over a flatlay and miss a spontaneous, beautiful moment of laughter in the next room. Prepping these details lets me capture them efficiently and get straight back to the authentic action. If you are not worried about these detailed still-life photos, please let me know so I can dedicate 100% of my time to the observational wedding coverage.
The Ceremony: Subtle Tweaks for Perfect Photos
During your wedding ceremony, photographers have zero ability to direct you—and that is absolutely correct! But a few simple, pre-planned movements can make a huge difference to your final images.
Avoid the ‘Uncle Fester’ Look: Lighting Tweaks
This is an expert photo tip that makes a huge difference:
The Issue: Downlights (especially common LED spotlights) create harsh, unflattering shadows under the eyes and can cause flickering/banding on camera. Uplights, common around the edges of a room, can also be problematic.
The Fix: Simply take a small step out from directly under the light source. If the room has plenty of natural window light, ask the venue to turn off the internal lights once your eyes adjust. You will not miss them, and your photos will look amazing.
Courtesy and Communication
I will always be courteous to the person leading your wedding ceremony. Sometimes, they have strict rules on where I can stand or whether photography is even allowed (this is rare, but possible). If this is the case, I cannot be a rule breaker. This is something that is worth discussing with your vicar, priest, or registrar before the wedding day to ensure we avoid any surprises.
Timing Your Portraits: Chasing the Golden Hour
As a documentary photographer, I focus on the moments. But portraits are a crucial part of your day, and they do not need to be painful! You will find it is a fun, short break. To make these portraits stunning and effortless, light must be considered.
The Midday Problem vs. The Golden Solution
The Midday Problem: Most ceremonies happen around midday. This is when the sun is highest and most powerful, creating harsh shadows and deep eye sockets—the most unflattering time of day for outdoor portraiture.
The Golden Solution: The Golden Hour is the perfect time. This is the hour before sunset when the sun drops low and creates a soft, golden hue. We will aim for this window as it ensures stunning, effortless portraits that are worth framing.
Scheduling Tip
Be aware that in late August/early September, the Golden Hour can often coincide with the wedding breakfast. Be prepared for a quick, exciting 5-minute dash outside between courses if we need to catch that magical light.