Welcome to the ultimate guide for wedding day preparation! We’ve got a ton of tips to make your day stress-free, all while ensuring your photos turn out fabulous. If the list looks long, don’t worry. Just skim through the titles and dive into what interests you. Remember, the goal is to keep you relaxed and happy on your big day, which in turn, helps me, your trusty Portland wedding photographer, capture those perfect moments. Let’s dive in!
1) Wedding Photography Takes Time
Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and my goal as your Portland wedding photographer is to ensure that it goes smoothly and joyfully. With my extensive experience shooting hundreds of weddings, I recommend allowing enough time for beautiful photos and a relaxed experience, so you can fully enjoy each special moment without unnecessary stress. While I aim to be successful in my business, your best interests are always my priority, and I only advise the time truly necessary for capturing your special moments.
2) Give Yourself Extra Time
Part of creating that relaxed experience is having a plan for the unexpected. Things can and do go wrong on the wedding day. There are a lot of pieces that can create snags in the schedule. If for example, the flowers show up late or if the hair and makeup takes longer than expected this will eat into your portrait time, potentially compromising the quality. It is always smart to build a reasonable amount of buffer time into your schedule to account for small mishaps. This means planning to be ready 30 minutes before you have to head out the door. If you happen to be on time then you can sit back and sip some champagne. Most couples run late on their wedding day, so having this buffer is one of the smartest decisions you can make.
3) Don’t Stress The Little Things.
Leading up to your wedding, a plan will be laid out with the help of your vendors to optimize your wedding day. However, even with the best of intentions and planning mishaps can happen. People can run late. Things can be forgotten. Weather may not cooperate. If something doesn’t go exactly according to plan, I encourage keeping things in perspective. Regardless of what happens, you’re still going to get married. You’ll still be surrounded by the friends and family you love, and you’re still going to a have a great time. If and when the unexpected happens roll with it and keep in focus what really matters most.
4) Read Your Contracts Carefully.
As a general practice, I go over my contract with all of my couples. I don’t want there to be any hidden surprises that might cause disappointment or discord down the road. But it can be hard to summarize everything, and it’s just a good idea to give the contract a read yourself so everyone is on the same page with the same expectations. And if there is something that’s in the contract that gives you pause, it can be addressed before things get underway and there’s no turning back.
5) Hire Help for Setting Up Your Wedding
Going the DIY route with your wedding is a great way to keep the budget down, but I highly discourage doing any setup yourself on your wedding day. Even if you’re planning to set up several hours before you’re supposed to get ready I still think it’s a bad idea. It causes more stress, and you’re more likely to get hung up on something that will make you late. A day-of wedding planner is highly suggested to handle day-of tasks. If that is outside of your budget then delegate to friends and family as much as possible. This is your wedding day after all, and you should enjoy it!
6) Consult With Your Wedding Photographer Before Scheduling Hair And Makeup.
Every wedding photographer works differently and has different time recommendations for portraits. They may want you ready for portraits earlier or later in the day. If you schedule your hair and makeup before talking with your photographer, you could end up being ready way too soon. Or worse, there won’t be enough time to get everyone’s makeup finished. Chat with your Portland wedding photographer before you set hair and makeup in stone so they can let you know when they’ll need you to be ready.
7) Give Yourself Enough Time for Transportation
When creating your wedding day timeline it’s very important to account for transport time between locations. Transport time doesn’t just include the time it takes to drive from point A to point B. You also want to account for finding parking, loading and unloading, walking to and from your car, and possible traffic. It’s better to err on the side of caution. If Google Maps says it takes fifteen minutes to drive between locations than allocate at least 30 minutes for transport time. If the drive is thirty minutes, then I’d recommend forty-five minutes to an hour.
8) Consider A Second Portland Wedding Photographer.
Panning to have 100 or more guests? I recommend considering a second wedding photographer for better coverage. It can be challenging for one photographer to capture everything, especially if you’re getting ready in two different locations. A second Portland wedding photographer also allows for multiple angles, ensuring important moments like the bride walking down the aisle and the groom’s reaction aren’t missed.
9) Have Appropriate Footwear.
Planning to wear heels on your wedding day? Keep in mind where you may be walking. Heels are absolutely fine for city weddings. However, if you’re having an outdoor wedding and you’ll be walking on grass or trails, either for the ceremony or portraits, then heels may not make practical sense. Flats, or at the very least wedges, might be a better bet. Even though those heels may look fabulous, you may not look fabulous in them walking on uneven ground. You’ll want to be able to move around freely and comfortably, and your footwear should not distract from your connection with your partner. That said, if you’re absolutely dead set on wearing heels in an iffy situation then having a backup pair of comfy shoes is a good compromise if you need to swap into them when the need arises.
10) Get Ready Near Each Other.
This mostly applies when you only have one photographer. If you’re wanting documentary photography of getting ready then these locations should preferably be in the same location or within about five minutes of each other. For city weddings, it’s so much simpler to get ready at one hotel, either down the hall from each other or on different floors. This will make the photographer’s job much easier and will get you the most out of your investment.
11) Get Ready in a Well Designed Space with Natural Light
Couples put a ton of attention to detail into the design of their wedding. But often the getting ready area is overlooked. A getting ready room with nice design and good natural light provided by big windows does wonders not just for the photos but for your overall experience. A comfortable space in good light will put you at easy and calm your nerves before the wedding starts. Rooms with good aesthetic also give the photographer more to work with. There are a lot of good options on Airbnb. The photos there will give you an idea of what the space might look like in your photographs. Hotels, of course work well, too. If a space you’re looking at has florescent lighting this is a situation best avoided.
12) Keep Dressing Rooms Tidy.
If you have a large wedding party the getting ready room can get messy quick. Dresses and suits often come in plastic bags that look ugly and distracting if in the background of photos. The same can be said for suitcases overflowing onto the floors. Before the day of the wedding, I encourage letting your wedding party know that they should try to keep the getting ready room as tidy as possible.
13) Have Wardrobe Details Prepared Before the Photographer Arrives.
Wedding dresses usually come in bags from the bridal boutique, shoes are often in their boxes with paper stuff in them, and jewelry might be at the bottom of a bag somewhere. If the photographer arrives and these things are not readily available they could waste valuable photography time just gathering them. To get the most out of your photographer, it’s handy to have all for these things laying out on a table or on a bed when they arrive so they can get down to the creative work right away.
14) How to Stage Your Wedding Dress
For the dress, it’s helpful to have it removed from its bag. If there is any cardboard supporting the bust, that can be tossed away. Secure any clasps, buttons, or ribbons so that it looks neat while hanging. Plastic hangers don’t look the best in photos, so try to wrangle up a wooden one ahead of time.
15) Schedule Flowers to Arrive Before Portraits.
Be sure that the florist knows to deliver the bouquets and boutonnieres well before portrait time, at least 30 minutes if not earlier. If the florist shows up late or gets delayed by traffic, portraits won’t start on time. By telling them to deliver in advance then they will have some buffer time for themselves in case something goes wrong on their end. Also ensure that they know the correct delivery location for the bouquets and boutonnieres. You don’t want to have them deliver them to the ceremony or reception location if you’re getting ready and taking portraits at an off-site location.
16) Consider A First Look.
A first look is a coordinated moment before the ceremony for you and your fiancé to see each other dressed up for the first time. It really helps with the scheduling because it allows you to get most of your photos done before the ceremony. It allows you to join in with your guests during the reception quicker. If you’d rather go the more traditional route and wait to see each other for the first time while walking down the aisle, then you’ll have to do your portraits with your partner, your family and your wedding party after the ceremony. This can take an hour and a half to two hours. Yes, you can do a few of these photos beforehand, but it doesn’t actually save you that much time. There will still be a substantial gap between your ceremony and reception during which your guests will be waiting for your to finish photos.
17) Prepare For Portraits.
When preparing for portraits, start by mentally recalling the things you love about your fiancé, such as funny moments, sentimental stories, and things that make them laugh. Consider writing a letter or poem, or bringing a special gift to share during the shoot to help create positive energy and intimacy. For extra preparation, spend time practicing poses with your fiancé by reviewing photos on my site and experimenting with how you hold each other, which will boost your confidence on the big day.
18) Best Lighting for Your Ceremony .
19) Do An Unplugged Ceremony.
We all know how phones can sometimes take people out of the moment, especially during such a special occasion. When everyone’s focused on snapping photos, it can distract from the beauty of the ceremony and make it harder for your Portland wedding photographer to do their job. By asking your guests to put their phones away during the ceremony, you’re inviting them to be fully present and soak in the joy and love of the day, knowing that your photographer is there to capture all the special moments. After the ceremony, they’re welcome to take as many photos as they like and celebrate with you!
20) Don’t Rush The First Kiss.
Public displays of affection are not for everyone. So I understand why doing a quick peck during the ceremony might be preferred. But it can also be hard to capture. So I encourage taking your time with the first kiss. Really enjoy the moment.
21) Prepare A Family Shot List.
Make a list of the different combinations of family members you want in your formal photos and deliver it to your photographer. Please structure it like the list below so it can be easily read, listing specific names so they can be called out. Start with one family with smaller combinations and then build up to the full family. Then combine both families. After that release everyone in the first family except for the wedding couple and then move on to the second family with the biggest combination and build down from there. Usually, I set aside 30 minutes for family portraits. In this amount of time, I’m able to do about 10-15 combinations. If you’re wanting more combinations then it will likely take more time. The list should somewhat resemble a sideways bell curve, but you’re ultimately free to do whatever combinations you’d like. For example:
Bride And Mom
Bride And Dad
Bride, Groom, Bride’s Parents
Bride, Groom, Bride’s Siblings
Bride, Groom, Bride’s Immediate Family
Bride, Groom, Bride’s Relatives
Bride, Groom, Bride’s Entire Family
Bride, Groom, Bride’s Entire Family, Groom’s Entire Family
Bride, Groom, Bride’s Immediate Family, Groom’s Immediate Family
Groom, Bride, Groom’s Entire Family
Groom, Bride, Groom’s Immediate Family
Groom, Bride, Groom’s Relatives
Groom, Bride, Groom’s Siblings
Groom, Bride, Groom’s Parents
Groom and Groom’s Dad
Groom and Groom’s Mom
22) Notify Family Members Who Will Be In Family Photos
After you make your family shot list, be sure to notify everyone on your list of the time and location. If family portraits is scheduled before the ceremony then family should arrive 15-30 minutes before portraits are to begin. If they’re scheduled for just after the ceremony then tell family to stay by their seats after the processional while all the other guests make their way to the cocktail hour. You can have your officiant make an announcement in their closing remarks to remind family to wait for the Portland wedding photographer to direct them. What’s most important is that family doesn’t get mixed up with all the guests or run off to the bar line. If this happens it can be difficult to retrieve everyone, and dinner could be delayed. It’s best to knock out the family photos in an efficient manner so everyone can be released sooner to enjoy the reception.
23) Create a Special List.
Chances are you have some particularly special people beyond your immediate family who will be attending your wedding. It could be a particular close friend, a grandparent, or your officiant. If you have anyone like this in your life that we haven’t talked about please include them on a list. On this list you can also include any special details that may be at the wedding. Maybe you have a family heirloom you’re including or maybe you bought gifts for your wedding party. Include stuff like that, too. Lastly, if there is any special events, formal or informal, you have planned or are hoping to make happen, knowing those is really helpful. You can include this with your family shot list.
24) Be Open To A Sunset Portrait Session.
Golden hour light is magical. The light starting just about an hour before sunset is often the most beautiful. This light gets warmer as the sun gets lower in the sky. It will make your skin look great, and the highlights and shadows will sculpt your face and body better. If you’re doing a first look and portraits before the ceremony then the sunset portraits is usually a much shorter session, maybe 15 minutes. It’s sort of a bonus. I try to arrange this session at the tail end of dinner but before speeches. We sneak out while everyone is finishing up their meals, a great opportunity to get some alone time, and return in time for your guests to roast you on the mic.
25) Use Photos Online as Inspiration
while searching for a Portland wedding photographer, you’ve come across several portfolios and may have found images on blogs or Pinterest that you’d love to have replicated for your wedding. It’s important to remember that every photographer has their own unique style and capabilities, and the images you loved might have been from styled shoots with models, not real weddings. While I can certainly use inspiration from your favorite images, I can’t guarantee to replicate the exact results, but I always aim to capture your day in a way that’s just as beautiful and unique to you.
26) Add A Personal Touch Or Special Event
Throwing something extra or random into your wedding day can be really fun for yourself and your guests. It could be a decoration or family heirloom. It could be a made-up tradition even. Weddings don’t have to be super traditional. You can really do whatever you want. I’ve shot weddings with piñatas, dunk tanks, cupcake catapults, bouncy castles, arcade games, white water rafting, wiffle ball, silent disco, choreographed dances, you name it. Incorporating something unexpected could be that x-factor that elevates the whole day. As a bonus, it will create some memorable moments to photograph.
27) Be Intentional About Where Speeches Are Given.
Once someone starts a speech you really can’t interrupt them if they’re, say, standing in front of a fire extinguisher. For whatever reason, things like this happen more often than you’d think, and the photographer has to bend the laws of physics to try and exclude a distracting element from the image. If it’s not a fire extinguisher it can also be an exit sign, the DJ’s speakers, or doors with those ugly push bar handles. A great place for guests to give speeches is right next to the head table. That way the decorations will look great in the photos, and the speaker will be in close proximity to the newlyweds, making it possible to capture everyone in the same image. If the head table is too crowded, then designating another well decorated area will work as well.
28) Accent Lights During The Reception Help A Lot.
These can be strung lights, up lighting along the walls, or globes hung from trees even. Feel free to get creative. The important things is that this type of lighting fills in the background a little and creates ambiance. Flash is often necessary during receptions. An experienced Portland wedding photographer will know how to balance the accent lights with the flash so that the ambiance of the photos look natural and interesting. If there are no accent lights, then the background of the photos will likely be very dark and lack depth.
Looking for a Portland Wedding Photographer?
If you are looking for a Portland wedding photographer who can skillfully capture the nuances of your ceremony, whether you choose to have one or two wedding officiants, fill out a contact form and let’s set up a meeting. Together, we can discuss your vision and ensure that every moment of your special day is beautifully documented. From intimate exchanges to dynamic interactions, I’m here to help make your wedding memories as stunning and memorable as possible.