Wedding Inquiry Questionnaire

Planning a wedding can be a lot of work! When it comes to photography coverage of your wedding day, many couples don’t know where to start!

Let me learn a little bit about your wedding while I share some tips to help you plan your special day!

(Psst! Be sure to scroll all the way down!)

Getting To Know You

The first step is telling us a little bit about yourselves! Please fill out the contact information for you and your partner in the attached form below.

Planning Your Photographer’s Start and End Time

Planning your wedding day photography timeline can seem overwhelming, but working backward can help alleviate some of the stress. Start with your reception and work back through your timeline from there. You may not be able to pinpoint exact times for everything just yet, but it will give you an idea of how many hours you will need your photographer.

A Few Things To Keep In Mind!

• Lighting

If you are having an outdoor ceremony at midday, your photographer is going to be dealing with some harsh, and often unflattering, light. Make sure your venue can provide a space with soft natural light for your wedding pictures, even in the middle of the day. Indoor lighting situations can be tricky! If your “getting room” or ceremony location do not have large windows to let in bright natural light, your photographer will need to be well-versed in the art of flash. (Luckily for you, I am!)

• Hair & Makeup

  One of the most common reasons for running behind on a wedding day is hair and makeup. When hair and makeup is not done on time, the bride and bridesmaids aren’t ready for their pictures, leaving time only after the ceremony to get their portraits done. Be sure to let your hair and makeup people know exactly when you need to be done, hard stop. It is even a good idea to be ready an hour before portraits. That way, you and your bridal party can relax while preparing for pictures.

• First Look

  If you’re not familiar with what a First Look is, it’s a designated time before the ceremony when the Bride and Groom get to see each other in their wedding garb for the first time. It’s been a fairly popular trend in weddings over the last several years, varying from the tradition of a Groom seeing his Bride for the first time as she walks down the aisle toward him and their future together. There are several reasons why having a First Look is a good idea. For instance, our previous topic: lighting. This isn’t as much of an issue during the summer months, but early sunsets during the fall and winter seasons will leave you chasing the light on your wedding day. We all love the beautiful glow and well-lit sparkle in the eyes that natural light provides. Taking care of the Wedding Party/Bride and Groom Portraits before the ceremony allows us to optimize the light during those months. I can list more reasons why having a First Look is beneficial, but I will save that for another post. (Don’t get me wrong…capturing a groom’s face as he sees his bride walking down the aisle for the first time can be priceless and beautiful, and if that’s your decision, I’ll support it 100%. It’s all personal preference, and you should do what feels right for you and your partner.)

• Second Photographer

  Having a Second Photographer on your wedding day can truly add to the wedding day experience in a number of ways, including more photo coverage of your guests, your details, and your ceremony. A Second Photographer also allows you and your partner to get ready at the same time, rather than having to stagger the timing of prep to allow for photos of both partners getting ready. If you’re on the fence about having a Second Photographer, read this to find out if it might be a good fit for you!

• Travel Time

  If your Wedding Day involves moving from one location to another, be sure to account for travel time! Consider the time of day and the day of the week of your wedding. Will there be traffic? This leads me to my next point…

• Buffer Time

  You can be the most organized person on the planet, and you may still find it hard to stick to your timeline on your wedding day. There are so many other factors (i.e. vendors, friends, family, and other guests) that could make staying on schedule a challenge. So my simple advice is: make sure you allow for this. On the plus side, if everything does go according to plan, we will have a little more time to get creative with your images!

Sample Wedding Day Timeline

Here is an example of a wedding day photography timeframe

• Bride Details: 30 Minutes

• Bride Getting Ready: 30 Minutes

• Dress On/Final Touches: 30 Minutes

• Groom & Details: 45 Minutes

• First Look: 30 Minutes

• Bride & Groom Portraits: 30 Minutes – 1 Hour

• Bridal Party Pictures: 30 Minutes

• Ceremony: 45 Minutes – 1 Hour

• Family Portraits: 30 Minutes

• Reception: 2-3 Hours (Varies)

These are just rough timeframes to help you plan. If you want to see sample timelines of a wedding day with a First Look or without one, download the free Sample Timelines below, and share them with your planner (if you have one) to best plan your photography coverage!