Friday Bride Day- Wedding Day Schedule

How can I make sure my wedding day goes as smoothly as possible? All brides want a flawless wedding day with no disasters. One way to avoid disaster is to make a schedule. Sounds silly right? We get ready, go to the church and go to the reception- so what is there to schedule? Face it- a bridesmaid forgot her shoes at her house, the boutonnieres weren't delivered to the correct place, the best man is missing and your uncle is late! I find that sitting with my brides and creating a schedule for their big day really helps to avoid disasters (and sometimes even hiccups) on their big day. I also encourage the bride to share the schedule with their bridal party and family. It is so important to let the key players of your day know your expectations prior to the day of the wedding. I'm not saying to print out a copy for each member in the bridal party and have them take an oath to memorize it- but to at least take a look at it before the wedding day. I have an assistant with a watch and the schedule printed out to help keep us all on time!

Here's a sample schedule below.

12:00 PM • Photographer arrives to bride (Bridesmaids should have hair and makeup finished. Bride should be finishing up.) • Photographer arrives to groom

1:00 PM • Groom and Groomsmen leave for church

1:15 PM • Bride and Bridesmaids leave for church

2:00 PM • Ceremony Begins

2:45 PM • Formal Exit- Rose Pedals (Photographers will assemble guests)

3:00 PM • Family Formal Portraits at Church

3:30 PM • Leave for Reception Venue

4:00 PM • Bridal Party Portraits (All Bridal Party meet in the front entrance of venue directly after exiting limo)

4:30 PM • Bride and Groom Formal Portraits

5:00 PM • Bride and Groom leave to enjoy remainder of cocktail hour

6:00 PM • Reception Begins

10:00 PM • Reception Ends

Even with a schedule, there might be times throughout the day where things are running ahead or behind, but I find that working with a schedule tremendously helps the flow of the wedding day. I would love to hear about your thoughts on a schedule. Are you planning on having one? Why or why not?

Friday Bride Day- Pinterest Inspiration

Do photographers like when you share your Pinterest boards with them? I LOVE Pinterest. I'm actually sorta sad because it didn't exist three years ago when I was a bride! I think Pinterest has definitely stepped up the game in DIY weddings and I love it! Many of my brides share their Pinterest boards with me and I think it's great because it gives me a better idea of their style and if they are photography pins- a better idea of the type of photographs they would like.

On the other hand, it can also hinder a photographer's creativity if you give them a 10-page printout of your pins and you want every shot on the page. Compromise is the way to go in this situation. Pick a handful of your absolute favorite pins to share with your photographer, and let your photographer put their own creative spin on it! That way they are not being put into the uncomfortable place of recreating someone else's work and they can use their own creativity, to give you something unique!

Here's an example of a Pinterest inspired shot with my gorgeous bride, Jess, and her groom, Justin. P.S. She MADE this sign- so creative!

Barnegat Lighthouse Engagement: Rose and Joe

I met Rose and Joe on a warm July evening at Barnegat Lighthouse to capture their engagement session. Rose and Joe came ready to have some fun- maybe a little bit too much! I love shoots like this because it feels like hanging out with friends! We had lots of laughs and even more great shots. I love that they brought their adorable little guy, Riley, who was just as photogenic as his mom and dad. I can't wait until I see you again at your wedding- clearly it is going to be a good time!

Friday Bride Day Launch- Do we really need an engagement session?

So it's Friday... You know what that means, well not yet, but you will! Friday Bride Day is going to be a feature every Friday on my blog featuring a question from a bride! If you have any questions about wedding photography, weddings in general, or cute, small animals... email them to diana@styledpink.com. Now onto the question for today: Do we really need an engagement session?

Yes! Let me give you three reasons why.

1- It helps us get to know each other. Usually I meet all my brides and grooms for a consultation before they book with me. Well, that consultation may be an entire year before your wedding. That's a whole lotta time! I want you to feel comfortable with me on your wedding day, and an engagement session helps us get comfortable with each other.

2- An engagement session helps you to get comfortable in front of the camera. Some people freeze when they are in front of the camera (myself included). They start wondering "What should I do with my hands?" "Should I smile?" I will guide you through all of these questions as I help you pose naturally and comfortably- that way on your wedding day, you've already had a taste of it.

3- Lastly, engagement sessions are a great way to capture the two of you for some wonderful artwork- whether it be for your walls or your Save the Dates! It's great to have options besides just the shots of you on your wedding day. I love having canvases of my husband and I in our casual clothes from our engagement shoot in addition to our wedding shots.

I hope you enjoyed this first edition of Friday Bride Day!

Collingswood Grand Ballroom Engagement: Kara & Matt

Kara and Matt are engaged! When I put out the call for a couple within a moment's notice to shoot at the gorgeous Collingswood Grand Ballroom, Kara responded quickly and enthusiastically! I'm so glad she did! Kara and Matt are so adorable together and up for anything. The weather had been less than perfect for about two weeks prior to the shoot, rain- every single day. I think we can say we were all concerned about what Mother Nature decided on doing that day. Luckily, we got our shoot in and the VERY MOMENT I got into my car to leave, it started downpouring. I think it's safe to say Kara and Matt are a lucky couple!

Cooper River- One Year Old Shoot- Andria

As you might have noticed, I have quite a few nieces and nephews. Today, my youngest niece turned one! I cannot believe how quickly time flies by! A couple of weeks ago we went to Cooper River Park for a one-year-old session. The best sessions always get a little messy at the end with a cake smash! Happy Birthday, Andria! <3

Cooper River Family Shoot

This is hands down one of my favorite families- quite possibly because they are part of my family. If you've been reading my blog posts for some time, you'll notice this family is familiar with my camera. The scary thing is how quickly the kids grow up- that's why family shots are so important! We went to Cooper River on a Sunday afternoon for a quick family shoot with the promise of going to the Pop Shop in Collingswood for dinner and ice cream. I'm not sure who was more excited about the ice cream- me or the kids!