The Wedding Checklist: What Your Photographer Needs to Nail the Day
- unplannedmomentspr
- Oct 5
- 3 min read
As your wedding day approaches, you're finalizing seating charts, tasting cakes, and rehearsing your vows. But to ensure your photography is seamless, beautiful, and stress-free, your photographer needs a crucial piece of homework: The wedding day information packet.
Your wedding photographer is not just there to take photos; we are part-time coordinators, light managers, and timeline guardians. The better informed we are, the better we can capture the moments that truly matter.
Here is a checklist of the essential information your photographer needs before the wedding day to deliver the best possible results.
1. The Finalized Timeline (and Key Differences)
This is the single most important document. We need to know where to be and when, down to the minute.
The Full Schedule: The start time for everything: hair and makeup, dressing, first look, ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception events (first dance, toasts, cake cutting).
Travel Times: Accurate driving times between all locations (getting ready, ceremony, portrait location, reception). We need buffer time to pack up, drive, and scout the next location.
Photography Gaps: If there's a large gap in the day (e.g., a break between the ceremony and reception), we need to know if we are released during that time or if you've planned other activities.
Sample of wedding itinerary :
2. The Must-Have Photo Lists
We pride ourselves on capturing candid moments, but some moments simply cannot be missed. To avoid hovering or interrupting, we need these lists in advance:
Family Formal List: A short, precise list of groups for the formal session (e.g., Bride + Parents, Groom + Siblings, All Immediate Family). Crucially, assign a family member (not the couple!) who knows everyone to help gather the groups quickly.
Key Moments: Any specific cultural or religious traditions, surprise dances, or symbolic details that happen quickly and that we must be prepared to capture.
The "Do Not Miss" Details: Did your grandmother knit the veil? Is the groom wearing a special watch? Highlighting these small, sentimental items ensures they don't get overlooked.
3. Same Day Edit (SDE) Montage Requirements
If you've booked our Same Day Edit Photo Montage service, we need specific logistics and creative decisions finalized:
Minimum Time Gap: We require at least 5 hours of time between the ceremony and the start of the reception to select, edit, and sequence the images for your video.
Workstation Setup: We need a dedicated, quiet area with a table and guaranteed power supply close to the reception area so we can work right up until the presentation time.
Music Selection: Please send us at least two music tracks—one upbeat option and one slow option. We recommend a final montage length of 3–4 minutes.
Branding/Design: If you have a specific logo or monogram for your wedding, please send us the file so we can incorporate it seamlessly into the montage.
4. Venue Logistics and Access
Knowing the lay of the land prevents delays and ensures we get the best light.
Vendor Meal Confirmation: We are typically with you for 8-12 hours. Confirmation of vendor meals (and when they will be served) allows us to eat when you are eating, ensuring we are not shooting while hungry or missing a key moment while eating.
Parking and Access: Where can we park? Are there any security or entry restrictions? Knowing the logistics prevents us from wasting time hunting for parking or entry points while you are putting on your dress.
Important Contact: The name and number of your Wedding Planner or Day-of Coordinator. We should communicate any timeline or logistical questions directly to them, not to you.
5. Lighting and Portrait Locations
Ultimately, photography is all about light. The following details help us scout and prepare for the best possible images:
Getting Ready Spaces: Photos or descriptions of the rooms where you are getting ready. Is there ample window light? Is the room tidy? Natural light is always preferred!
Plan B: If the ceremony or outdoor portraits are planned outside, what is the clear rain or extreme weather backup plan? We need to know this in advance so we can be ready to shoot in the alternative space.
The Time of Day for Ceremony/Portraits: Knowing the orientation of the ceremony (where the sun will be) is critical. For portraits, we will always aim to shoot during the ideal golden hour, but we need the timeline to align with that.
The Goal: Clear Communication for Stress-Free Photos
Providing this information in a clear, organized document in the week leading up to the wedding allows us to prepare our equipment, mentally organize the day, and solve any potential timing conflicts before they happen.
The less you have to think about on the wedding day, the more you can simply relax and enjoy every moment—and that makes for the best photos of all.
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