Wedding Timeline Tips
How to make a wedding timeline
Carver Event Center is located in Damascus, Oregon, only 20 minutes from Portland, Oregon. This beautiful venue is hidden in the tiny town of Damascus near the Clackamas River. We really loved the opportunity to capture Kim & Jakes fun wedding.
This wedding was full of stunning decor, great people, a beautiful and funny ceremony, yummy food, fun dancing, and touching speeches. We had a phone consult with Kim & Jake and connected with them immediately and we were so excited to get to work with them. We respect they had a budget and we were willing to change a few things around to get the images they wanted in their budget. They really wanted to get some photos of people dancing and having fun but not drunk, so they had people come dance after the first dance for a few songs. This way we got photos of everyone dancing but did not have to stay for a few more hours. Kim & Jake had us do 4 hours of photography coverage. They were looking into 3 hours but after talking through their timeline and how to get it all but not feel like a photoshoot they went to 4 hours of coverage.
Sample Timeline- 5 Hours Coverage
3pm Tail End of Getting Ready
3:30pm First look/ couple photos
4pm Family photos
4:20pm Wedding Party Photos
4:45pm Couple Hide Away (photographer does detail shots)
5pm Ceremony
5:30pm Couple Photos
6:15pm Couple Entrance & First Dance
6:25pm Parent Dances
6:35pm Guest Open Dance
7pm Dinner
7:30pm Toasts
7:50pm Cake Cutting
Not all people want all events of the day covered and thats ok, we ask what you value and what you want captured for your memoirs and will help you get those images. This is not what you're normally hear from photographers, as they want you to book them for 8 hours. Our average coverage is 5-6 hours and we work with clients to make sure we capture the events they value. If they are having under 50 guests our average is 4-5 hours coverage.
A few tips to shorten your photography coverage:
Have the photographer come in at the tail end of getting ready, so they can get the dress shot, last bits of make up and getting your dress on.
Stack your events without random gaps (skip your cocktail hour and get your couple photos done during that time so you can spend the rest of the evening with your guests)
Do a first look and family photos before your ceremony.
After ceremony do your couple photos or do them after dances if you want sunset photos.
After couple photos get announced then go right into your first dance and then ask your guests to come up and dance for a couple songs.
We know this advice is not what the wedding industry pushes but we like to be real with people and help them, even if its taboo. I know some people want all day coverage and thats ok, remember its your wedding do what makes YOU happy!