AS SOON AS YOU’RE ENGAGED AND HAVE A DATE PICKED :
☐ Come up with your idea board for colors and themes you like so you and your friends can keep an eye out for details at thrift stores and online. Pinterest in good for getting a base in place. This also helps when you’re hiring vendors so you can send examples of what you like and already have ideas in place!
☐ Make a list of what’s important to you on your wedding day. Is it the people you’re inviting, the photos, the place, the food?
once you make that list, think about what your style and ideas are. Do you like candid photography or more magazine-style? Do you want a sit-down meal, food trucks, or buffet? Is this going to be very formal, or do you want it to be more casual?
☐ Book your venue and photographer/videographer - they book out the quickest.
☐ Begin looking for a wedding coordinator, dress, suits, hair & makeup artist, dessert, florist, DJ, caterer, etc. that go with what’s important for you! If you want a formal or casual wedding use these words when you’re inquiring with them.
☐ Book your engagement shoot - book it now, but remember you can set it up for any time between now and your wedding! If you want to use the photos for your save-the-dates or your wedding website, make sure it’s scheduled as soon as possible. If it’s just for fun so we can meet up and get comfortable in front of the camera, you can do it up to a few weeks before your wedding!
☐ Send out Save the Dates - only do this if you feel a need to. Not everyone needs save the dates unless everyone is traveling in for the wedding or if it’s a week day wedding or popular date.
3-6 Months Before :
☐ Send out invitations - make sure you have at least one spare with the stamp and address so it can be photographed the day-of.
☐ Think about how you want to spend your wedding day. Is it hanging out with all your ladies and family members? Whoever you want to be spending time with, make sure they have nothing else to do the day of the wedding. Either find a day-of coordinator who can be in charge of setting things up, or come up with a week-before timeline so you get everything organized BEFORE the wedding day.
☐ Begin creating day-of timeline, week-of timeline, & decide on heirloom moments and prioritize those photos as you’re writing your timeline. I’m happy to help you!
☐ Decide on family groupings for portraits
☐ Make a list of the food and drink you want on the wedding day - make your wedding day as fun as possible and get that all figured out beforehand!
1 Month Before :
☐ I will send you an email requesting the following information!
☐ Make any last minute purchases
☐ If it’s an outdoor party, start checking the weather and come up with a backup plan incase there’s rain, snow, etc.
Wedding Week!
☐ Gather all the details you want photographed and keep it in a little tote or box so it’s with you on the wedding morning
Example: jewelry, hairpiece, handkerchief, wedding bands, perfume, love letter, invitation suite, tie, socks, cologne, hangers for dresses.
☐ Follow your week-of timeline! Get everything all set up before your wedding day so you’re not stressing the day-of and so your week isn’t stressful either.
☐ Pack a day-after bag!
☐ Make sure any piece of clothing that will be photographed are steamed - robes, wedding dress, rehearsal dress, etc. Clothing wrinkles do not look good in photos, and can’t be edited out very well! Do this before the wedding day if possible so you aren’t spending all morning steaming clothes.
