There are a TON of moments, both big and small, that make up a wedding day, and as a wedding photographer it’s my job to document ALL of these special memories for my couples. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that having a solid timeline for any wedding day is essential for my work! That’s why today we’re going to be taking a look at what my timeline as a wedding photographer looks like so that any up and coming photographers can get an idea as to what a typical wedding day will feel like. Let’s get into it!

My Timeline for the Day Before as a Wedding Photographer 

My wedding day timeline as a wedding photographer actually starts the day before the wedding.  Prior to a wedding day, I’ll sit down and download ALL of the information I’ve gathered from my couple. I’ll also make sure I have a paper copy AND a digital copy of this info to cover all my bases!  The things I download include family photo lists, wedding day timelines, important photo lists, and any other details I’ve gone over with my couple.  I also take the time to charge my batteries for my camera and flash, clean my lenses, pack my bag, and clear and label the SD cards I plan to use that day. 

Last but not least, I make sure I eat a safe meal that evening!  What is a safe meal you might be wondering?  It is a meal that you have consistently eaten, and one you can eat without any fear of having an upset stomach that evening or the following day!  Your girl needs her beauty rest and needs to be on top of her game the following day!  Screenshot the list below so you’re prepped and ready for your wedding day!

The Night Before the Wedding

• Charge Your Batteries
• Clean Your Gear
• Pack Your Bag
• Wipe Your SD Cards
• Label Your SD Cards
• Eat a Safe Meal
• HYDRATE

The Wedding Day

The next morning I wake up and get out of the house and move my body.  I’m generally run pretty high strung, but on a wedding morning I have a LOT of nerves, so I always make sure to get out of the house. I’ll take a lap around the neighborhood, or at least the backyard so that I can calm my nerves and clear my head a bit. Next I’ll drink quite a bit of water, and typically if it’s a Saturday my husband Tanner and I head to our local coffee shop to grab some coffee, swing by the farmers market, and then grab some breakfast at New Moon Vegan.  

Then it’s typically getting to when I need to leave, so I head home and check my bag one more time for all of the necessities. I’ll then refill my water, put on my favorite playlist in the car, and then head out to the wedding!  I always try to get to my weddings 30-40 minutes early so that I can unpack and check out the venue a bit if I haven’t been there already!  I say hello to my couple, photograph their wedding, and then once my coverage is done I say goodbye and head out!

Wedding Day Timeline as a Wedding Photographer

• Wake Up
• Walk, Move My Body
• Drink a Lot of Water and Some Coffee
• Eat a Good Meal, Almost Always New Moon Vegan
• Check My Cameras to Make Sure They Work a Billion Times
• Head to the Wedding (I Try to Get There 30-40 Minutes Early so I can Settle in, Unpack, and Location Scout if I Haven’t Already
• Greet My Couple
• Shoot the Wedding Day!
• Come Home
• Back Up My Photos
• Go to Bed

Backing Up Your Wedding Photos

Once I get home I ALWAYS back up my photos before going to bed.  I connect the cards to my computer and back up the RAW files to an external hard drive.  I always have a main folder with the couples’ name and then I label the RAW file ___and____ wedding RAWS.  That way the next morning or the following day all I have to do is cull the gallery and grab a handful of sneak peeks so I can send my couple a mini gallery!  Once the photos are backed up and their sneak peek is sent, I put away my SD cards with backups of the photos. I’ll then double check my calendar on when their photos are due and plan out which days I am editing them.

Day After Wedding Timeline

• Cull My Photos
• Edit Sneak Peeks
• Upload Sneak Peeks 
• Send Them off with a Nice Email!
• Put Away the Cards That Still Have Photos 
• Back up Photos to Second SD Drive

What happens after the sneak peeks?  A whole lot of editing!  I typically try to edit my galleries in two sittings. The first half consists of the getting ready photos through ceremony, and then the second half is cocktail hour through the party!  Once everything is edited in Lightroom, I make a note of the photos that need photoshopping and then export all of the photos in the order I want them presented into a folder on my external hard drive.  I label this folder _____ and _____ edits.  Before I export I always make sure to rename the photos so that they are easy to navigate and easy to find! 

And then I upload the photos into Pic-Time so they’re ready to go!  If you’re interested in a more in depth look at my post wedding processing, check out my Guide to Delivering Wedding Galleries, otherwise keep an eye on the blog for more tips for wedding photographers!