Home » Advice for photographers » Currently Reading:

Allow more time than you think you’ll need …for everything!

February 10, 2010 Advice for photographers No Comments

I have never shot a wedding where everything has run to time – it just doesn’t happen.

Whether it is the bride arriving late for the ceremony, the receiving line taking longer than anticipated or the first dance taking place an hour later than planned, at a wedding, things never run to time!

The imporant thing is to know this in advance and not to worry if things do start to overrun. Obviously it goes without saying that you should plan as best you can in advance of the wedding and you should be aware of what time everything is due to happen but if things do start to slide for reasons out of your control, don’t panic!

As a wedding photographer the best thing you can do is anticipate in advance that things may not run to time and always leave longer than you think you will need. A wedding is not a military operation(!) but in advance of the day I always sit down with the bride and groom and we will agree a timetable for the day. At this stage I will build in longer than I think we will need for certain things. For example if I think the group photographs (or formals) will take 30 minutes in total, I will allow 45 minutes. Likewise, if the bride and groom are getting married in Church and then having their wedding reception at a venue which should be a 15 minute drive away, I will suggest to them that they allocate 30 minutes instead.

Obviously when you are driving to the wedding yourself, allow much more time than you think you will need. The bride is allowed to arrive late for her wedding – a wedding photographer is not! :-)

Neil
www.neilredfern.com

Comment on this Article:







Daily Photo Tip

.

Welcome to Wedding Photography Advice!

Welcome to Wedding Photography Advice - a new site, launched on St. Valentine's Day 2010, aimed at helping new and aspiring wedding photographers.

I'm Neil Redfern and I myself am a wedding photographer based in Manchester in the UK. I have been covering weddings for almost 4 years now but still have much to learn. In fact, one of the main reasons for setting up this site was to help me to continue improving further as a wedding photographer!

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy the site :-)

Attention wedding photographers!

I am always grateful for new tips, so if you have some advice you would like to share, please email me at info@neilredfern.com

All photographers who submit a post will be listed in the Photographers Directory section.

Enjoy the site!

Neil
www.neilredfern.com

-

Recent comments

  • Stephanie Callaghan Smith: Great article - like the way you suggest introducing your package option to make it more personal....
  • M.Ammon: Great advice and a really good helpful website....
  • John Yates: Great tips! The whole preparation is definitely one of my favorite things about being a wedding photographer! I love capturing all the fun candid moments. Great advice about keeping a nice wooden...
  • Final Take: Thanks, great article, have added you to my fav's...
  • Mike Milne: Managing contrast outside is a very useful function of flash. I shot a ceremony recently, the sun was over the left hand shoulder of the groom, his face was in total shadow. When shooting from behi...
  • Becky Male: Hi Neil, Thank you for this article, its very helpful, I've only just created my Becky Male Photography facebook page so not quite near 100 likes but will certainly remember your tip re the vanity url...
  • Sharon Mallinson: Very insightful post which I have just found. Just hope lots of brides to be find it too as so many cut back on the cost of a photographer :/...
  • South Wales Photography: Hi Neil, thank you for your help and advice and marketing on facebook thank you again...
  • Nic: Why is it that Jpegs alway look at bit crisper than the RAWs even when you have adjusted them?...
  • Steve Shipman: Really useful stuff, thank you. Did you ever get around to Part 3?...
  • Dave: That little nugget about the vanity URL was worth the read... I'm on to parts 2 and 3 to learn more. Thank you for sharing...
  • Terry Goan: Thanks Neil! I am new to Facebook and sincerely appreciate all the help you have given me. I look forward to your next post....
  • Linus Moran: Thanks for the info there Neil. Only just found this site, but have already setup the vanity url. Now onwards & upwards to part 2 !...
  • Linus Moran: Yes -agree with all the above. Its strange how the first puncture that I have had in years, just happens to be noticed as I came to leave for one of my last weddings. Its not a great way to start...
  • Linus Moran: Sound advice Neil. After years working with the newspapers this is a rule that is well and truely engrained now. Daily Mail prerequisite head shot, Half length, Full length - safety, saftey, safety....