Alright!

Let's Start With The Timeline

A couple of months before your big day, we'll chart a course through the exciting timeline of your event. This isn't just a schedule, it's a blueprint for capturing the wild dance of emotions and joyous adventure that's your wedding. Think less "rigid itinerary" and more "treasure map to hidden memories."

Sure, we'll leave space for those breathtaking portraits and family formals, but what truly excites me are the in-between moments. The way your eyes sparkle when you catch each other's gaze across the room. The unrehearsed giggle escaping your lips during vows. These are the gems we'll bridge together, like explorers stumbling upon a secret waterfall in the heart of your celebration.

And because even the most meticulously planned adventures take unexpected turns, we'll build in breathing room. Having a timeline allows us to navigate and still carry on to make your day memorable.

To ignite your imagination, I've sketched out a couple of possible itineraries, but these are just starting points, invitations to co-create a photographic journey as unique and vibrant as your love story. Let's swap timelines for treasure maps and set sail on this adventure together!

**Each timeline will be different depending on sunset times.

Getting Ready

The Details

Items to have prepared and ready for us to photograph (all may not apply):

NOTE: please have these items together in one place (Example: a shoebox). Your items in one box and your groom's in another. If you are getting ready at separate locations, then please keep ALL rings with the bridal items, including the groom’s ring.

HIS : shoes, ring, ring box, bowtie or tie, tie clip, pocket square, watch, cuff links, vow book, etc.

HERS: Invitation suite, shoes, ring(s), ring box, bracelets, earrings, necklace, hair pieces, vow book, perfume etc.

Additional notes

1) If there are any special, textured, or sentimental items you feel would make great accent pieces in your detail shots, feel free to include them! This could be lace, fur, miniature plants, beautiful rocks, or anything else you adore.

2) Let's get your dress hung on a nice hanger. If you don't have a specific one for it, a wooden hanger will work wonders!

3) We love including flowers in our detail shots. If possible, we'll include the bride's bouquet. If it can be arranged to be there with the other bridal details, that would be fan-tas-tic!

Once we're done shooting details of your items and your dress, it's time to start taking candid photos of you and the girls!

It's best to capture “getting ready” photos right when you’re almost completely ready, I'm sure no one wants photos of themselves with their hair half-curled and your makeup half-done!

A quick note about your 'getting ready' space

Be intentional about your getting-ready location. It literally defines the whole mood and feel of your photos, and can make or break your images. In an extreme example, if you decide to get ready in a stuffy hotel room the size of a bathroom with bad lighting and no windows, you might feel stressed and stuck.😆

Alternatively…consider getting ready in an open, bright room with soft natural light coming through the windows, a place that will make you feel more good energy and in touch with your emotions.

About good lighting, you might be a master at noticing good light by the end this guide haha! Try getting ready near a window with natural light coming in, your detail photos will look excellent…rather than random room lighting. Do your best to keep indoor lights off during getting ready photos so you don’t get mixed colors in your photos (either way we've got you covered in case you forget. 😉)

The Ceremony

The best time to start your ceremony is 2 - 3 hours before sunset! You can search what time is sunset on your wedding day on your favorite search engine.

The reason why you want to start your ceremony 2 hours before sunset, is because this gives us time to capture all formal photos. These include the family photos, bridesmaids photos, groomsmen photos, and bride and groom photos right in time with golden hour!

This is your moment, let your love radiate throughout the ceremony.

Family Session "The Formals"

The family photo session happens immediately after the ceremony, so it's necessary to have family members stay put after the ceremony ends. This is because we roughly have 15-20 minutes to photograph the “family photo portion” of the day. Having them on standby will make the process smooth.

An example shot list for the family session.

Please provide a detailed family photo list 2 months before the wedding.

List the groupings of family photos you would like taken after the ceremony.

Ex: Bride & Groom with Groom's Parents (actual names).

***This can be provided in a word document or email or whatever is easiest for you! Having this helps make the family photos go much smoother and in a timely manner.

Having a list will save so much time & make the process so simple! The reason we ask for names of family members is because it guides us with our favorite part about wedding photography, CONNECTING with people!

Instead of saying "bride with dad & step-mom," it'll be, "Sarah with Tom & Sally."

We've been complimented with our interactions with family and guests.

Full-Wedding Party Photos

Once we finish up with family photos, we will bring in the whole wedding party (Bridesmaids and Groomsmen) for group photos!! If you’re having a first look, full wedding party photos might happen before the ceremony to leave more time for couple portraits.

Couple Portraits (The Romantics)

Here’s where all the romance and bliss happens!

We'll be stepping out for sunset photos!

***We've normally set aside 45-30 minutes of couple portraits. However, if you want to set aside more time and take multiple photos in your wedding dress and not stress about time, because you have all your college friends and family waiting for you at the reception then you could consider having a “Day After Wedding Session”.

Be sure to ask us for more info about "Day After Wedding Sessions".

The Grand Entrance

We're on a roll! Let your authentic soul shine with your family and friends. Here we'll be shooting candids, details and THE GRAND ENTRANCE! .

Please connect with your wedding planner or DJ to turn off any colorful lighting, strobe lighting, and any other distracting lighting. And to ONLY leave on the warm, ambient lighting for the entrance, first dance, any special parent dances, and during cake cutting.

We're helping you avoid unnatural colors that might hit your dress and photos!

The Dinner

Since this is a good time to recooperate throughout the day, we'll skip capturing any photos of you eating! We don't want to have you smile with your mouth full on camera. ;)

The Party

ALRIGHT!!! LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!

We'll be moving and grooving with you while we capture these photos.

The Grand Exit

Make sure to see if your venue allows this. If not check our “Tips and Suggestions Guide” for more exit ideas!!

If you’re doing a sparkler exit, it usually takes about 15 minutes. So we’ll probably make you run up and down twice! Just follow our lead, we got you!!

The Reception

You Can Be Original

If you were recommended some traditional ideas on how to do your wedding, and you don't feel that works out for you that's completely fine!

Truthfully, it’s your wedding, your memories, and your big day! If you want to get eloped and married, LFG!! Get eloped at an EPIC spot in the mountains with only 10-20 of your closest family and friends and then have a wedding!
(Our lead photographer Gavin Ha's favorite kind of photography)

Fully packed backyard wedding, or don’t want any bridesmaids and groomsmen than that’s COMPLETELY OKAY!

It’s your big day, why not do it big and fun?

Don’t want a slow first dance song? How about a choreographed dance?!

Don’t want a traditional exit? Then take your wedding party to your favorite fast food restaurant or ice cream parlor and we'll be there! 😜

At The Rhythm, we're about authenticity and being true to yourself. We'll discuss more and make it work best for you.