How to plan a Wedding Day time line

... Or how to make it to the church on time!

The running joke is a wedding always starts on time, what ever time the bride gets there! We call that "wedding time". To me, as a photographer, its always fun to see how people deal with getting ready for a wedding. You start out early, you have the best intentions, you are probably even a very organized punctual person. So what happens?

It seems that all the forces of nature are against you! Maybe its part of the test... if you can actually make it through a wedding, then the universe decides that you are qualified to be married.

Anyway...

Starting with some broad observations, then we can get down to specific details as we go.

Everything takes longer than you can ever imagine.

I'm a video person, and a photographer. Sometimes both even. But when I shoot video of the bride and her ladies getting ready, I have physical documented proof of how long it really takes. A tape is an hour long. I've seen many times when they say something like, "Ok, we're ready, lets load up into the cars", so I swap a tape, so I'll be ready to catch them getting into the cars. An hour goes by, and I swap the tape in the camera again, because we have 55 minutes of trying to get everyone out the door, with all their make up bags packed. Its quite a sight to see!

Another point is "mob mentality". usually this is a bad thing. Think riots, as the population goes up, the IQ goes down. Weddings aren't quite that bad, exactly! But what seems to happen is everyone is trying to help. You know how long it takes you to get ready on a normal day. Most people get ready by them selves, in their own bathroom, with a minimum of outside interference.

Now picture how long it takes you and a group of your friends to do something together, like order dinner when you go out for a girls night. Simple, right? Except everyone is talking, at the same time, and then you have to weigh the options, and then if someone else wants what you have, you negotiate, etc.

And then take that group mentality up 20 notches, with the emotions of a wedding. Sure, your friends are having fun, but to you, this is IT. This is the big event, what you've been thinking of since you were like 4 years old. So you want it to be just right, perfect.

Well, there you are, doing your hair and make up. What you can probably do on your own in 30 minutes ( yeah right! ) now takes 2 hours because everyone is "helping"!

Plus, besides you getting ready, and your brides maids getting ready, and then the flower girls, and your mother, and some aunts who "just want to stop by to see how its going"... Plus all that, you're also on the cell phone, making sure the church is getting decorated, the flowers are getting delivered, the cake lady isn't lost, the DJ isn't double booked, some darn photographer keeps taking "Just one more picture" (and they always want to show you the picture, because its just so pretty!), plus... OMG! Enough already!

Best advice? Practice! Do a real run through. If you're going to get ready in a hotel room somewhere, at least try getting ready in someone else's house. Make a list of all the things you forget. See how long it will take when you're pulling things out of a bag, instead of your normally organized bathroom. Talk to 20 people while you're getting ready. Stop and redo your make up because you started crying for no reason. You could have someone pepper spray you, but that might be a bit extreme...

Actually drive from one place to another, like from your home to the church, at the time of day and on the same day of week as your wedding, maybe 2 weeks before your wedding. How is the traffic? Where will you park? Any new construction signs? Do you know a back way to go, just in case?

No joke, I went to shoot video of a wedding once, in Leavenworth, WA, and had to park 2 miles from the wedding chapel, because there was a Parade that day. 2 cameras, 2 tripods, lots of batteries, tapes, microphones, back up sound recorder... none of which was in a handy back pack yet, because usually I can park right off the side of the chapel. oops! Yes, it was a nice warm day for a walk, too! About 90 if I remember right. That's why I get paid the big bucks, right? :)

So, give your self an extra hour. Then another extra hour! Its ok if you're a bit early, its nice to sit down, relax, and gather what wits you have left just before walking down the aisle!

Theres so much more, but this will give you some things to think about! I plan to write more articles as I have time, so check back often. Remember to smile for your photos!


This article ©2000 - 2008 BlueStar Productions

Reprinting on your blog or website allowed as long as this entire resource box is included.
Article by Carlin Comm
Photography and Video for YOUR Life!
http://www.Seattle-HotShotz.com
carlin@seattle-hotshotz.com

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