Location. Location. Location.

As you’re planning for your wedding day, you’ll quickly realize (if you haven’t already!) that there are a lot of little details you need to think about! Don’t panic! That’s what we’re here for! We are in the middle of a series talking about tips for your wedding day timeline. We will be approaching this from a photography perspective (since that’s what we know), but these tips always work for our couples and we want to pass them on! We know every wedding is different, and we also acknowledge that everything doesn’t always go according to plan. But creating a timeline with your photographer will not only make your day go by more smoothly, but it creates less stress for you on the wedding day (yay!), and ensures those little details all come together! Catch up on the series here!

Part 1: Traditional Versus First Look
Part 2: Location. Location. Location.
Part 3: Planning For The Light
Part 4: Leaving Time For Details
Part 5: Adding Buffer Time
Part 6: To Exit Or Not To Exit

Last week we talked about choosing a traditional schedule versus a first look schedule. The next set of decisions you make will be all about locations. Of course, you will lock in your venue for your ceremony and reception. But will those two locations be the same? And where will you be getting ready? This post is designed to give you a few tips to help you nail down those locations, and streamline your wedding day timeline, all at once.

Stay close if you can.

Our first tip? Try to pick locations that are in close proximity to one another. This is especially important when you’re figuring out where all the girls are getting dressed and where the guys are hanging out before the ceremony. It’s ideal to not have to travel a lot on your wedding day – not only does it cut down on time you may spend in traffic, but it also eliminates the stress and worry in case your veil or the rings are left back at the hotel or one of the guys forgets something! Having everything in one place, or at least within 10-15 minutes, will make you feel so much better! Plus, girls you avoid having to sit in traffic in your dress!

Think about the light.

This is such an important topic that we’re actually dedicating next week’s timeline post to all about lighting on your wedding day. But for now, here’s a few things to keep in mind while you’re planning. As photographers, light is the most important element we have to work with. And the more light we have, generally the better.

So think about the lighting in your venue of choice. Is it dark or light inside? Think about the room where you and your girls will be getting ready. Is there at least a window with lots of natural light? Think about when you will be getting the pictures of the two of you. Will it still be light outside?  All of these questions can impact the light throughout your day, and you might not know where to start! Don’t worry – we will be diving deeper into this topic next week! For now, just suffice it to say that the more light there is, the better. So just take a deep breath, and stay tuned!

Have a backup plan.

“Plan for the worst. Hope for the best.” It’s an old one, but a good one! Hey, bad weather happens. But it doesn’t have to ruin the day! When you’re considering different venues, make sure they have a backup plan in case of inclement weather. If you have an outdoor ceremony in the spring or late summer, and you’re concerned about rain or extreme heat, it’s so helpful to know your venue can accommodate those changes!

Case in point. We had an early November wedding in Asheville, NC and we had freezing temps combined with snow and wind! That outdoor ceremony was moved indoors to the reception area, in front of a gorgeous roaring fireplace, and the guests were none the wiser. It certainly put our bride as ease and gave her one less thing to worry about that morning! We all kept toasty warm, and had a beautiful ceremony despite the change! Most likely everything will be perfect. But just having a backup plan in place will give you peace of mind.

Those are just a few tips to follow as you plan your locations! But let us be the first to say there will always be exceptions. We just talked to a bride the other day who wants more people at the ceremony but less people at the reception. So that might be a time where you want to put some distance between the two locations and discourage a few people from traveling. But, as always, talk with your venue coordinators and please talk with your photographers and let them help you find the best beautiful locations! Next week we will be talking about looking for the best possible light! See you then!