How To Plan Your Colorado Wedding Photography
As a Colorado wedding photographer, something I prioritize is giving my couples the complete wedding experience! This includes plenty of assistance throughout the entire wedding planning process, as I know there is a LOT to think about when it comes to your big day! From the moment we book together and you receive your wedding welcome guide, I include an outline of how the wedding photography process typically looks. I wanted to give a more in-depth look at a real-life wedding in order to help couples visualize their day and how capturing it goes!
The following wedding with Maddie and Vet was at Planet Bluegrass in Lyons, Colorado, which is a magically unique spot to get married nestled next to a river and giant rock formations! Scroll through to see an in-depth look at their real-life wedding and what to expect + tips on each photography portion.
The first part of your day includes…
Getting Ready Photos! (1-1.5 hours)
Getting ready photos are the perfect chance to capture all of that pre-wedding excitement with your friends and family, as well as your detail photos. Detail photos include your shoes, rings, bouquet, invitations, dress, perfume, and any other special items for your day. Typically I will be capturing partner 1’s detail photos when I first arrive, and it takes about 15-30 minutes to set up and capture a flat lay of these items. My second photographer will be capturing partner 2’s details while I do this! I recommend a minimum of 1 hour for getting ready photos, and if you’d like equal coverage of both partners getting ready then a second photographer is absolutely necessary, especially if you are in different locations! Make sure to leave ~10 minutes for putting on your dress and some extra time to pop a bottle of champagne with your friends!
Tip: Get your bouquet and extra cut florals from the florist for detail photos, as they make a HUGE difference (& try to have the florist arrive before I do). Lastly, bring ribbons, stamps, envelopes, or other personal items that you’d like to add for more decoration!
First Look (10-30 minutes)
A first look before your ceremony is such a special and intimate moment shared between just you and your person. Not only do you get to spend more of your day together, but you also get to have more photos done before the ceremony! Typically, without a first look, you won’t see each other until late in the day, and then we must do all of your couple photos, family photos, and wedding party photos post-ceremony and back to back. This usually means sacrificing time at your cocktail hour and reception. The flexibility in the timeline that comes from the first look is well worth it (and getting to sneak in more hugs and kisses before you say “I do!”)
Tip: Exchange vows or a private letter during your first look and get those feelings flowing!
Wedding Party Photos (30-45 minutes)
Time to have some fun with your closest humans! Wedding party photos before the ceremony are a time to celebrate your love and get you hyped up before tying the knot. We will get plenty of photos with you and your entire wedding party, including group shots and a photo with each individual. Also, how cute are Maddie and Vet’s “flower girls” (flower grandmas?!) Now is a perfect chance to get those sweet immediate family photos in as well.
Tip: If we are running low on time, my second photographer can capture one partner’s side of the wedding party while I do the other! (ie. my second photographer captured Vet with his groomsmen while I photographed Maddie with her bridesmaids!)
Pre-Ceremony Couple Photos (15 minutes)
Because M+V did a first look, they were able to receive a lot more photos together in their final gallery! I love sneaking in as many couple photos as we can, because after all, it is your day. Plus, I am able to take portraits of you while your makeup, hair, florals, and dress are still fresh. This is especially helpful on hot/sweaty or rainy days!
Ceremony (~30 minutes)
Possibly one of the most important parts of the day, and when you make it official in front of all of your favorite people! Ceremonies are usually late afternoon in the summer, around 4pm so the lighting is not too harsh (& much earlier during winter weddings). Make sure to leave sunlight time after your ceremony for your family photos and sunset couple photos!
Tips: The placement of your bodies relative to the sun greatly affects the look of your photos. Many venues have a designated ceremony site so this cannot be changed, however, if you have the option, try to place the sun behind you so it isn’t shining directly into your eyes or on your faces. Also, it is better to have both partners be in full sun than one in the shade and one in the sun (for more even lighting). Lastly, trees above you will create dappled lighting (areas of extreme brightness and darkness) that cannot be edited out. Ceremony lighting is usually the harshest light of the day because the photographer doesn’t usually have control over where it will happen, so managing your expectations about how that will look is important!
Cocktail Hour (1 hour)
M+V were quick with their family photos, so got to enjoy most of their cocktail hour after their ceremony! I recommend approximately 10 family photo groupings maximum so this portion does not become too time-consuming or exhausting, and I offer plenty of help organizing these groups before the wedding during your pre-wedding questionnaire.
They incorporated so many special touches to make their cocktail hour memorable, such as Betty the Beverage Burro, a string quartet, a photo booth, a lounge area with Wallflower Rentals and Hazel Grove, and a custom champagne arch! Sugar Pine Catering kept everyone fed and happy. Their framed couple photos were a perfect use of their engagement session!
Sunset Couple Photos (30 minutes)
Sunset couple photos usually happen during dinner, depending on the time of year. We make sure to eat at the same time as our couples so that we can finish dinner before the rest of your guests and sneak in these photos while they finish eating. We can spend as much time on these as you’d like, as they’re a chance to unwind and reflect on your day together. The reason we do these at sunset is because that is when the lighting is softest and best, and you can take advantage of that glowy golden hour, pink skies, and a variety of beauty that only happens ~1 hour before the sun goes down.
Reception (2-3+ hours)
The reception includes everything else you want to do after dinner! Many opt for speeches/toasts, first dances, cutting a cake, and of course lots of partying and dancing. Of course, this is all optional and some couples just want to ditch the traditions and mingle. Both are great! Make sure to leave time between events, and limit the number of speeches so they don’t take up your whole night. Chances are, your guests can’t wait to party with you! M+V also decided to do a grand exit where everyone lined up and sent them off at the end of the day, which made for some final action-packed shots.
Tip: Leave time for us to photograph your reception space before guests sit down and put their stuff all over your beautifully decorated tables. A second photographer can help with this!
How sweet is it to re-live all of this joy, the hilarious moments on the dance floor, and the endless laughs and hugs shared between you and your guests? This is what wedding photography is all about and one of the many reasons I LOVE preserving your memories forever. Plus, look at how special Maddie and Vet’s private last dance was before their grand exit! I made sure to give them plenty of space while wiping back tears and capturing that moment.
I hope this helped give you a vision of how a wedding day can flow! I am here every step of the way to simplify the photography process and make sure the only thing you have to worry about is having the most incredible day ever. As your wedding photographer, I am more than just a person there to take photos. I consider my couples and their loved ones as my friends and people I care for deeply. Your comfort is everything to me, and making sure you are present in these moments so that you can soak up all the love surrounding you. When you look back on your gallery years from now, I want you to remember exactly how all of these precious moments felt.
Planning: Muse Events
Second Photographer: Sara Plett
Florals: Palmer Flowers
Hair/Makeup: Beauty On Location