WEDDING WELCOME GUIDE

OFFICIALLY BOOKED

I can’t express how grateful I am that you are here and we are doing this together! I promise to make this process enjoyable — I am always here to answer questions and help plan the perfect day for you two!

Not just your photographer, but your friend

connection is one of the main pillars that separates my photography business — my goal is that by your wedding day we have built a strong and warm friendship - one where:

  • you trust me to document your day in a way that is authentic and beautiful

  • I understand your priorities, intentions and what you both value most on your day

  • you experience a joyful day that your wedding gallery clearly reminds you of :)

A stress-free intentional wedding day is the goal

your wedding will be one of the best days of your life! with me you’re able to fully enjoy every moment, allowing yourself to let go and have fun, to be intentional with your partner and to make memories with all your loved ones.

this guide will help give the pathway to have the experience that you want. as always — I am always an email away for any questions that come up!

service overview

what to expect

three |

I am going to walk you through every step of the process. never hesitate to ask questions as they arise. I am always an email away :)

one |

schedule your engagement session. we capture a fun date night for you + deliver photos that make you even more excited for you wedding!

five |

Celebrate your big day intentionally!

you’ll receive sneak peek photos within twenty-four hours and your full gallery within six weeks!

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we will connect 4 weeks before your wedding to finalize your vision and go over any last minute questions you may have

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we work together to create the optimal timeline for your wedding day that focuses on what you value most and allows you time to fully absorb your day

ENGAGEMENT SESSION

It takes time for most couples to warm up to being photographed and this is the perfect time to practice! plus it gives you an opportunity to meet me and work with me prior to your big day :)

this will help your wedding timeline run more smoothly and you will rock your wedding portraits right away! (taking less time away from the fun moments happening)

added bonus — these photos are great for save-the-dates

five

5 tips for the best wedding experience

  1. create a smooth timeline with room for flexibility

  2. prioritize intimate time with your partner - the day goes fast

  3. keep your family list short + sweet

  4. have a go-to person for others to ask questions to (that’s not you)

  5. phone-free ceremony

it’s time to really envision your dream day

before we get into timeline planning, I want you both to grab your favorite beverage, put on your Spotify playlist and start to think about what your dream wedding looks like —

how do you feel on your wedding day?

who’s involved during the events throughout the day?

how much time do you spend together?

how did you make it personable towards your relationship?

wedding day details

I love capturing all the little details you've carefully chosen to be a part of your wedding day! Once I arrive at your wedding, I need about 30 minutes to capture and style details. I recommend choosing a getting ready location filled with natural light and, if possible, keep the space free from trash and clutter so there's no distractions in your photos while you're finishing hair and makeup, and putting your dress on.

It would be wonderful if you could put all of your detail items together in one spot for me — so I can capture them without interrupting your hair and makeup process.

DETAIL IDEAS

  • Dress (cute Dress Hanger)

  • Rings (both engagement and wedding bands)

  • Shoes, Veil, any jewelry

  • Bouquet, unused stems of florals

  • Invitation

  • Any other paper stationary you may have like program card

  • vow books

  • groom: shoes, socks, cuff links, tie pocket square, cologne

  • anything else sentimental

Not into staged details? want a more “lived-in” photo feel that seems more organic - let me know and we can achieve this

what to include in an emergency kit

  • snacks

  • water

  • chapstick

  • spray deodorant

  • baby wipes

  • cute hanger

  • lint roller

  • tide to go

  • toothbrush/mints

  • deodorant

  • tampons

  • razors

  • safety pins

  • lotion

  • Advil

  • tums

  • bandaids

  • hairspray

first look vs. traditional

if you —

want an intimate moment without an audience?

don’t want to wait until the ceremony to spend time with your significant other?

want to take the posed photos (family, bridal party, couples portraits) before the ceremony and be intentional the rest of the day with your guests?

having a first look is the better option

if you —

dream of ‘that moment’ of him seeing you walk down the isle in front of all your loved ones

you love the idea of traditions and formality

want to feel the anticipation and romance that comes with waiting until this moment to see each other for the first time

not having a first look is the better option

Other ways to add intimacy on the morning of your wedding without a first look

-read private vows without seeing each other (hold hands, say a prayer)

-exchange hand-written letters - read them privately

-give each other meaningful gifts

*always remember these moments only need to be photographed if you want — they can always be completely private. Your day, your rules! If you are planning to do something similar — let us know so we know where to be/when

family photographs

I generally recommend keeping the number of combinations to ten or less. But I also understand family is unique and requires different groupings.

please sit down together and write out a list of what’s important and we’ll make it happen! Allow 2 minutes for each combination, so if you ideally would like to keep this portion of the day to 20 minutes max, only choose a total of 10 combinations.

this is a list I will ask for on our ‘1 month before wedding’ zoom call —also if there are any unique family dynamics we should be aware of, please let us know during that call too. This will help ensure that the portrait process is as smooth and stress-free as possible.

when writing out family combinations —

It is really helpful to group like this:

1. Couple +

2. Bride +

3. Groom +

and to be sure to include first names ( instead of just saying “mom”) this will help my second shooter organize everyone

TIMELINE EXAMPLES

8 hour day

(no first look)

1pm | photographers arrive

1-2pm | details (dress on hanger, flat lay etc.)

2-230pm |getting dressed

230pm | bridesmaid only photos

245pm |groomsmen only photos

330pm | ceremony

400pm | family photos

430pm | full wedding party

5pm | couple photos

6pm |dinner + speeches

7pm | sunset photos

8pm |first dances

9pm | photographers departure

10 hour day

(no first look)

11am | photographers arrive

11-12pm | details (dress on hanger, flat lay etc.)

12-1pm | getting dressed

1-130pm bridesmaid only photos

130-2pm | groomsmen only photos

230pm | ceremony

3 pm | family photos

330pm | full wedding party

4pm | couple photos

5pm | enjoy cocktail hour

6pm | dinner + speeches

7pm | sunset photos

8pm | first dances

9pm | photographers departure

8 hour day

(first look)

12pm | photographers arrive

12-1pm | details (dress on hanger, flat lay etc.)

1-130pm | getting dressed

130pm | first look _ couples photos

230pm | wedding party photos

3pm | family photos

400pm | ceremony

430pm | cocktail hour

530pm |dinner + speeches

630pm | sunset photos

730pm | first dances

8pm | photographers departure

10 hour day

(first look)

11am | photographers arrive

11-12pm | details (dress on hanger, flat lay etc.)

12-1pm | getting dressed

130pm | first look + couple photos

245-330pm | full wedding party photos

330-4pm | family photos

430pm | ceremony

5pm | enjoy cocktail hour

6pm | dinner + speeches

7pm | sunset photos

8pm | first dances

9pm | photographers departure

* make note that sunset time/golden hour will change depending on what time of year your wedding is* I am always willing to chat with you and check those times for you!

GOLDEN HOUR

Great pictures ultimately come down to the quality of light that we have to work with.

My favorite time to shoot, hands-down, is the final hour before sunset, which is commonly known as “the golden hour”. The light is so warm and soft, and it just adds some magic to your images. We would much prefer 15 minutes of this golden light than one hour in the harsh glare of early afternoon. But if  there’s no choice, we will do our best to avoid putting you in the sun. Finding shade during the day is key to avoiding weird shadows or squinty eyes.

If it’s a cloudy day, on the other hand, I will be a very happy photographer. Clouds act like giant soft-boxes over the sun, reducing harsh shadows so that everyone looks amazing.

definitely consider making time in your day to “sneak off’ together for golden hour portraits — plus this can be such an intimate, special time where it’s just the two of you (and me of course)

the honest truth is your wedding is about the two of you — it is two important to envision how you dream of it being, how you want to feel through the day and who’s there to support and love you along the way.

don’t worry about the current trends or if something is different — you can design this day to be as unique as you desire and I’m always here to help in any way that I can

always here for any + all questions!

email me at nicolelewienphotography@gmail.com and expect a response from me within 2-3 business days :)