Things Every Couple Should Know Before Their Wedding Day.
Planning a wedding is exciting, emotional and sometimes a little overwhelming. After photographing more than 150 weddings across East Yorkshire and beyond, I've seen what helps a wedding day run smoothly and what can cause unnecessary stress.
This guide is packed with practical advice to help you enjoy your day, stay relaxed and make the most of every moment.
1. Add 15 Minutes To Everything
One of the most common things I see on wedding mornings is people running behind schedule.
Hair takes longer than expected.
Someone forgets their shoes.
A button pops off a shirt.
The transport arrives early.
Adding an extra 15 minutes to every part of your timeline creates breathing room and helps everyone stay calm. Trust me, a relaxed morning always leads to better photographs and a happier experience.
2. Allow Plenty Of Time For Getting Ready
Your wedding morning isn't just about getting dressed.
It's about:
Spending time with your favourite people
Opening gifts and letters
Enjoying a glass of fizz
Taking photographs with family and friends
Having those emotional moments you'll remember forever
I'd recommend being completely ready at least 45 minutes before you need to leave for your ceremony.
This gives us time for those beautiful finishing touches and relaxed portraits without rushing.
3. Gather Your Details In One Place
Before I arrive, place all your important details together in a box or bag.
This could include:
Rings
Perfume
Jewellery
Wedding invitations
Vows
Shoes
Veil
Sentimental keepsakes
Having everything ready means I can quickly photograph these details while you continue enjoying your morning.
4.Walk Slowly Down the Aisle
One of the most common things I hear from couples after their wedding is how quickly the ceremony seemed to pass. When it's your turn to walk down the aisle, take a deep breath, smile and slow down.
Walking at a relaxed pace gives you time to take everything in, see your guests' reactions and enjoy that unforgettable moment. It also allows for more natural, flattering photographs and gives your photographer plenty of time to capture the emotion as you make your entrance.
Remember, everyone is there to see you — there's no need to rush.
5.Leave a Little Space Between Each Person
When walking down the aisle, try to leave a few steps between each member of the bridal party.
It can feel natural to follow closely behind the person in front, but creating a little extra space allows each person to have their own moment and ensures they're clearly visible in photographs. It also helps prevent guests, flowers or dresses from overlapping in the images.
A small gap makes a huge difference and helps create those elegant, timeless aisle photographs.
6. Create A Family Group Photo List
Family photographs are often the most important images you'll ever own.
To keep things organised, create a short list of essential family combinations before the wedding.
For example:
Couple with both sets of parents
Couple with siblings
Couple with grandparents
Couple with bridal party
Keeping the list concise means we can get through everything efficiently and get you back to your guests.
7. Don't Forget Golden Hour
Golden hour is the period just before sunset when the light becomes soft, warm and flattering.
If weather and timing allow, I always recommend stealing away for 10 minutes during golden hour.
These often become the photographs couples choose for wall art, albums and framed prints.
The light is simply magical.
8. Think About Speeches Before The Meal
This might be controversial, but many couples are now choosing speeches before food.
Why?
Because the people giving speeches are often too nervous to enjoy their meal.
Once speeches are finished:
Everyone can relax
The atmosphere feels lighter
Guests can fully enjoy the rest of the celebration
Speak to your venue about what works best for your day.
9. Don't Stress About The Weather
If I could give every couple one piece of advice, it would be this:
Stop checking the weather forecast.
British weather changes constantly.
Some of my favourite photographs have been taken in:
Rain
Wind
Overcast skies
Dramatic clouds
Your wedding isn't defined by the weather.
It's defined by the people, emotions and memories you create together.
We'll make beautiful photographs whatever happens.
10.The Best Photographs Are Usually The Ones You Didn't Notice Happening
Many couples spend months worrying about posed photographs.
In reality, the images that mean the most are often:
Dad seeing his daughter in her dress
A grandparent wiping away a tear
Friends laughing during speeches
Children playing on the dance floor
A quiet glance between newlyweds
These are the moments I look for throughout every wedding day.
The genuine moments.
The real moments.
The moments that tell your story.
11. Spend Time Together
Your wedding day will fly by.
Between greeting guests, enjoying the meal and celebrating with family and friends, it can sometimes feel like you barely get a moment alone.
That's why I always encourage couples to take 10–15 minutes away from the crowd for their portrait session. It's not just about the photographs — it's often one of the only opportunities you'll have to pause, take everything in and enjoy being together as newlyweds.
The best photographs happen when you're relaxed, chatting, laughing and simply enjoying the moment together.
12.Practise Your First Kiss
It sounds silly, but a quick pause at the end of your first kiss creates a much better photograph than a quick peck.
A couple of extra seconds gives everyone time to capture the moment.
Sample Wedding Day Timeline
Every wedding is different, but having a well-planned timeline helps ensure your day flows smoothly and gives you plenty of time to enjoy each moment without feeling rushed.
Here's an example of a typical wedding day with a 1:00pm ceremony:
- 9:30am – Photographer arrives for bridal preparations
- 10:00am – Hair, makeup and detail photographs (dress, shoes, jewellery, invitations, flowers and rings)
- 11:30am – Getting dressed
- 12:00pm – Final preparations and bridal portraits
- 12:30pm – Guests begin arriving
- 1:00pm – Ceremony
- 1:30pm – Confetti exit and congratulations
- 2:00pm – Family group photographs
- 2:30pm – Drinks reception and candid guest photographs
- 3:00pm – Relaxed couple portrait session
- 4:00pm – speeches
- 4:30pm – Wedding Breakfast
- 6:30pm – Time to mingle with guests
- 7:00pm – Golden hour portraits and smoke grenade photographs (if weather and season allow)
- 7:30pm – Evening guests arrive
- 8:00pm – Cake cutting
- 8:15pm – First dance
- 8:30pm – Dance floor opens
- 9:00pm – Sparklers
- 10:00pm – Evening celebrations and candid moments
- 10:30pm – Coverage finishes
Remember, this is only a guide. Every wedding is unique, and your timeline should reflect the style of day you're planning. During our consultation, I'll happily help you create a schedule that allows enough time for photographs while ensuring you can relax and enjoy every moment with your family and friends.
Top Tip: If you're unsure how much time to allow for photographs, I'd recommend around 20 minutes for family group photos and 15-20 minutes for your couple portraits. The more relaxed the timeline, the more relaxed you'll feel on the day.
The Couple Portrait Experience
For many couples, the thought of having their photograph taken can feel a little daunting. If you're worried about being awkward in front of the camera, please don't be.
My approach to couple portraits is relaxed, natural and completely focused on the two of you. There are no stiff poses or forced smiles. Instead, I'll gently guide you while encouraging you to chat, laugh, cuddle up and simply enjoy a few quiet moments together away from the excitement of the day.
Couple portraits aren't just about creating beautiful photographs – they're also an opportunity for you to take a breath and spend some time together as newlyweds. After months (or even years) of planning, it's often the first chance you'll have to pause and take it all in.
Most portrait sessions last around 15-20 minutes and can be split into shorter sessions throughout the day. This means you won't miss out on spending time with your guests, while still receiving a stunning collection of natural, romantic images.
If the weather allows, I also love to sneak away for a few minutes during golden hour. The soft evening light creates a beautiful atmosphere and often results in some of the most magical photographs of the day.
The most important thing to remember is that you don't need to know how to pose or what to do. That's my job. All you need to do is focus on each other and enjoy the moment.
Top Tip: Don't worry about being "photogenic". The best photographs come from genuine connection, not perfect poses.
Family Group Photos Made Easy
Family group photographs are a wonderful way to capture the people who matter most to you, but they don't need to take over your wedding day.
Before your wedding, I'll ask you to create a list of the family group photographs you'd like. Rather than writing "Bride with Parents" or "Groom with Grandparents", I recommend listing the names of everyone involved in each photograph. This helps avoid confusion on the day and ensures nobody important is accidentally missed.
We'll usually take family photographs shortly after the ceremony while everyone is together and looking their best. To keep things running smoothly, I'll gather everyone needed for the group photographs in one place and call people in and out as required. This means family members can stay nearby, photographs are completed much more efficiently, and nobody has to spend their drinks reception searching for relatives who have wandered off.
My aim is to make the process as quick, organised and stress-free as possible while still capturing all of those important family memories. With a little planning beforehand, family photographs can be completed smoothly, leaving you free to relax and enjoy the rest of your day with your guests.
Top Tip: Keep your family photo list to your must-have combinations. The more concise the list, the more time you'll have to enjoy your drinks reception and celebrate with your guests.
Example Photo list
Couple + Dave, Laura, Bob, & Samantha (Both Sets of Parents)
Couple, Bob & Samantha (one set of Parents)
Couple, Dave & Laura (Other set of Parents)
Couple, Rosie, Louise, Connor, Chelsea (Siblings)
Couple, Fred, Helen, Roger & Karen (Grandparents)
Couple, Lauren, Tanya, Charlotte, Izzie, Tony, Robert, Callum, Tom (Bridal/Groom Party)
Then you can also add on page boys/flower girls, Immediate family and also have separate photos with parents/Grandparents too.
What Happens After The Wedding?
Once the celebrations are over and you've finally had a chance to relax, my work is far from finished.
As soon as I get home, your photographs are backed up to multiple locations to ensure they're safe and secure. Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so protecting your memories is always my top priority.
The next step for me is to Edit and send over a handful of sneak peaks within 24 hours, this is so you can post your images on social media and you have some photographs to look at straight away.
Over the following days, I carefully go through every image captured throughout the day, selecting the very best photographs that tell the story of your wedding. From the nervous excitement of the morning preparations to the laughter, tears and dance floor celebrations, each image is chosen with care.
Every photograph is then individually edited in my signature style. This isn't simply applying a filter – each image is carefully adjusted for colour, exposure, composition and consistency to ensure your final gallery looks beautiful from beginning to end.
Once your gallery is ready, you'll receive access to your own private online gallery where you can view, download and share your photographs. From there, you can revisit your wedding day whenever you like, ordering prints and preserving your memories for years to come.
My goal is simple: to create a collection of photographs that not only show what your wedding looked like, but remind you exactly how it felt.
The Ultimate Confetti Guide
Few moments on your wedding day are as joyful as your confetti exit. It's one of the first moments you'll experience as newlyweds and often creates some of the most colourful, fun and memorable photographs of the entire day.
Check With Your Venue First
Before ordering your confetti, it's always worth checking with your venue. Some venues only allow biodegradable confetti, while others may have restrictions on where it can be used.
Choosing Your Confetti
When it comes to confetti, my personal recommendation is biodegradable paper confetti. It flutters beautifully through the air, stays visible for longer and creates that magical "confetti shower" effect in photographs.
While flower petals can look lovely, biodegradable paper confetti tends to travel further and hang in the air for longer, giving guests more opportunity to create a colourful and memorable confetti moment.
Whatever you choose, the key is to have plenty of it. The more confetti in the air, the more impact your photographs will have.
How Much Confetti Do You Need?
A good rule of thumb is to provide enough confetti for every guest. The more confetti in the air, the more dramatic and colourful your photographs will be.
Many couples choose to place individual confetti cones or packets on guests' chairs before the ceremony or have them handed out as guests leave. A good large handful for each guest is usually the best.
Don't Rush Through It.
Your confetti exit only lasts a few seconds, so take your time and soak it all in. You've just got married, your favourite people are celebrating around you, and it deserves to be enjoyed.
Some of the happiest photographs from a wedding day happen during the confetti exit, and with a little planning, it's a moment you'll remember forever.
