Wedding Day Workflow – Part 1

I’m sure there are as many was to go about preparing and shooting a wedding as there are photographers, but I thought I would share my “typical” – if that is possible – wedding day workflow. My day has basically started much earlier in the week as I contact the couple to confirm and check for last minute changes, I also think about what the Bridal couple are looking to do, locations, size of wedding party, etc. All of these things play an important role in my job, and it helps me to go over these things multiple times through the week, I am also going over the names of the Bridal party if the couple were able to give them to me in advance. I really find this helpful, not only in positioning people, but I like to know the individuals names who I am spending the day with! So, on with my day, I start loading up my basics at the front door – digital frame, tripods, laptop case (generally not full yet) back up bag (filled with back up camera, equipment, and camera rain jacket), during this process, my husband is calmly and sweetly listing reminders for me. Next I’ll lay out my main camera bag, going through and cleaning the lenses, and the sensor on the camera body, along with checking the flashes, and other goodies packed in there – contract, deodorant, and a granola bar – often eaten by me, however it has been know to be used to bribe a flower girl J. Then come the batteries…a whole wack of them! Six camera batteries, and approximately two dozen rechargeables, I really really don’t like the possibility of running out of power…so on top of all of this, I also carry in the vehicle car chargers for AA batteries, and canon batteries. Lastly, I dump all of my CF cards onto an external drive along with anything that may be on the laptop, This is basically for backup purposes. Once this is done, I pack the laptop, and add the cards to the camera case. This is the point where on most occasions my wonderful Ruphus has taken to packing the vehicle for me, (and adds in stools, just in case, though I don’t tend to use them that often.) cell phone, and GPS.

Now packed I grab a quick snack and am off, in time to be at the Brides an hour prior to when the Bride needs to leave for the ceremony.