Hey.  I’m Adam.  I’ve been a wedding photographer for a long time.  Like, longer than most.

I started my wedding photography business, Adam Shea Photography, in 2007 after photographing a cousin’s wedding.  At that time I thought, “Hey.  I could do this for the rest of my life and be happy.”

Being happy is exactly what has been happening since then.  I’ve had the pleasure to serve over five hundred wedding couples since 2007 and can honestly say I’ve enjoyed every event.

Over the past ten years, I’ve been able to collect a wide range of unique information you might find helpful.  Because you only do this once, right?  Or more if the occasion calls ;). 

Below are seven of the top tips I’d give to any bride or groom getting married.  Since I serve Green Bay, Appleton and Neenah areas of Wisconsin, I’ve tailored this to focus just on these places.  These tips, however, can be applied to many other locations and markets.  It’s just I know this one best :).

Plan Your Green Bay, Appleton or Neenah Wedding Early

Fail to plan and plan to fail, right?  Wedding planning can be daunting and it takes some me time to get to know the ropes.  Let me help you a bit.

Begin 9 months to two years prior to your wedding.

Wedding vendors book up quickly.  Generally speaking, reception halls and photographers book up the most quickly.   It’s safe to assume that most photographers and reception halls have their Saturdays beginning to book at least 1.5 years out.  For reception venues, it can even go out 2 - 3 years in advance.

The earlier you begin to plan, the more options you’ll have.   I normally book up between 9 months and 2 years prior to a couple’s wedding date. Generally speaking, the months of June, August, September and October tend to book up the fastest for me.

That being said, some vendors (including myself) sometimes will avoid booking out too far in advance in order to make sure rates are current and offerings are solid. You want to make sure that the criteria for your package and the vendor’s ability to offer what you’re looking for stays the same.

Sites like Weddingwire and TheKnot are good resources for couples looking to compare photographers. Don’t overlook, however, the power of the hive-mind by simply putting a message out on Facebook. In my opinion, you’re likely to get a more quality suggestion from someone you know rather than a photographer’s ad on one of those sites.

Also, pay attention to Google and Facebook reviews. They tend to be the most reliable and trustworthy. Plus, they’re easy to access!

Leave Enough Time Between the Wedding Ceremony and Reception

When planning your ceremony and reception time, it’s easy to overestimate the amount of time you’ll have between the two. Generally speaking, from a photographer’s point of view, the more time you leave between, the better.

I’ve found a good start time is anywhere between 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm for a ceremony. This will allow you enough time to get ready, prepare, not be rushed and also leave enough time after the ceremony to relax a bit and get your photos in.

Keep in mind that if you plan on having a reception line after your ceremony, this usually takes up a good amount of time as well. Reception lines typically consist of a bride and groom, along with their family and friends greeting guests as they exit the ceremony space or church.

This can sometimes take up to 20 - 40 minutes depending on how many guests show up. It’s a wonderful gesture because it allows you a few moments to spend with everyone after the ceremony. But it also takes a good amount of time. So, just plan on it :).

I’ve seen couples dismiss guests from pews, which seems to quicken the process a bit. One would think it would slow it down, however, it seems to hasten the exiting of the church. Even if you save 5 or 10 minutes after your ceremony, it counts! Any little bit of time makes a difference.

One question I often get asked is how long photos typically take after a ceremony. My answer to that is that it depends on what you prefer, but generally speaking, the following guidelines apply:

• Family Photos: 35 - 45 minutes

• Wedding Party: 45 - 60 minutes

• Bride and Groom: 20 - 30 minutes

Keep in mind these are ballpark estimates. This all depends on a few factors: how well everyone sets up, how well prepared they are to take photos and if the photos are being taken off site.

On a typical wedding day, we normally start taking photos shortly after a ceremony or receiving line has concluded. We generally start with grandparents first, then work our way down to other family members. Here is a general order we usually follow:

1. Grandparents and/or Small Children (who might need to leave right away)

2. Extended Family / Godparents

3. Parents

4. Immediate Family

5. Bride and Groom (classic “altar” shot up front)

6. Wedding Party (sometimes we take these offsite so we don’t double-up)

This order is always flexible and usually depends on who is accessible the quickest. It’s a great idea to bring a list of specific combinations if you are looking to get family photos with specific members involved.

The trick to getting good family photos is also letting family and friends know ahead of time to stick around. One would think it’s assumed, given that most families take photos after a wedding, but sometimes they overlook this. Letting them know at the rehearsal dinner is a good way of doing this.

Also, if you do happen to create a list, be sure you send it to your photographer ahead of time. And bring an extra paper copy, just in case. I’ve found it easiest to knock out a list of photos when someone is helping me. So, if you have an extroverted cousin or aunt who doesn’t mind bossing people around, give them a copy of the list. They’ll know the names of the family members (since the photographer does not yet), and the photographer will able to assemble them as needed.

Another factor that’s easy to overlook is the amount of time it takes to get from the ceremony to an offsite location and/or reception. This all plays a factor into how much wiggle room you have on your wedding day.

While the photo times listed above are usually pretty accurate, the travel times should also be taken into account. Keep in mind, it’s just not travel time. It’s also the time that it takes for wedding party members to exit their cars or your shared ride and assemble. Sometimes even the process of exiting and walking to a location within a park can take 10 minutes. When you’re working with a window of only an hour or two…that can leave you in a tight spot if you don’t plan for it.

Some couples also are concerned about their guests having something to do between the ceremony and reception. Which is such a nice consideration. You want to make sure they are not bored in between the ceremony and reception, right?

What I’ve seen most couples do is host a cocktail hour between a ceremony and a reception. For example, if your reception dinner starts at 6:00 or 6:30 pm, you may want to hold a light cocktail hour starting around 4:30 or 5:00 pm. This allows guests to begin to gather at your reception site, become refreshed and be primed for the night to come.

Since 2007, when I started photographing weddings, it’s been my experience that the best way for you to make the cocktail hour is to make sure you communicate that with your photographer. Plan on it and carve some time out for it ahead of time. More often than not, a photographer will try to push the time they have to work with you to the limit. To get you the best photos in the most combinations possible.

If you really want to make sure you are able to enjoy a cocktail and some hors dourves prior to your dinner, set that time aside on your timeline. And bear in mind, it’s going to be tricky to stick to. Photos can slowly creep into that timeframe without you or even your photographer being aware of it. Also, be prepared that it’s not entirely common for brides and grooms to have cocktails and talk with guests prior to dinner. You have to make a concerted effort if you want to do this.