A good wedding photo and film checklist: book photo and film together 6–9 months out, build the timeline around sunset 3 months out, write a named family group list under twelve groups 1 month out, and gather details and confirm crew logistics the week of the wedding.
Couples rarely regret the photographs they took — they regret the fifteen minutes of daylight they gave away, or the family group nobody wrote down. This is the checklist we send before every wedding.
- Review full galleries, not just highlight reels, before booking.
- Schedule couple portraits in the hour before sunset.
- Keep family groups under twelve and name a rounder-up from each side.
- Share the timeline, venue contact and ceremony restrictions a month out.
- Ask how many images you get, when, and how long files are archived.
6–9 months out
- Book photo and film together, with one team if you can — two vendors means two people competing for the same angle.
- Look at full galleries, not highlight reels. Anyone can show ten good frames.
- Confirm hours of coverage and whether a second shooter is included.
- Ask what happens if a photographer is ill on the day.
3 months out: build the timeline around light
The single biggest improvement to your photographs costs nothing: schedule couple portraits in the hour before sunset. Look up the sunset time for your date and venue, then work backwards. Twenty minutes there beats an hour at noon.
| Moment | Suggested window |
|---|---|
| Getting ready | 2–3 hours before ceremony |
| First look (optional) | 90 min before ceremony |
| Family groups | Straight after the ceremony, 20–25 min |
| Couple portraits | Golden hour, ~60 min before sunset |
| Reception details | Before guests enter the room |
1 month out
- Write the family group list by name, and pick one relative from each side to round people up.
- Keep the list under twelve groups — every extra group is two minutes of daylight.
- Share the timeline, venue contact and any restrictions on photography during the ceremony.
- Tell your team about the moments that matter to you personally: a grandparent, a specific song, a private toast.
- Consider an unplugged ceremony so the aisle is not a wall of phones.
The week of
- Gather details for the flat-lay: rings, invitation, perfume, cufflinks, heirlooms.
- Confirm arrival times and the meal plan for the crew — a fed crew shoots the whole evening.
- Charge everything, and put someone in charge of the vows so they are not left in a hotel room.
Questions worth asking your photographer
- How many edited images will we receive, and when?
- Do we get a teaser before the full gallery?
- Are the files print-ready, and can we order an album later?
- How long do you archive our files?
- Who edits — you, or an outsourced service?
Give your photographer twenty minutes of good light and a list of names. Everything else is our job.
What to skip
Long posed sequences taken from Pinterest, a shot list of two hundred items, and a two-hour portrait session. The photographs couples keep on the wall are almost always from the unhurried moments in between.
Frequently asked questions
When should we book a wedding photographer and videographer?
Six to nine months before the date is typical, and earlier for peak-season Saturdays.
What is the best time for couple portraits?
Golden hour, roughly 60 minutes before sunset. Twenty minutes of good light beats an hour at noon.
How long do family group photos take?
About 20–25 minutes straight after the ceremony if the list is under twelve named groups.
What should we ask a wedding photographer before booking?
How many edited images you get and when, whether there is a teaser, whether files are print-ready, how long they are archived, and who does the editing.
Planning your day? We shoot photo and film together, unhurried, with a teaser in your inbox within a week.
See the service →