THE WEDDING GUIDE

Hey future brides!

I’m so excited to work with you. Being engaged is such a special time and I’m so excited for you! I created this guide in hopes that it will help you as you plan and prepare for your big day. It’s full of tips + tricks and it will allow you to know exactly what to expect from your photography experience. With around 100 weddings under my belt, I’ve learned a thing or two about what works and what doesn't. I know there’s a lot that goes into wedding planning so I want to ease some of your stress!

MY WHY

I love everything about weddings - the happy tears, the quiet moments with the ones you love, the look on the groom’s face as his bride walks down the aisle, the flowers, the cake. All of it! Each wedding day is truly unique and it’s such an honor to be able to capture all of the little (and big) moments that tell the story of your day. I believe that marriage is a gift from God and photographing weddings is a way that I can serve and love people. I can’t wait to be a part of your day!

THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION

All of my wedding packages include a complimentary engagement session. This gives us a chance to work together before your wedding day and a chance to document one of the best seasons of life: engagement!

WHAT TO WEAR

I recommend two outfits: One dressy and one casual. Neutral and earthy colors look best with my editing style. I suggest avoiding bright or neon colors, as this can take away from the subjects (your face!) and it can reflect onto your skin. Think: creams, whites, blacks, earth tones, etc. If you’re not into neutrals, that’s okay! Every color has a muted version and I think those look best! Girls: Light, flowy fabrics look gorgeous in photos. A few of my favorite online boutiques are Morning Lavender, Petal Lush, and Baltic Born.

LOCATION

There are so many options for locations. First ask yourself what kind of vibe are you going for. Nature, city, classic? Pinterest is great for inspo and you can even add me to your board. I’m a huge fan of incorporating nature in my photography: golden fields, mountain views, waterfalls, creeks, etc. But I also love shooting in the city whether it’s downtown, on a rooftop, or just roaming the streets. You can also choose a location that’s special to your relationship - maybe it’s where you had your first date or where you got engaged. You can incoorportate your favorite activities into your photos - maybe you love pizza nights together or getting ice cream at your favorite local ice cream shop. I can suggest some locations that I love to shoot at and we’ll work together to find the perfect spot!

HOW TO BOOK

Because my weekends are dedicated to weddings, I only schedule engagement sessions on Monday-Thursdays. Our start time will be based around sunset or sunrise times for whatever season you are considering. Any location over one hour from Athens, TN will have a travel fee. *No travel fees to Knoxville or Chattanooga, TN.

If you want to take advantage of the complimentary engagement session, please email me asap for availability.

TIPS

EMPTY YOUR POCKETS: Guys, I’m talking to you! Make sure all phones, wallets, and keys are out of your pockets! I can hold everything for you if you need me to.

CLEAN THE RING: Your new shiny rock will be the focal point of some of the photos and this is her time to shine!

GET YOUR NAILS DONE: Chipped nails ARE noticeable in photos. Treat yourself and go to the nail salon! Neutrals and pastels photograph well and will go with any outfit.

BRING COMFY SHOES: This is especially important if we’re going on a little adventure for your session! Bring a pair of sandals or tennis shoes to change into while we’re making the trek to our spot.

BRINGING YOUR FUR BABIES: I am a huge dog lover and all dogs are welcome :) If you want your dogs to be in your photos for some shots, make sure to bring some treats to help them cooperate. And make sure they’ll be okay in your car for the rest of session. You can also bring along someone to be in charge of them!

RELAX: Trust me, you do not have to be pros to get amazing photos! I know how awkward it can feel to be in front of the camera and my job is to make you feel comfortable! I’ll guide you through prompts and posing and we’ll have a great time! Your man might even enjoy it too!! :)

TIMELINE PLANNING

About two months prior to your wedding, I’ll send you a questionairre that will ask all kinds of details about your day. It will ask how big your wedding party is, what time your ceremony is, family lists, if you’re having a first look, etc. All of this information will help me build your photography timeline and help things run smoothly on the day of. If you have a wedding planner or coordinator, this will then be sent to them to build the full timeline. Below is just an example of what a timeline looks like.

sample timeline

12:00 - detail photos

1:00 - getting ready photos

1:30 - bride in dress

2:00 - first look/bride + groom photos

3:00 - wedding party photos

4:00 - family photos

4:30 - hide away

5:30 - ceremony

6:00 - enter reception

7:00 - sunset photos

8:00 - send off

DETAIL PHOTOS

Detail photos are some of my favorite photos in a wedding gallery. They help tell the story of your day. This is the first thing I will photograph when I arrive at the venue and I like to allow about an hour for these. If you can, please have all of your details gathered in one area or in a box for me to easily find when I get there. That way no one is scrambling trying to find everything!

Tip: Ask your florist ahead of time to save some clippings from your flowers. This adds such a pretty touch for detail photos!

DETAIL LIST

All 3 rings

Ring boxes

Invitations

Jewelry

Shoes

Perfume

Hair pieces

Bridal dress

Flower clippings

…and anything else special to you that you want photographed!

First look or no first look?

First looks have been the trend for several years now. It’s when the bride and groom decide to see each other before the ceremony. The bride will usually sneak up behind the groom, tap him on the shoulder, and have him turn around to reveal her in her dress. There’s a lot of anticipation and emotions in this moment and it’s one of my favorite parts of the day.

A lot of photographers push for first looks because they are more ideal logistically - all of the photos can be taken beforehand. However, I want to encourage all of my couples do what they want on their wedding day. Just because it seems like everyone is doing a first look, doesn’t mean you have to. If you’ve always dreamed of your groom seeing you for the first time as you walk down the aisle, do that! It’s what I chose to do on my wedding day and I don’t regret it.

Like anything, there are benefits to either way of doing things! I want to highlight some of those and let you decide. You can’t go wrong because each is special in its own way.

FIRST LOOK

-It knocks out all photos before the ceremony

-It will allow time for more photos in general

-It can help calm your nerves

-Allows you to have more alone time together

-Your hair + makeup is fresh

-Guests don’t have to wait for you at the cocktail hour or reception

NO FIRST LOOK

-The traditional coming-down-the-aisle is more important to you

-It includes your guests in the emotional moment of him seeing you for the first time

-Your husband really wants to see you for the first time walking down the aisle

  • UNPLUGGED CEREMONY

    I highly recommend having a sign for an unplugged ceremony or having your officiant announce that you request to have no photos taken during the ceremony.

    I can’t tell you how many times a beautiful shot has been ruined because a guest has their phone or iPad sticking out in the aisle. You don’t have to do this, but it’s definitely helpful!

  • FIRST KISS

    I suggest asking your officiant to step out of the way after he announces you husband and wife. Ask him to take a biiiig step to either side. Trust me, it can make for some awkward photos if they are lurking behind you during your kiss haha.

    Another great photo opportunity is doing a little dip and kiss when you’re exiting the ceremony about half way down. SO cute :)

  • SUNSET PHOTOS

    Sunset photos are something I always like to incorporate into the timeline. There’s nothing like that magic golden hour lighting! This also gives the two of you a little time to escape for some alone time! (but with me as your third wheel)

    About 15 minutes before the sun sets, I’ll steal the two of you from the reception for a few more portraits. Trust me, it’s so worth it.

ONLINE GALLERY

DOWNLOADING YOUR PHOTOS

When downloading your photos from your online gallery, I recommend downloading them all at once, that way you immediately have a copy of every single photo. You can do this on a computer, not a phone. You also have the option to download individual photos as you want them on your phone,

GALLERY EXPIRATION

Your gallery is guaranteed to remain open for 6 months after your wedding date. I highly recommend backing up your images on multiple devices: computer, mulitple hard drives, Google drive, Dropbox, etc. You can’t have enough copies! I am not responsible for the storage of your photos after 6 months.

ORDERING PRINTS

You can order professional prints through me directly from your online gallery and have them shipped directly to your house. Photos are printed in a professional lab to ensure color and contrast accuracy. You don’t have to order through me, but I would highly recommend staying away from stores like Walmart or Walgreens. Your photos will not print true-to-color at places like that.

SHARING YOUR IMAGES

You are completely free to share your images wherever you’d like! These are your photos and I love seeing you share them! Just keep in mind not to add filters or re-edit them in anyway (that’s what you pay me for!) A photo credit is always appreciated <3

PREFERRED VENDORS

FAQs

  • 2-3 weeks for sessions and 6-8 weeks for weddings. I will send sneak peeks within 2 days of your wedding (yay!)

  • Every wedding and session is different, but on average, you can expect to receive around 50 images per hour of shooting.

  • High Resolution images will be delivered via online gallery.

  • About half of my couples book a second shooter. The benefits are that you will receive more photos and more angles. However, if you don’t book one, you will not miss anything! I am very confident in my abilities to get all the shots and angles that you want.

I hope you’ve found this guide helpful! I genuinely love celebrating all of my couples and I cannot wait to capture YOUR unique day. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can email me at sydneygarrisonphotography@gmail.com or text me at 615-870-4472 anytime. Let’s create some magic together!!

Sydney <3