Wedding Guide

Introduction

Welcome to my Wedding Photography Guide!

I am absolutely thrilled and honored to join you in your marriage journey. I have created this wedding guide to help get you ready for your big day and help answer as many questions as I can!

I love getting to know my couples better and one of the ways that I am able to achieve that without having 48 hours in a day is through social media. I would also love to see some of the interests you have. I primarily use Instagram, so definitely let me know your username. My instagram account is where it is at for the latest and greatest. 

While you are busy with every other aspect of wedding planning, I like to keep the photography aspect as easy for you as possible. A pre wedding day questionnaire will be sent out to you to help with the wedding day photography timeline and to highlight all the VIP's that will be joining you on your wedding day.  Anywhere from 2-6 weeks prior to your wedding we schedule a meeting (Skype or phone call) to review the timeline and any outstanding questions. If you are still in the process of scheduling ceremony and reception start times and would like to make sure you have more than enough time for photos, do not hesitate to email me. I am more than happy to provide you with some suggestions to ensure we have ample time to create beautiful portraits. 

Yours, 

Timeline

Wedding Day Timeline  

As a wedding photographer, one of my responsibilities is to work with you and your wedding planner to draft a wedding day photography timeline. This timeline is used for the following purposes:

  • Makes sure that we have ample time to document all the details from the wedding day.

  • Makes sure that you and my second photographer are on the same page as me when it comes to what will be photographed and when.

  • Makes sure you know where me and my second photographer will be at all times.

  • Gives me better control if something runs behind on the wedding day, as I know where I added 'just in case we run behind' padding.

 Below is a guide to help make sure that we are able to create the gorgeous portraits that you see in my portfolio. 

  • Prep begins with photographs of all your glorious details. Standard details include: your wedding attire, shoes, rings, standard invitation. If you have extensive details that you would like styled, I would recommend scheduling a separate day for styling or add additional styling time. Extensive details may include: detailed invitation suite, partner’s details, programs, escort cards, save the dates, menus, extensive jewelry, multiple pairs of shoes, bags, perfume, makeup, etc. 1.5 hours is the minimum amount of coverage for flat lays. See sample timelines for more information.

  • If you have a LOT of details beyond the standard set, I would recommend scheduling a separate day for styling or to add additional time. Additional details to be styled could include, large invitation suite, partner’s details, programs, save the dates, menus, extensive jewelry, multiple pairs of shoes, bags, perfume, makeup, etc.

  • Once the details are photographed, getting ready coverage begins, including the finishing touches on your glamorous hair and makeup and any group shots in getting ready attire.

  • All your wedding attendants should be dressed by this time to help you carefully step into your wedding attire. I also love to use this time to do a few portraits after getting dressed, if time allows.

  • Whether you need to walk or drive to the next location of events, it is important to leave ample time to travel to that location. This includes enough time to pack up, load and unload any details and important people from one location to the next. I suggest having at least 15-20 minutes for packing up and another 15-20 minutes for unpacking.

  • This is not only time to capture some of the most beautiful images from your wedding day, but also time for the two of you to enjoy some precious time away from your guests on your wedding day. If you are looking to go on an adventure for portraits, the more time, the better.

  • For an average size wedding party (12 attendants), 30 minutes allows enough time for portraits of your full wedding party, you will all your wedding attendants, your spouse with all of their wedding attendants, you with each of your wedding attendants, your spouse with each of their wedding attendants. If your wedding party is larger, or any additional combinations are requested, more time will be needed.

  • Family portrait time allocation varies greatly from one wedding to the next. For smaller portraits (2-4 people), plan to allocate about 3 minutes for each portrait. For medium portraits (4-8 people), plan to allocate 5 minutes for each portraits. For larger portraits (8+ people), plan to allocate a minimum of 5 minutes for each portrait.

  • It is best to discuss how long your ceremony will be with your officiant. This includes procession, ceremony and recession. If you are having a receiving line, I recommend leaving 15 minutes for every 100 guests that are attending your ceremony.

  • While you mingle with your guests and enjoy those specialty cocktails and appetizers, the details of your cocktail hour and reception space will be photographed. If time allows, my second photographer will be circling your cocktail hour taking photographs of your guests. About 20 minutes prior to your main entrance, we begin setting up our lighting for your reception.

  • The first two hours of the reception generally include: entrances, first dance, 2 specialty dances, 2-3 speeches, a dance set, and a mock cake cutting. It is important to go over how much time is recommended with your coordinator and band to make sure everyone is on the same page. I always check with you before I leave to be sure you do not want any additional coverage. You are more than welcome to have us stay longer. Any additional coverage will be invoiced a few weeks after your wedding, so you do not have to worry about it on your big day.

Real wedding Sample Timelines

Below are some examples of real timelines that have been discussed with past couples. The first two are two different options for the same wedding. One with a first look and one without. If everything is all in one site and you will NOT be doing a first look, your cocktail hour will need to be a minimum of an hour and a half.

Sample Timeline 1

No first look, everything all on one site. Cocktail hour is 1.5 hours.

  • 12:45pm - 2:15 Finishing touches, getting ready robe photos

  • 1:15pm - 2:15pm Cassie gets dressed, portraits

  • 2:15pm - 3:00pm Cassie portraits with bridesmaids and family 

  • 3:00pm - 3:30pm Tom portraits with groomsmen and family 

  • 3:30pm - 4:00pm Prep for ceremony & reception detail photos 

  • 4:00pm - 4:30pm Ceremony 

  • 4:30pm - 4:50pm Family portraits (with Cassie and Tom)

  • 4:50pm - 5:05pm Wedding party portrait (with Cassie and Tom)

  • 5:05pm - 5:45pm Cassie and Tom portraits

  • 5:45pm - 6:00pm Remaining cocktail hour, reception details, reveal 

  • 6:00pm - 9:30pm Reception. At some point, we may grab the wedding couple to do 10-15 minutes of sunset portraits.

Sample Timeline 2

First look, everything all on one site. Cocktail hour is 1 hour.

  • 12:15pm - 12:45pm Finishing touches, getting ready robe photos

  • 12:45pm - 1:45pm Cassie gets dressed, portraits 

  • 1:45pm - 2:30pm First look, Cassie and Tom portraits 

  • 2:30pm - 3:00pm Wedding party portraits 

  • 3:00pm - 3:30pm Family portraits

  • 3:30pm - 4:00pm Prep for ceremony 

  • 4:00pm - 4:30pm Ceremony 

  • 4:30pm - 5:30pm Cocktail hour, reception details, reveal 

  • 5:30pm - 8:00pm Reception. At some point, we may grab the wedding couple to do 10-15 minutes of sunset portraits.

Sample Timeline 3

No first look. Multiple locations. Gap in between ceremony and reception.

  • 10:15pm - 12:45pm Flat Lays (normal details including: wedding attire, shoes, ring, earrings, and standard invitation suite)

  • 12:15pm - 12:45pm Finishing touches, getting ready robe photos w/ champagne toast

  • 12:45pm - 1:45pm Brittany gets dressed, portraits 

  • 1:45pm - 2:00pm Michelle travel to ceremony 

  • 11:30am - 12:45pm Taylor prep (photographed by assistant)

  • 12:45pm - 1:00pm Taylor and assistant photographer travel to ceremony 

  • 2:00pm - 2:30pm Prep for Ceremony, Rolls Royce photos with Brittany’s Dad

  • 2:30pm - 3:00pm Ceremony

  • 3:00pm - 3:30pm Travel to reception, unpack, prep for portraits.

  • 3:30pm - 4:00pm Brittany with bridesmaids, Taylor with groomsmen, full wedding party portrait.

  • 4:00pm - 5:00pm Brittany and Taylor portraits

  • 5:00pm - 5:30pm Family 

  • 5:30pm - 6:30pm Cocktail hour, reception details, scenic photos

  • 6:30pm - 9:00pm Reception 

Family Portraits

Family & Friends Portraits

As you fill out your wedding day questionnaire, there's a really important section where we ask, "Which family and/or group photos would you like taken?" It would be super helpful if you could list each combination on a separate line. Just a heads up: each combination will take about 3-5 minutes in the schedule. The reason we ask for this is to make sure we capture all those special family portraits that are a must-have on your big day. These special family portraits are above and beyond the wedding couple portraits and wedding party portraits listed below.

A minimum of 45 minutes for the wedding couple. This time includes:

  • You

  • Your Spouse

  • Wedding Couple

A minimum of 30 minutes for the wedding party. A larger wedding party or additional combinations not listed below could add more time. This time includes:

  • Full wedding party (only include flower girls & ring bearers if they are not napping at this time)

  • You with your wedding attendants

  • You with each of your individual attendant

  • Spouse with their wedding attendants

  • Spouse with each of their individual attendant

Now how do you provide a list of portraits that you want, without listing all 150 of your guests? This is a really tough question to answer, because anyone who has been invited to your wedding is important to you in some way. How do you create a list without hurting people's feelings? This is also a very tough question, but here are some tips: 

  • Your wedding day is a significant celebration of your union with your future spouse. It is important to remember that many individuals may offer opinions on various aspects of your wedding. However, the most crucial element is that your wedding reflects your vision and is everything you envisioned it to be. If you prefer to minimize the time spent on family and group portraits, I am here to collaborate with you in creating a list that aligns with your preferences and timeline.

  • Please provide a comprehensive list of all 'must-have' portraits, as well as those that are considered 'nice to have.' The 'must-have' portraits will be captured during the designated family portrait session. We can discuss the scheduling options for the 'nice-to-have' portraits during the cocktail hour or reception.

  • Add a Photo Booth! If you want photos of all your guests (that are willing), but you do not want to schedule 4 hours for portraits, this is a great option!

  • Go over the portrait list with your parents and confirm that any portrait that is in your must have list is one that you or your parents would DEFINITELY print out and frame.

  • Keep in mind that each portrait is anywhere from 3-5 minutes to setup and shoot, so we need to be sure we have ample time in the timeline to photograph it.

The setup time for a portrait typically ranges from three to five minutes, a duration I base on my professional experience. For instance, I successfully captured 42 family and group portrait combinations in just one hour and 45 minutes, a remarkable achievement given that all participants were present. Conversely, I have also photographed smaller family groups where a few individuals were absent, which required approximately 40 minutes to complete. To ensure a smooth and efficient portrait session, it is essential to communicate clearly with all participants regarding their attendance and the schedule. I recommend advising individuals to arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time for family or group portraits.

If you would like to include a group shot that was not previously mentioned, please note that it can be challenging for us to anticipate any additional group photographs beyond our standard list and those specified on your family/group portrait list. However, we strive to capture candid moments of your guests during any downtime throughout your event.

Rest assured, we are dedicated to documenting your wedding day. Should you wish to take an impromptu group shot with your sorority sisters or any other combination, please feel free to approach either of us at any time.

Ultimately, it is essential to prioritize your enjoyment on your wedding day. If your preference is to fully engage in the festivities, such as dancing rather than posing for portraits, we will be more than happy to capture those joyful moments on the dance floor.

A-List Team

Vendor Recommendations

Below, you will find a list of artists and vendors with whom I have previously collaborated and who come highly recommended. Please note that the locations indicated are where they are based, and they often enjoy traveling for events. Additionally, there are many wedding professionals I have yet to work with, and I make it a point to update this list regularly as I have the opportunity to experience their exceptional work.

  • Planners & Event Design

    Always Yours Events (MA)

    Christine Wheat (Upstate NY)

    Copper and Chloe (NJ)

    Elevated Events by SM (NY)

    Jack and Grace Events (NY)

    Kelly Strong Events (Upstate NY)

    The Privilege is Mine (NYC)

  • Floral Design

    Ailish Floral (NY)

    Ava Flora (NY)

    Blue Jasmine (NJ)

    Fleurtacious Designs (Upstate NY)

    Renaissance Floral Design + Event Design (Upstate NY)

    Samantha Nass Floral Design (Upstate NY)

    Surroundings Floral Studio (Upstate NY)

    Twisted Willow Flowers (NJ)

    Wile Events (NY/NJ)

  • Bridal Shop

    Angelas Bridal (Upstate NY)

    BHLDN (Online and NYC)

    Elizabeth Johns (NJ)

    Everthine Bridal (CT)

    Jessica Haley (NY)

    Kleinfeld Bridal (NYC)

    Lily Saratoga (NY)

    Lovely Bride (NYC)

    Something Blue Bridal (Upstate NY)

    Spina (NYC)

    White Dress by The Shore (CT)

  • Cinematography

    Daniel Chae (CA)

    Fyla Films (NY)

    LVL 113 - Chris Antice (NJ)

    Numa Films - On Instagram Only (NY)

    Matt Pyrch (CT)

    Mike Zhu Films (NY)

  • Stationary

    Darling and Pearl

    Design House of Moira

    Julie Ha Calligraphy

    Inquisited (Handmade paper too!)

    Paper Tree Studio

  • Music

    Garrett & Tamara (Cocktail Hour, Ceremony)

    Live Wire Entertainment

    Scott Yanney Band

    The Blake Band

    The Groove Shop

    Ripcord Music

    Riley Williams (Cocktail Hour, Ceremony)

  • Beauty

    Alexandria's (Upstate NY)

    Erin Muller (Upstate NY)

    Gem House Salon (NYC)

    Heart and Soul HOB (Upstate NY)

    Make Me Fabulous (Upstate NY)

    Melissa D'Aloia & Co (NJ)

    Olivia Halpin (NYC)

    Rachel Duncan - Color me Gorgeous (Upstate NY)

    Stacie Ford (NYC)

    True Beauty (NY)

  • Cake Design

    A Simple Cake (NYC)

    Cakes by Iliyana (NY)

    Pink Cake Box (NJ)

  • For your wedding party

    BHLDN

    Jenny Yoo

    Joanna August

    Name of Love

    Plum Pretty Sugar

    Suit Supply

    The Black Tux

Flat Lays / Styling

Flat lay invitation styling captures wedding invitations and related stationery in a beautifully arranged, overhead composition. This artful display often takes place on the wedding day when all the printed materials, such as invitations, RSVP cards, and envelopes, are gathered together. In some cases with a lot of details, the couple opts to do styling on another day prior to the wedding. To create an engaging flat lay, I work with a clean backdrop—and arrange the stationery alongside complementary props provided by the couple. These props may include floral elements, rings, wax seals, and other details that reflect the couple’s wedding theme and color palette. The goal is to present the invitation suite in an aesthetically pleasing way that tells a story about the upcoming celebration. Good lighting is crucial, as it enhances the colors and details of the items while keeping the overall vibe warm and inviting. Flat lay photography not only showcases the couple's unique style but also serves as a tangible keepsake of their wedding journey.

Not every couple desires to include flat lay styling in their photography coverage, and that's absolutely fine! If you choose to opt out of this service, you can redirect that hourly coverage to another aspect of your wedding day that may be more significant to you. Keep in mind that flat lay styling requires a minimum of an hour and a half of dedicated coverage for basic styling (2 different invitation flat lay layouts, rings, shoes). This allows for a beautifully curated presentation of your details, but if your vision differs and does not include invitation styling, I am here to support your choices and focus on what matters most to you.

If you have a LOT of details beyond the basic styling set, I would recommend scheduling a separate day for styling or to add additional time. Additional details to be styled could include, large invitation suite, partner’s details, programs, save the dates, menus, extensive jewelry, multiple pairs of shoes, bags, perfume, makeup, etc.

What to bring for flat lay styling:

  • Many copies of each piece of stationary, including extra envelopes. I will often layer pieces and use the same piece multiple times, so having extras is important. 

  • Flowers for styling. I will need these no later than 45 minutes prior to my start time. I would recommend having an equivalent to a bouquet worth of flowers, but more smaller ones that are easy to lay flat. I often decapitate the flower from the stem, and smaller flowers look better. Big flowers are overwhelming, so choose smaller, delicate stems.

  • Wedding shoes

  • Jewelry 

  • Any special ring boxes (if you have one, if not I will use mine)

  • Any family heirlooms you want me to use in styling. If you have a loved one that has passed before your event and you have something special from them, I want nothing more than their memory to be included in the photographs in some way. It brings a whole other level of importance to the imagery. If you have any questions on this, please let me know! 

  • In the above examples, each detail was provided by the couple with the exception of the ring boxes in the left and right photos and the backdrop in all three photos. You are more than welcome to supply your own unique backdrop, but it must be large enough and be able to lay flat without wrinkles. My styling kit also includes ring boxes if you do not have any of your own.

Backyard Saratoga Springs Wedding by Michelle Lange Photography-9.jpg

Take it up a notch

It’s in the details

  • Work with your florist to drop off loose flowers/greenery pieces to incorporate into the details that I will be photographing. There should be enough florals equivalent to a attendant bouquet, if not more. You will want to be sure that the flowers are delivered by the time the details start getting photographed.

  • If you have a cake, make sure it is able to be photographed in natural light with the rest of the reception details (during cocktail hour). It should have a nice backdrop to photograph it with.

  • Thinking about where you are getting ready and if that location fits into the overall aesthetic of your wedding. If you live close by, getting ready in your own home is a great option, as there is plenty of space to work with. If the local hotels have funky colors in the rooms and do not really fit your wedding day aesthetic, then check out Air BNB or cute inns! If you are getting ready in a hotel, do not forget to ask for a room with a lot of natural light. Please avoid hotels that have dark tinted windows that prevent natural light from going in.

  • Having an unplugged ceremony means asking for your guests to put down their cell phones and cameras and be fully present in your ceremony. You want to see all their beautiful faces and not the back of their phones as you come down the aisle. You can ask your officiant to make an announcement prior to the ceremony starting to kindly ask that everyone be fully present with their own eyes and ears and to politely leave cameras and phones in their bags, as there are wedding professionals who are more than happy to document the ceremony for them. And they can even download the images from your wedding day gallery to add to their own personal collection. I can guarantee that any of the photos we take will be MUCH better than ones from a cellphone anyways :) Just remind them to give me a little shout out (photography by Michelle Lange) if they share any!

Elevate your Wedding

  • Put your wedding attire on a different hanger. Your wedding attire will come home from the wedding shop on a clear or white plastic hanger. Just swap it out with a wood one or fabric covered one from your closet (or another family members!)

  • Avoid purple, pink, blue, green and white uplighting. Not only does it take away from the classic look of your wedding, it is an unnecessary expense that distracts you from the beauty of your centerpieces and candlelight and IT DOES NOT PHOTOGRAPH WELL. If you MUST have uplighting, please stick with AMBER to match any candlelight in the room. Other alternatives to uplighting can be string lights and extra candles (LED if your location has restrictions on real candles).

  • Keeping it on the light path, if your band or DJ does use colored lighting for the dance floor, kindly ask them to not use colored lighting during key moments. This would include entrances, speeches, first dance, parent dances and cake cutting. Nothing distracts a beautiful moment the colored light filling in the image. When it is finally time to party, feel free to hit all the colors of the rainbow if you love to party!

Small Changes, Big Impact

  • If there will be any DJ or Band speakers at your ceremony or reception, just be sure that they are far enough from where you will be standing at the ceremony or sitting at the reception so it doesn't look like antlers in the back of your head. Nothing takes away more from a pretty scenery than big black boxes!

  • An easy way to add extra ambiance to your head table is to add extra candles. The soft glow from the candles photographs beautifully. Ask the venue if they have any extra tea lights they can put out... or even if there are any other candles they can put out for you!

  • Be sure not to place your head table too close to a wall, window or right next to a tent pole. Creating some depth between where you will be sitting and what is behind you really makes sure the focus is on you!

  • Check out the timeline suggestions and talk it over with me to confirm we have ample time to create the beautiful photographs you see on my website! Having ample time will also make sure you have plenty of time to kick back and enjoy your wedding day.

  • Let it go! Your only job on your wedding day is to enjoy getting married. You are no longer a wedding planner. Enjoy every minute of it! It goes by so fast.