Tips for planning your wedding day – Suddenly he stood there with a look of pure love in his eyes, one knee on the ground and in his hands a well-kept secret. An engagement ring! Is that really what you are hearing? That question? For a moment…. YES!! Of course you are getting married! But now what? What should we look out for? Whom do we invite and how much time is actually needed for everything? What do we want to do, and where? Everything at one location?
You may now need tips, tips for planning your wedding day! You are looking for experienced professionals who have seen it all, so that you can truly enjoy yourselves. Because, above all, it should be relaxed, pleasant, and stress-free. As photographers, we can only encourage this; you look much better in photos when you truly feel comfortable. And a generous schedule is a great start!
When to start planning your wedding day?
If you want to have a choice in who will immortalize your wedding day, it is wise to start early. Choose a date, a location, and the first thing you should do is book a photographer and filmmaker. Do not wait too long; we usually book popular dates 2 to 3 years in advance. Because we work with a team of several photographers and videographers, we can also be booked relatively shortly in advance. If you have a preference for a specific photographer, the advice is to secure your choice quickly. Exactly how your day will look is not yet important at that stage.
You are assured of receiving beautiful images as a lasting memory.
Would you like to quickly check our availability?
[maxbutton id=”18″][maxbutton name=”Beschikbaarheid”]
Planning your wedding day
The question is, what would you like to do on your wedding day? For each part, you will see the average duration; for everything, it is your celebration and you decide everything yourselves, but this serves as a guideline. Since we are normally present for the entire day, we have extensive experience from the first hair rollers until late into the party ;-)
- Bridal preparations including hair and make-up: 2.5 to 3 hours
- Groom getting ready: 6 minutes ;-)
- First look / bridal pickup: 15 minutes
- Photo shoot on location (city / forest / beach): 1 to 2 hours; allow at least half an hour per location if you want multiple locations.
- Ceremony by a registrar: 20-30 minutes
- Ceremony by an independent celebrant (BABS): 45-60 minutes
- Cutting the cake and the first toast to your marriage: approximately 20 minutes
- Group photos with friends/family: 20-30 minutes (it really cannot take longer than that, as you will no longer be able to smile naturally and it will show)
- Dinner, 3-course or walking dinner: 2.5 – 3 hours. If you enjoy socializing or expect speeches, you should not try to squeeze this into 2 hours.
- The first dance feels like an eternity if you love dancing as much as I do… ;-) but in reality, it usually only lasts 5 minutes.
- The party usually lasts until 12:30 AM – 1:00 AM
- Also check with the venue if there is an option to have a final drink in the bar afterwards with only your closest friends.
Bonus tip for children at your wedding:
- Many Dutch couples marry in the afternoon, usually between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM, and use that as a basis to plan the other parts around. Do you have one or more small children and want them to look great in the photos? Plan the shoot so that your little one has just slept and can be with you for about 15-20 minutes. Keep a babysitter nearby for emergencies, of course.
Evening photo during sunset?
For a cool evening photo, it is of course wonderful to step away for a moment just before sunset. If you marry at the end of June, that will be halfway through the party because the sun only sets around 10:00 PM. If you marry in winter, it will be around 4:00 PM. Check this site for the exact time of sunset on your wedding day: http://zonsondergang.info
Rain on the wedding day?
We have a golden tip for that too; if you are getting married in the Netherlands and are worried it might rain all day, I understand. Fortunately, it is not a problem, because those cool shots in nature, the setting sun, and radiant looks of love can also be captured on another day. We often hear that the bride especially is afraid that “it will feel different,” but I am certain that as soon as you put on the dress, you will get those wedding jitters all over again. We offer a special shoot abroad for this, the Beyond Wedding Shoot, which is organized every year.
Costs
It is a fact that getting married costs money, and how much you have to spend is very personal. We have written an extensive article about the costs of a wedding photographer or filmmaker. Click here to read: “What does a wedding photographer cost”
Would you like more tips? Or would you like to talk further in person? Leave your details and we will contact you within 24 hours. If you haven’t heard from us by then, please check your spam folder just in case.
