I don’t know what other people might call it but I have been calling it the Pre-Wedding Consultation since I started this little business of mine. If you’ve already had a Pre-Wedding Consultation with me then this information will not be new to you but if you haven’t and were maybe wondering what the heck is going to happen at yours, here we go!
WHAT IS THE PRE-WEDDING CONSULTATION?
The Pre-Wedding Consultation is a meeting I hold between the bride and groom (or just the bride) for us to get on the same page right before the wedding.
WHO ATTENDS THE CONSULTATION?
Me, of course! Haha! And whoever you want really! At least the bride will attend and hopefully the groom. And sometimes the mother-of-the-bride and or mother-of-the-groom, or the maid-of-honor or sisters or grandmother! If you have a wedding planner, they should attend as well. As long as they have you and the wedding’s best interest at heart, I’m all for it!
WHEN WILL THE CONSULTATION TAKE PLACE?
About 6 weeks before your wedding, I’ll email you, reminding you to complete the wedding questionnaire on your bridal dashboard and ask for a list of dates that you’ll be available, preferably 4 weeks prior to the wedding day but no later than 2 weeks. That way you haven’t entered into the rush of last minute wedding tasks and I’ll have plenty of time to create your timeline for you.
WHERE WILL THE CONSULTATION TAKE PLACE?
If it doesn’t require us to travel too awful much, I’d love to meet you at your ceremony and or reception venue! That way we can kind of do a walk through of portrait locations, etc. Also, when I arrive on the wedding day, I’ll know exactly which room to find you in. BUT if we can’t make it to the wedding day locations that’s fine! Instead, we can meet at a restaurant for a meal, a coffee house for a cup of coffee, or a local park! Pretty much anywhere where we can sit down and talk and take notes, I’m game!
WHAT WILL GO ON AT THE CONSULTATION?
The main thing everyone wants to know as the wedding draws near is when is ___ going to happen. During the consultation, the bride and I get down to the nitty gritty of the wedding day goings-on. I don’t assume you know how much time I need for certain parts of the day so together, we will work on your wedding day timeline (next week’s Wedding Wednesday’s post!). If we’re able to meet at the wedding locations then we’ll do a tour. I like to see where the brides intends on getting into her dress and where the guys will be getting ready. Are their specific locations you’d like to use for portraits? If the ceremony is held outside, let’s make sure it’s in an area with plenty of shade so it’s comfortable for everyone.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CONSULTATION?
No later than a couple days after your consultation, I’ll email you a tentative timeline. You’ll critic it with your needs and your vision in mind and we’ll go back and forth until it is 100% perfect for the both of us. Sometimes the timeline I come up with is spot on. Other times just a couple things need to be switched around. Either way, in the end, you will be completely comfortable with the flow of the day and confident in when you’re doing what.
My goal is that by the end of the Pre-Wedding Consultation experience, your timeline and your photography will be two things less that you’ll have to worry about!
