Welcome!!

The deets about THIS GUIDE

This is such an exciting time for you! We’re so pumped to be working with you and we can’t wait to get to know you both better over the next several months! We know photography is one of the larger investments you're making for your wedding day and we're so honored you chose to work with Team SHP!

Even if you're working with a wedding planner or you're planning a simple wedding, there are likely still a lot of moving pieces left leading up to your big day. My goal as your wedding photographer is to make this one aspect of the planning process simple. Photography is more than just images, it’s a real part of your day. Not only do you deserve beautiful images, you also deserve an amazing photographic experience.

Having photographed more than 180 weddings over the last ten years, we tend to get asked the same things over and over again. So we thought it would be beneficial to create a guide that walks you through everything from timelines to engagement sessions and inclement weather to provide you with the best experience possible. Since we’re official, the next step is to plan your engagement session and when it gets closer to your date, we can chat through all the wedding day details.

-Sarah + Team SHP!

Thank you again for choosing to work with us and please don't hesitate to let us know if we can offer any additional guidance throughout the wedding planning process!

Sarah has won the Best of Syracuse Professional Photographer award two years in a row, but is also known for her infamous cookie parties and surprise opera solos. She’s obsessed with yoga, anything that comes in hot pink or sparkly, and her cat, Juniper. and pooch, Wilford. While she’s a sucker for fun candids, she also knows how to work that veil or crush those fancy ring shots. She married her best friend, Tim, and credits Radiohead for bringing them together. They tied the knot at an art gallery, held their reception at a BBQ joint, and honeymooned to a brewery in Delaware. Yeah, they’re cool like that.

CEO, LEAD WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER & CRAZY CAT LADY / DOG MOM / PLANT LOVER

sarah!

More than a wedding photography team, we’re BFFs. I always work with the same 2nd shooter, Jenn, so you know exactly who’s going to be showing up on your special day.

And because we’ve been documenting weddings together for 10+ years, our different perspectives and weirdly psychic connection make it possible for us to tell the complete story of your day, from the must-have mushy moments to the where-was-I-when- that-happened?! ones like granny killin’ it on the dance floor.

When Wesley isn’t shooting for the associate SHP photography team, he’s at our weddings. He’s been with SHP for over 5 years. Things we all love; tacos,  beer,  road trips,  concerts,  and more!

meet the team

Jenn is Sarah’s highly-caffeinated BFF, road trip sidekick, and was even the maid of honor at her wedding. She’s the queen of detail shots and has a talent for getting those moments you didn’t even see happen. (Like when the groomsmen decided to take off their shirts and break into broadway hits...why?) She slings words on our blog, designs our client albums, and nerds out over Joss Whedon as soon as someone drops the word “Buffy.” She also has an epic Hello Kitty collection that her real cat Nigel is not impressed by. 

SARAH’S BFF, EXCLUSIVE SECOND SHOOTER & PLANT WHISPERER

Jenn

Wesley is the resident equipment snob at the local camera store in Syracuse and loves getting techie with it. He joined our team in 2014. He’s professionally trained in the art of sarcasm, a proud vegetarian, and the master of nicknames. When he is not helping Sarah give your photos epic lighting to make them pop, he sometimes acts as a third shooter, but mostly he just plays a mean air guitar with a light stand and gets easily distracted by other people’s pets.

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSOCIATE, LIGHTING TECH & SEASONAL MULLET-WEARER

wesley

We’re big fans of engagement sessions for a few reasons. Not only do they allow you to get comfortable in front of the camera,  they also give you the opportunity to showcase your personalities in a more casual setting that is significant to the two of you. We've created an entire page dedicated to outfit tips, location ideas, timing considerations and more!

Engagement Session

plan your session

That moment the couple see's each other for the first time on their wedding day is magical. And this is true whether the couple chooses to wait until the ceremony to walk down the aisle or choose to do  a “first look’ prior to the ceremony.

First looks — a private moment couples choose to spend together prior to the wedding ceremony —have become more popular over the last few years. About half of our couples this year have chosen to do a first look. While we consider ourselves people who value tradition, there are definitely a few good reasons to consider  a first look.

Is a First Look Right for You?

If you're wondering whether a first look is right for you, stop here.

Once the ceremony begins, the day takes off quickly. A ‘first look’ is an opportunity to enjoy some quiet time alone, enjoy each other’s company, and reflect on all this day means before your day takes off.

Wedding days are filled with excitement and tend to fly by. There’s much to do, and a lot of people to see and to catch up with. We always encourage our couples to take a few minutes every so often during their wedding to stop and soak in everything that’s happening.

1. A first look pauses the WHIRLWIND of your day.

When there is no first look, the majority of the pictures have to be taken after the ceremony. Family pictures are generally done as soon as the ceremony ends because it’s the easiest time to round everyone up. Next up is full bridal party, and then couple's portraits. This generally takes all of cocktail hour.

A first look opens up time prior to the ceremony for full bridal party pictures and, couple's portraits. This allows the couple to get the most out of cocktail hour, which makes the rest of the evening feel less rushed.

2. IT MakeS more time for Pictures without sacrificing cocktail hour.

If you’re expecting poor weather on your wedding day, it might be best to plan on a first look because it gives you more options for pictures. If it’s pouring rain after the ceremony, you’ll be thankful you had pictures done in advance.

And reason 3b is for all you cryers out there. If you know the tears are going to fly the first time you see your other half the day of your wedding, a first look will give you time to freshen up before the ceremony.

First look or not, the first time you see each other on your wedding day will be special.

3. Avoid possible bad weather and/or have time to freshen-up after crying

ON THE BLOG

Here are a few reasons to consider a first look:

Wedding Day Timeline

building the perfect

Whether you choose to do a first look or the traditional "no see before the ceremony" we will work with you on making sure you have the best timeline and plan for images. Something to keep in mind while planning your timeline is that a 10 minute cushion every now and then is a GREAT idea! It’s amazing how fast time slips away the day of !

If you're choosing to go traditional, we recommend having a cocktail hour and a half in order to take family photos, wedding party photos and couples photos, unless there's scheduled time after the ceremony and before cocktail hour. We suggest 20-30 minutes each, for family and wedding party portraits and 30-40+ minutes for couples portraits.

If you're doing a first look, couples photos and wedding party photos can be done right after the first look. We recommend scheduling 60-90 minutes for these photos prior to heading to the ceremony location. We always suggest doing family photos after the ceremony as it's easiest to grab all of your family members then, but we've taken family photos before the ceremony during this time as well.

If you're planning a sunset ceremony or an evening ceremony, it's best to do all photos before the wedding, as daylight is crucial to getting amazing portraits for your families, wedding party and of you two! Making sure we have enough time while the sun is up is a great way to make the traditional ceremony work.

Whether you're planning a first look or sticking with tradition and not seeing each other until you walk down the aisle, we have tips to help make planning your timeline as easy as possible!

1:00 pm

Sarah + her assistant typically arrive at the Bride’s getting ready location and Jenn arrives at Groom’s getting ready location at this time. For same sex weddings we discuss who will cover who ahead of time.

1:00pm - Getting Ready

Note: Ideally we plan to arrive two hours prior to leaving for the ceremony or the first look. Hair and makeup will be wrapping up around 2:15 pm and then it's time to get in the dress.

This is a big moment! I usually ask the mother of the bride and all of the bridesmaids to be dressed by the time the bride is ready to get into her dress. This ensures that everyone will look nice in those images. After the bride is in her gown, she can put on her jewelry, veil, shoes, etc. and I will shoot some additional bridal portraits!

2:30 pm

Groom + groomsmen depart for first look location. 

2:30pm - Guys Depart

Note: We buffer in extra time throughout the day just in case there are unexpected things that hold us up! One way to make sure we stay on schedule for wedding party portraits is to have someone put the boutonnieres on the guys BEFORE they arrive for portraits.

2:45 pm

Bride and bridesmaids depart for first look location. Before heading out is a great time for a first look with Dad.

2:45pm - Ladies Depart

3:00 pm

The first look & couple's photos take place.

3:00pm First Look

Note: The First Look can take place at the getting ready location, ceremony, reception location, or a separate location. It’s up to you! Travel time will depend on locations.

We can make recommendations for a first look location based on lighting and what we think will translate best for your photos!

After the first look, we'll take some romantic and fun portraits while the initial excitement is still present!

Portraits of just the the two of you will be the images that are framed in your bedroom or over your mantle. They will also be the images that will fill your album for generations to enjoy. 

This is such a sweet portion of the day. For this brief moment in time, you will be alone with each other and you'll have the chance to love on each other and really connect before the craziness begins!

3:30 pm

Wedding party portraits.

3:30pm - Wedding Party

Note: Wedding party portraits can take approximately 15-30 minutes depending on the size of your party. Sometime between 3:45-4:00pm depending on travel time everyone would depart to the ceremony location.

Once at the ceremony location the bride goes into hiding so that early guests don’t sneak a peek, and the ushers begin their duties.

4:30 pm

It's time to get married!

4:30PM Ceremony

Note: We've seen ceremonies take 5 minutes to 90 minutes. In this timeline we have allotted 30 minutes. 

If your ceremony is longer than 30 mins, we’ll make adjustments to your timeline. Cherish these moments! Your ceremony will pass by so quickly!

5:00 pm

Family portraits.

5:00pm  Family Portraits

Note: We take family portraits right after the ceremony because everyone you need will be easy to grab. If you can give your family notice that we’ll be taking pictures immediately after the ceremony, that will also ensure that no one wanders off. The questionnaire we send out will help you create a list of family portraits before the big day.  This portion usually takes us 20-30 minutes.

5:00 pM

Cocktail Hour

5:00pm Cocktail Hour 

Note: The great thing about doing a first look is that it gives you time to enjoy your cocktail hour. Jenn and I will grab pictures of your guests, your reception space (untouched), and your rings (if we didn't get to it earlier), all while you enjoy yourselves!

5:20 PM

Additional Couple's Portraits

5:20pm Portraits

Note: Depending on what was taken before the ceremony, we might grab 1 or 2 more shots of the couple. Totally optional!

6:00 PM

Introductions, First Dance, & Parent Dances

6:00pm Introductions

The wedding party lines up for introductions and the party begins!

6:30 PM

Welcome toasts & speeches followed by salad & entrees. 

6:30pm Dinner

7:00 PM

7:00pm Sunset Portraits

Sunset Portraits / Epic Night Shot

Note: We’ll make sure to check out the setting sun about 45 minutes before it sets and try to sneak you out for a few portraits while Jenn covers the reception.

This is usually the best light of the day! If there is no sunset we'll make sure to take you out at night for a fun evening photo we like to call an epic night shot!

7:30 PM

Cake cutting

7:30pm Cake & Traditions

Note: Cake cutting usually happens 45-60 minutes after dinner and the dance floor opens. Other planned formalities happen as stated on the timeline we created at our final meeting.

7:30 PM

Dancing begins

7:30pm Dancing

9:00 PM

Photographers Depart

9:00pm Photographers Depart

Note: Not before taking an epic night shot! This is typically set up 45 minutes before we depart. Jenn covers the dance floor and my assistant and I scope out some cool spots for us to take some nice evening portraits of you two!

This timeline includes 8 hours of coverage. This ensures that we will be present for the main events of the reception and about 60-90 minutes of dancing!

If you’re interested in having your exit photographed, there are several options for this! You can either add additional cover-age or plan a faux exit with just your wedding party and family! We have had GREAT success with this and the party never stops! Email me about this if you’re interested in learning more!

1:00 PM

Sarah + her assistant typically arrive at the Bride’s getting ready location and Jenn arrives at Groom’s getting ready location at this time. For same sex weddings, we discuss who will cover who during our meeting.

1pm - Getting Ready

Note: Ideally we plan to arrive two hours prior to leaving for the ceremony or first look. Hair and makeup will be wrapping up around 2:15 pm and then it's time to get in the dress. If something is going to delay the beginning of the day, it’s often hair/makeup.

2:45 PM

2:45pm - Guys Depart

Groom + groomsmen depart for ceremony location

Note: We buffer in extra time throughout the day just in case there are unexpected things that hold us up! One way to make sure we stay on schedule  is to have someone put the boutonnieres on before heading out to the ceremony location, or to make sure someone brings them to the ceremony location so they can be put on prior to guests arriving and ushering.

3:00 PM

Bride and bridesmaids depart for first look location. Before heading out is a great time for a first look with Dad.

3:00pm - Ladies Depart

3:30 PM

The ceremony takes place.

3:30PM Ceremony

Note: We've seen ceremonies take 5 minutes to 90 minutes. In this timeline we have allotted 30 minutes.

If your ceremony is longer than 30 mins, we’ll make adjustments to your timeline! Cherish these moments! Your ceremony will pass by so quickly!

4:15 PM

Family portraits.

4:15pm  Family Portraits

Note: We take family portraits right after the ceremony because everyone you need will be easy to grab. If you can give your family notice that we’ll be taking pictures immediately after the ceremony, that will also ensure that no one wanders off. The questionnaire we send out will help you create a list of family portraits before the big day. This portion usually takes us 20-30 minutes.

5:00 PM

Wedding party and couple's portraits

5:00pm Portraits

Note: Depending on what was taken before the ceremony, this normally takes about an hour.

This time includes a variety of couples portraits and all the wedding party combination photos requested on the questionnaire you fill out for us.

Portraits of just the couple will be the images that are framed in your bedroom or over your mantle, and they will also be the images that will fill your album for generations to enjoy.

This is such a sweet portion of the day. For this brief moment in time, you will be alone with each other and you'll have the chance to love on each other and really connect.

5:00 PM

Cocktail hour

5:00pm Cocktail hour

Note: My second shooter, Jenn will be floating between cocktail hour and your reception space capturing people mingling and all of your lovely details, while I'm capturing you and your wedding party!

6:00 PM

Introductions, First Dance, & Parent Dances

6:00pm Introductions

The wedding party lines up for introductions and the party begins!

6:30 PM

Welcome toasts & speeches followed by salad & entrees. 

6:30pm Dinner

7:15 PM

Cake cutting 

7:15pm Cake & Traditions

Note: Cake cutting usually happens 45-60 minutes after dinner and the dance floor opens. Other planned formalities happen as stated on the timeline we created at our final meeting.

7:30 PM

Dancing begins

7:30pm Dancing

8:15 PM

Sunset Portraits / Epic Night Shot

8:15pm Epic night shot

Note: Jenn covers the dance floor while my assistant and I scope the venue. We do this about 45 minutes before our coverage finishes to set up a fun evening photo for you two that we like to call an epic night shot!

9:00 PM

Photographer’s Depart

9:00pm Photographers Depart

Note: This timeline includes 8 hours of coverage. This ensures that we will be present for the main events of the reception and about 60-90 minutes of dancing!

If you’re interested in having your exit photographed, there are several options for this! You can either add additional cover-age or plan a faux exit with just your wedding party and family! We have had GREAT success with this and the party never stops! Email me about this if you’re interested in learning more!

If the forecast is calling for rain, fear not because rainy days can still be beautiful! If you don't believe us, just take a look at Jaclyn + Sam's wedding day. It rained a majority of the day and it was still beautiful!

If rain is in the forecast, we recommend ordering a few clear umbrellas on Amazon. It also might be good to re-evaluate portrait locations to make sure we can still shoot in natural light - even if it means heading offsite. 

Rain Tips

If you don't own a pair of cute Hunters, now may be a great time to order a pair - even if you're just wearing them in between shooting locations. 

If you're not working with a planner, it might also be a good idea to check in with your entire vendor team to make sure they're aware of the weather. Hair and makeup may need to be tweaked to withstand humidity and if your wedding is outdoors, DJs and bands may need to take extra precaution to protect their gear. A quality rental team can also minimize the amount of mud at outdoor events.

While we can't guarantee that rain on your wedding day is good luck, we can put a plan in place to ensure a beautiful day and beautiful images.

Rainy day weddings may require a little more flexibility and creativity, but there isn't any reason why they can't be as beautiful and as joyful as sunny weddings!

Don’t think about what will happen if it rains, that will only overwhelm you! Have a rain plan for your venue, then let your vendors do the work of handling the rest of the day if rain is in the forecast.

Wedding Day Details

We love capturing all the little details you've carefully chosen to be a part of your wedding day! It's an important part of the story and doing this first allows me to warm up for the rest of the big day. We require about 30-40 minutes to capture and style details, while I'm shooting those, I'm also capturing some shots of the bride and her party getting ready. 

We recommend choosing a getting ready location filled with plenty of natural light and, if possible, please keep the space free from trash and clutter. It would be so wonderful if you could put all of your details in one spot for us. Please unwrap your dress but don't worry about styling it - we'll hang it in a beautiful spot!

Dress & hanger
Rings (all 3)
Perfume
Shoes
Veil & hair pieces
Bouquet
Borrowed & blue
Jewelry & other sentimental keepsakes you would like to include
Invitation Suite (1 full set with envelopes + stamps)
Vow Book
Bonus: We'd love to have a few cuts of the florals you'll be using throughout your wedding day.

Bridal DETAILS Checklist 

His shoes
Socks (if they're special)
Cuff Links
Tie or Bow Tie
Pocket Square
Boutonnière
Vows Book
Rings
Anything else he'll have that is special or sentimental.

GROOM DETAILS Checklist 

When we can, we try to take a photo of your rings while you're getting ready. If not then, we do it during cocktail hour or during dinner.

If possible, try to have your engagement ring cleaned or clean it yourself. To clean at home, soak your ring in warm water with dishwashing soap for 20 to 40 minutes. Then gently brush the stone with a soft toothbrush, rinse and repeat if needed.

The Rings

For family portraits, we’ll place you in the center of a large group photo with all of your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, godparents, etc. And then we’ll remove the extended family so it’s just grandparents, parents and siblings.

We’ll keep removing family members and switch a few closer family members in and out so we get photos of you and your parents, you and your siblings, some with the groom and your family, etc. Then we’ll repeat the process with your spouse's family. The whole thing will go quicker and smoother if you let family know how the portrait process will work ahead of time.

When we send out our pre-wedding questionnaire, we'll ask you for a list of specific groupings, special situations (such as divorces or handicapped family members & more), but if you want to start brainstorming photos in the meantime, you'll find our typical list below. 

Family Formals

your entire family, dressed up and together 

B&G with Bride’s Immediate Family (Parents, Siblings, Grandparents, Nieces, Nephews)
B&G with Bride’s Grandparents  
B&G with Bride’s Siblings
B&G with Bride’s Parents
Bride with her Parents
Bride with Mom
Bride with Dad
B&G with both sets of Parents
B&G with Groom’s Immediate Family (Parents, Siblings, Grandparents, Nieces, Nephews)
B&G with Groom’s Grandparents
B&G with Groom’s Siblings  
B&G with Groom’s Parents
Groom with his Parents
Groom with Mom
Groom with Dad
B&G with all family members if time allows

Please note that this list is just a starting point and that we're happy to take any requested family portraits as long as time allows!
Any large family group shots that we don’t accomplish during family formals, we can be sure to capture at the reception!

Consider Unplugging

If you've been to a wedding recently, you may have seen a sign from the happy couple asking for their guests to remain "unplugged" during the ceremony. 

And while it might seem like a strange request to ask guests to put down their phones, there's a pretty good reason for it! You made a big investment in photography and we're sure one of the last things you want on your wedding day is for our photos of your ceremony to be filled with obtrusive iPhones, iPads and relatives standing in the aisle with their own cameras. In order to help us do the best possible job capturing your wedding, we recommend asking guests to unplug during the ceremony.

1. If you're getting married in the summer months, a "not-so-heavy" snack or lunch time before portraits is always a good idea for you and your bridal party to avoid hungry bellies and passing out!

2. If it's going to be hot, a cooler of cold waters and frozen washcloths can help keep a wedding party cool - especially if the some members of the wedding are wearing lots of layers.

3. Make sure and have your bouquet and boutonnieres delivered in time to make an appearance for the detail shots and for your first look. Often they are delivered in water and need to be dried off before use. Having towels handy can help.

4. If you're planning on having a first look with your wedding party or a parent, they often feel more comfortable being fully dressed in their wedding attire. 

5. If your reception is at a separate venue, add some "fluff time" so that we can run over to the venue to capture it while it's still "untouched" by guests.

Additional Tips

having shot over 180 weddings, we're happy to share a few additional tips

6. We always recommend the bride go into hiding 30 minutes before the ceremony at the absolute latest. Guests typically arrive early to weddings.

7. To help make family portraits go smoother, we send out a questionnaire with suggested family groupings and allow you to put additions. It's really wonderful if both sides of the family have a chance to have their input on a few portraits they'd like so you can add them to the questionnaire. We will go over your family list and strategize an order that is efficient, where we won't leave anyone out. It will be placed on the shot list we work from on your wedding day.

8. During the cocktail hour and the reception, we'll follow you around. Anytime you'd like a photo with someone, grab our attention. We love being your personal paparazzi!

9. We love helping you plan your timeline. We will do this based on your questionnaire answers. We'll have your final meeting about 30 days before your wedding over the phone to solidify everything! If there are changes after our meeting don't hesitate to reach out, so we can revise our plan!

find out more

The Social Spot!

Infuse The Fun with

A Super Cool Photo Booth
for your cocktail hour & reception

One of the best ways to make your wedding memories last is by ordering an album. These high quality professionally designed albums come in a variety of linen & leather colors.

These aren’t the same albums your parents' wedding photos came in. They’re modern, lay perfectly flat and look incredible on a coffee table.

Albums

more details

the perfect way to remember your wedding day

The night of your wedding: We go home and back up all of your photos in multiple places for safekeeping before passing out.

1-3 days after your wedding: We post a sneak peek for you to get excited about and share!

Following weeks: We edit and prepare your images, gallery, blog post and album design for you.

About 30 days after your wedding: Your image reveal party! Feel free to bring an adult beverage to sip while you see a slideshow of 150-200 images from your day, as well as an album design!

Hours after your image reveal party: You receive your gallery, download links, blog post, and a digital album design with instructions for making changes.

Goodies: If you purchased an album we can meet in person again to finalize the design together, or you can make changes virtually with our proofing software. Albums and wall art arrive about 2-3 weeks after the order has been finalized and placed.

What to expect after your wedding

post wedding timeline

After your image reveal party (yay!) you will receive your online gallery. To view your gallery simply enter your name and email. The gallery will be organized by the time of day to find photos with ease. Other gallery info: Share the link with your friends and family. 

You'll also receive two download links that are active for at least a year after your wedding. 

1. High-resolution download link where you can print to your heart's content and 

2. Resized download of your images for posting to social media and sharing online.

Download links will be sent to your email and you will be prompted to download the files to your computer by folders, as seen in the gallery.

We recommend you download your files as soon as you get the gallery and save them onto multiple computers or hard drives. Consider keeping a copy at a friend or parent's home. 

What to expect after your wedding

DOWNLOADING YOUR IMAGES

PRINTING: 
You can order professional prints from within your online gallery and have them shipped directly to your house! Print sizes and products vary and are printed in a professional lab to ensure color and contrast accuracy.

You are more than welcome to print images on your own. However, I would warn you to avoid Walmart, Target, Walgreens, and Costco type stores. I cannot promise that your colors will print true-to-life if you choose to print at those stores. If you don’t print through your gallery, I recommend using Ralin locally (Wesley manages the photo department there!) or Mpix.com for online ordering.

SHARING, WATERMARKING & EDITING:
You have the freedom to share your images as you wish! We want you to love them so much that you can’t help but share them! We don’t believe that it is necessary to watermark our images. All we ask for is photo credit whenever you use a picture on social media!

We only ask that you please do not re-edit the images by putting filters on them, changing the colors or overlaying other images on them. The images have been edited to our specific style, which is in part why you hired us! However, if there's a photo or two you want to print at a very large size and you find imperfections, we will gladly retouch these for you!

What to expect after your wedding

Printing, Sharing, Watermarks & Editing

Last, but certainly not least, THANK YOU for trusting us with your special day.  Jenn and I are so honored to be the ones capturing your memories, and we can't WAIT to start planning with you, getting to know you and to celebrate alongside you!

If you haven't scheduled your engagement session yet, let's get that on my calendar. Also, about eight weeks before the wedding, you’ll receive an online questionnaire that will provide us with everything we need to know for your big day!!

If you have any questions or would just like to chat, we're here for you! Feel free to email us any time at hello@sarahheppell.com.

We hope this guide helps make the process of planning your wedding details much easier and less stressful. We can't wait to see you soon! Thank you so much for taking the time to read through our guide!

THANK YOU so much!

-Sarah + Team SHP!