Advice for Planning a Large Wedding | Wedding Timeline Management
Hello, friends! It’s me, your friendly neighborhood Las Vegas elopement and wedding photographer. Having been in the wedding industry for so many years now, I wanted to offer some advice to help couples with upcoming weddings take a little bit of stress off their plate! Today, I’m here today to talk all about timeline management for large weddings:
In general, err on the side of caution and go overboard with planning. You definitely want extra of everything on hand: backup vendors in case of a late cancellation, extra members of your visual team to capture every moment, even extra safety pins and makeup in case of a major malfunction right before you walk down the aisle!
Communicate with your vendors and trust their expertise! They’ve done this wedding thing probably hundreds of times and they know all the ins and outs of timing leading up to your wedding and on the big day itself. Their main priority is making sure you are thrilled with every detail — let them cook!
Big decisions should be finalized 12-24 months but no less than six months in advance to give your full wedding team time to prepare. This includes your venue, catering, and visual team, which are also likely to be your biggest expenses. Your wedding dress and/or suit should be chosen 9 to 12 months in advance, too, to give plenty of time for ordering and alterations.
On the day of, follow the 30-5 rule — there’s some kind of sorcery in it. Anything that normally takes five minutes will take 30 on your wedding day, and 30 minutes will feel like 5! Again, this is the time to trust the pros; your photographer will have a solid timeline for the big day that gives plenty of getting-ready time for every part of the day.
Although my specialty is elopements, I do love to photograph larger weddings (and Vegas couples know how it’s done!). They’re a whirlwind of activity and laughter and each one is chock-full of details that tells a couple’s unique story. Amber and Jesse’s rooftop Las Vegas wedding was a stunning ordeal with beautiful florals, a wedding party all in black (drooling), and a reception that was more like an all-out party. If I get one or a hundred more weddings as gorgeous as theirs, I will be one happy photographer!
Amber is a Las Vegas Elopement Photographer who is available for travel for elopements and weddings. Send in a contact form through the link above to schedule your free consultation.
Photographer: Amber Garrett Photography
Getting Ready: Palms Casino Resort
Ceremony: Ghostbar
Reception: Kaos
Planner: Hello Darling
Videographer: Leon Films
Florals: Beeingflower
DJ: Joey Moon
Photo Booth: Smashbooth
Looking for ways to make your wedding more sustainable? Look no further! After a recent trip to a sustainable wedding venue, I picked up lots of great advice — Read all about it here!