Wedding photography timeline in Spain

Ideal times for your photography

Hi I'm Aske Martinus

With more than 14 years of experience as a photographer, it’s my greatest mission to capture your life story and preserve those memories that mean the most to you and your family.

Planning your wedding in Malaga? There are a lot of things to consider and it can be an overwhelming task to create the perfect timeline, that assures you can enjoy the day, while still having all those meaningful moments captured in your wedding photos and film.

Here is a complete breakdown of the time necessary to capture all the important parts of the day, so you can make an informed decision on what to prioritize on your wedding day.

Rings, Dress, shoes and other details

Ideal time allotment: 30 minutes.
Ideal time of the day: During the bride/groom preparation.
Ideal location: The place of your preparation.

During the preparation of the groom and bride, we have time to capture all those small but significant details like: Rings, dresses, shoes, bouquets, accessories, safe date cards, etc.. These shots help tell the complete story of the wedding day and add a beautiful touch to your photo gallery or video.

Tips for the best shots:

Have everything gathered in the same spot to save time.
Use a special hanger for the dress to make it look extra elegant.
Include personal touches, flowers, or anything meaningful for your wedding story, to improve the storytelling.

Bride preparation

Ideal time allotment: 60 minutes.
Ideal time of the day: Morning, or early afternoon (Depending on the time of the ceremony)
Ideal location: Bridal suite / Hotel room

What happens during this time:

This part is all about capturing the excitement, anticipation, and joy as the bride is getting ready. It includes a close-up of the makeup process, hair styling, and that heartfelt moment with bridesmaids and family. Normally I would come about 30 minutes before the bride finishes her hair & Makeup. That allows time to capture the details of the bride, and the last part of the makeup & Styling.

Special shots to be made at this time:

Besides all the photojournalistic-styled shots of the preparation, we have the time to create something truly meaningful. It could be the father seeing her daughter in the dress for the first time, or maybe we are creating fun and cute group pictures of all the bridesmaids and brides in their matching ropes.

Tips for the best shots:

Keep the getting-ready space as tidy and clutter-free as possible.

Wear a beautiful rope or outfit that complements the wedding colors.
Plan out before who you would like to be there with you during your preparation and make sure they have done their hair/makeup at the time of the photos.
If you want photos with your bridesmaids at this time, then decide if they are going to be in matching ropes, or already dressed for the wedding.

Groom preparation

Ideal time allotment: 45 minutes.
Ideal time of the day: If you have 2 photographers, it can be done at the same time as the bride, if not we normally do it right before the bride’s preparation.
Ideal location: Groom suite / Hotel room

What happens during this time:

While the groom’s preparation is usually quicker, there are still plenty of great moments to capture. This includes details shots of the suit, Shoes, Watch, cufflinks, or any personal details. It’s also a great time during the day, to capture some fun and meaningful shots of the Groom with his groomsmen and/or family.

Tips for the best shots:

Be ready in pants and shirt when we arrive – We will capture the groom getting the rest of the suit on.
Have all accessories (watch, shoes, tie, boutonniere, etc) ready in one place.

Ask everyone who is going to be part of the preparation to be ready in their suits.

First look / Day time couple portraits session

Ideal time allotment: 45-60 minutes.
Ideal time of the day: Morning, early afternoon (Fit it so it finishes 45-60 minutes before the ceremony)
Ideal location: At the venue, where there is privacy and shaded areas with natural light.

Why you should do a first look (Optional)

Doing a first look is breaking with tradition but it does come with a lot of benefits.

If you have a tight wedding timeline, doing a first look with a portrait session will free up time for the cocktail hour, leaving the bride and groom with more time with their guests.
It is also a super intimate and romantic moment, that not only produces amazing footage for the wedding gallery and video but can also be a meaningful and cherished moment between the bride and groom.

Tips for the best shots:

Make sure to do the first look at a time/place where the other guests won’t see the bride and groom.

A way to make this moment extra personal, could be to write personal vows to each other. This creates a special and intimate moment, that works well in both film and photos.

Ceremony details 

Ideal time allotment: 30 minutes.
Ideal time of the day: 30 minutes before the guests arrive at the ceremony.
Ideal location: wedding ceremony site.

There goes a lot of thought, planning, and money into creating a beautiful ceremony site. So it’s only fair that we take the time to capture it in film and photos.

Tips for the best shots:

Have it ready and set up as soon as possible during the wedding day (Keep in mind, that the summer heat might affect the flowers, so listen to the decoration team).
Allow time before guest arrival for unobstructed shots.

Group pictures

Ideal time allotment: 30-40 minutes.
Ideal time of the day: Post ceremony – Normally during cocktail hour.
Ideal location: Ceremony site, Venue garden (We will help find the ideal location).

Group pictures can me time time-consuming, and take a bit of planning to make a right. Think about what photos would have the most meaning to you, and think that some photos can be done at the preparation if they don’t require both groom and bride to be in them.

Making group photos unique and special.
A group photo does not have to be stale or resemble a classic classroom portrait. We can make them dynamic, fun, stylish, and make it reflect who you are. Whether we are creating shots of the groom being tossed in the air, by his groomsmen, or the bride looking stunning between all her bridesmaids, we are gonna capture something that resonates with you.

Tips for the best shots:

Create a list of groupings in advance so we do not miss out on any important shots.

Designate a person to help find the different groupings, so there is always another group ready to make it as fast as possible.

Couples session

Ideal time allotment: 30-45 minutes.
Ideal time of the day: Post-ceremony, afternoon
Ideal location: We will help to find the ideal location at your venue.

For couples who prefer to see each other for the first time at the ceremony, we make time for the couple’s session after the ceremony. Normally during cocktail hour, we will take you through the most beautiful sites of your venue, to capture these portraits.

Tips for the best shots:

Make sure your guests are entertained to create the most stress-free session.
Make sure to set aside enough time, so portraits don’t feel rushed.

Dinner details 

Ideal time allotment: 20 minutes.
Ideal time of the day: Before guests arrive
Ideal location: Dinner location

By asking the venue to have all lights lit, and the tables ready 30 minutes before the guests arrive for dinner, it allows us time to capture the decorations fully unobstructed, so you can look back at the effort that was put into the tables.

Tips for the best shots:

Have it ready and set up as soon as possible during the wedding day.
Allow time before guest arrival for unobstructed shots.

Sunset session / Sneak out

Ideal time allotment: 20-30 minutes.
Ideal time of the day: 30 minutes before sunset
Ideal location: We will help to find the ideal location at your venue.

Golden hour is the most magical time for couple portraits. The soft, warm light creates a special look, that can’t be replicated at any other time of the day. Typically the sun will set during dinner time, leaving us the option to quickly sneak out between courses to capture these special portraits. This is especially helpful if the timeline did not allow for a long couple’s session, so we can create more portraits for you to enjoy.

Tips for the best shots:

See beforehand where you are in the timeline when the sun will set. Make sure that it is a part of the day, that you can sneak away from.

Pay attention to mountains and trees(We will help tell you the ideal time for the sunset session), that might obscure the light and sun before the actual sunset time.

Hi I'm Aske Martinus

With more than 14 years of experience as a photographer it’s my greatest mission to capture your life story, and preserve those memories that mean the most to you and your family.

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