Welcome!
As you start to plan your wedding you will certainly have a lot of questions. Below you will find sample timelines and useful information to guide you during your planning process.
Hi there!
We are so excited to work with you.
Sample wedding timelines
Timelines are your best friend because organizing the details will enable us to document all of your unique memories, both during meaningful candid moments as well as during the important events of the day. The sample timelines below come from experience gained while photographing many weddings, and are general templates to show you how a typical full wedding day progresses.
The amount of time spent photographing specific parts of the day like formal photos will be planned out, but during the rest of the day we will blend into your event and be ready to photograph the amazing moments happening all around you.
Wedding with First Look
11:30 am | Matthew arrives at first prep location
12:30 pm | Matthew arrives at second prep location
1:30 pm | All parties dressed
2:00 pm | First look
2:15 pm | Family photos
2:45 pm | Wedding party photos
3:15 pm | Couple portraits
4:00 pm | Couple down time before ceremony
4:30 pm | Ceremony
5:00 pm | Cocktail hour
6:00 pm | Reception start
Step outside for sunset photos, depending on time of day
9:30 pm | Matthew departs**
Wedding without First Look
11:00 am | Matthew arrives at first prep location
12:00 pm | Matthew arrives at second prep location
1:00 pm | All parties dressed
1:30 pm | Leave for ceremony venue
2:00 pm | Ceremony
3:00 pm | Family photos at ceremony venue
3:30 pm | Couple portraits in ceremony venue
4:15 pm | Wedding party photos at reception venue
4:45 pm | Couple portraits (30-45 minutes)
5:00 pm | Cocktail hour
6:00 pm | Reception start
Step outside for sunset photos, depending on time of day
9:00 pm | Matthew departs**
**Photo coverage ends after last formality (typically cake cutting). We will ask if you'd like to take a night portrait, then say our goodbyes.
We find that most timelines are described within these two samples, but of course we will collaborate on your individualized wedding day timeline. Part of that process is to identify what is most important to you both and what you would like to spend more time on. For example, if you would like to be present with your guests during the majority of your cocktail hour or if you really want to take full advantage of golden hour and create epic photos, we will talk about all of the possibilities and design your timeline around you.
If you ever have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Preferred vendors
DJs and Bands
Let's get the party started!
If you are looking for a local Hudson Valley DJ company, you have to consider A Perfect Blend Entertainment. They have been incredible to work with and have thrown amazing parties for some of my couples in the past. They do limited announcements and focus on you during the reception.
If you are looking for a bigger production, potentially with instruments or a band, look no further than Elegant Music Group. Based in Northern NJ, they travel everywhere and are professional, energetic, and fun!
Videographers
Just let me know if you have questions about booking video to further document your day! I highly recommend Brandon from Hudson River Weddings and Chriz Miotti from Miotti Studios. Both bring an artistic and professional perspective while keeping things light and happy. After your wedding will you receive an awesome video, and on the day of they will definitely make you laugh!
Makeup artists
These artists do beautiful, stunning work. They also help you to feel at ease on your most important day, and are extremely professional. I have enjoyed working with them in the past and know they would be a great fit for your day!
Married & Painted
Wedding day fine art masterpieces
Live wedding day paintings, wedding day designs, and other work. Mar is an artist based in White Plains, NY who creates lasting, amazing memories on canvas. If you are considering creating amazing physical art on your wedding day, you need to contact her!
Tomasso Black Suits
Discount: 50% off with code "RIGBY"
Excellent quality fitted suits with both online measurements and in-person fittings. Tom is willing to travel within an hour of NYC to do in-home group fittings, if your family and/or wedding party are looking to invest in custom suits. Their deep commitment to customer service means that they will listen and work with you on your suiting needs.
Education and planning resources
You probably have a lot of questions about planning your wedding! Please use the files in the shared folder linked here to help answer these questions and to help guide your wedding planning process.
Your personalized content covers everything from posing tips, a questionnaire to help you prioritize and personalize your day, graphics that help you understand the ways in which photo albums are organized, and much more!
Planning for your engagement session
Your engagement session is a special time when you get to be yourselves and take beautiful photos together. You may like to use these photos for save the dates, your wedding website, and prints to display at your wedding and home.
I always suggest to find a location that is meaningful to the two of you, whether it be a park you love visiting together, a part of town you have fond memories in, or your proposal location. Please see the links here for more information about suggested locations, what to wear and other seasonal concerns, and what to expect from your engagement session!
Top Hudson Valley Spots
What to wear
What to expect
Planning your prep?
While your venue is amazing and beautiful, it may not have the space or time availability to accommodate your wedding party for prep. Or, maybe you are looking for place where you can stay the night before or after with your family or wedding party, and you want a more personalized, intimate setting than a nearby hotel. Check out this blog post for two intimate settings for your prep!
Dutch Barn in Goshen
Cromwell Manor Inn
Package enhancements
You may decide that you would like to add on to your package and include a second photographer. Second photographers enhance your wedding day story by providing coverage where I cannot be and documenting alternate angles and moments. Hiring a second photographer is a wonderful way to document more of your story and bring another pair of creative eyes to your day.
Or, you may decide after your wedding that you would like help designing and creating a beautiful wedding album so that you have a permanent physical keepsake for years to come. Our album creation process is collaborative, where I will help you with your initial layout and send it back to you for up to three more rounds of feedback and changes. 10"x10" albums with 10 spreads and a collaborative design start at $600. You will truly treasure this special physical representation of your story for a lifetime!
Second Photographer
Wedding Photo Albums
So you don't have to search through your emails...
Here is my contact information one more time :) Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions!
hello@matthewrigbyphotography.com
860-218-8494