Miriam Kaulbarsch Fotografie
WEDDING GUIDE
engagement session tips, timeline guidance, vendor recommendations & more!
Welcome
A NOTE ABOUT THIS GUIDE
I am so excited to be your wedding photographer and can’t wait to work with you and get to know you better!
Even if you are working with a wedding planner or it is ‚just‘ a simple civil wedding, there are still some things that need to be considered.
Having photographed more than 100 weddings over the past years, there are things I get asked quite often. And to be honest: I have been to more weddings than the normal first time bride haha
This guide should help you with the planning process and make you feel at ease! If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out!
- miriam
ENGAGEMENT SESSION
I am a BIG fan 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. I’ve created an entire page dedicated to outfit tips, location ideas, timing considerations and more!
The Vendor Guide
Over the years, I’ve learned the important role quality vendors play in creating a stress-free wedding day. I’ve worked with many of the vendors below and I can’t recommend them enough! This is not a paid list – I chose these vendors for both the quality of their work as well as their professionalism on the actual wedding day.
Wedding Planners
FLORAL DESIGNERS
Photographers
DJ & BANDS
HAIR & MAKEUP
CAKES
WEDDING DRESSES & SUITS
Your Portraits
No need to be a supermodel
For your portraits I always recommend to set aside an hour, so we don’t feel rushed and can actually create those romantic images that you want.
You decide if you want to do your portraits before your actual ceremony or afterwards. Sometimes it also depends on the time of day and the light.
Having your portraits before your ceremony means you can concentrate on you two instead of having your guests in the back of your mind. It’s also better if you want to do a private First Look.
After this portrait hour we can go to the ceremony together and you can great your guests.
SESSION CHECKLIST
- Rings polished
- Bouqet
- Veil
- Lipstick touchup
- Hair ties not on wrists
- Phone out of pocket
You don’t have to be afraid before the session – especially if you already had your engagement session with me, then you know how much fun this is!
I will guide you into the poses and you don’t have to remember a thing. Just listen to my directions and you’re golden! There’s also never ‚too much‘, so please have lots of fun, laughs, kisses and little touches.
I know how awkward it can be in front of a camera… suddenly you have hands and don’t know what to do with them. But this is exactly why you hired me as your professional photographer – so you can get this experience of being directed and feeling beautiful!
FIRST LOOKS
IF YOU’RE WONDERING WHETHER A FIRST LOOK
IS RIGHT FOR YOU, STOP HERE
That moment the couple sees each other for the first time on their wedding day is magical. And this is true whether the couple chooses to wait until the bride walks down the aisle or chooses 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.
Here are 3 reasons to consider a ‘first look’:
First Looks
01
A FIRST LOOK CUTS THROUGH THE CHAOS OF THE DAY
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 can be a whirlwind and they tend to fly by. There’s much to do, and a lot of people to see and to catch up with. I always encourage my couples to take a few minutes every so often during their wedding to stop and soak in everything that’s happening.
02
It makes more time for pictures without sacrificing cocktail hour
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 (and everyone is still fresh and full of energy). Then I often recommend doing the portraits after the cake cutting, when everyone is occupied eating.
A first look opens up time prior to the ceremony for a few bride and groom portraits. This allows you to get the most out of cocktail hour, which makes the rest of the evening feel less rushed.
03
Avoid possible bad weather and/or have time to freshen-up after the first look
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.
Building the perfect Wedding Day
timeline tips for a seamless wedding day timeline
Whether you choose to do a first look and your portraits before or go the traditional route of „no see before the ceremony“, you will get amazing images.
For group photos I recommend allocating at least 30 minutes. A traditional 2 hr civil wedding coverage would then look like this:
- Guest & Couple Arrival
- Ceremony
- Gratulations
- Group photos
- Portraits
If you’re doing a first look, photos can be done all at one time, taking an average total of 1 to 1.5 hours pre-ceremony.
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, bridal party and your couples portraits.
Making sure we have enough time while the sun is up is a great way to make the traditional ceremony work.
Rain Tips
If the forecast is calling for rain, fear not because rainy days can still be beautiful! If you don’t believe me, just take a look at Samanthas & Immanuels wedding day. It rained the entire day and it was still beautiful!
If rain is in the forecast, I will bring a set of clear umbrellas. If it’s a light drizzle it will look beautiful when you cuddle under them.
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.
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.
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!
Also: couples often refer me as their lucky charm, because rainy weddings are really rare, when I am your photographer – and isn’t it said that wet knots are harde to untie?
GORGEOUS PHOTOS + PRACTICE RUN FOR THE BIG DAY
Wedding Day details
We love capturing all the little details you’ve carefully chosen to be a part of your wedding day! Once we arrive at your wedding, we need about 30 minutes to capture and style details. We recommend choosing a getting ready location filled with natural light and, if possible, please keep the space free from trash and clutter.
It would be wonderful if you could put all of your rings, jewelry, shoes, veil purse, perfume, invitations and other keepsakes together in one spot for us. Please unwrap your dress but don’t worry about styling it – we’ll hang it in a beautiful spot!
Bridal Details Checklist
- Dress
- Dress Hanger (a pretty one!)
- Rings (both engagement and wedding bands)
- Shoes
- Veil
- Bouquet
- Ring
- Hair pieces
- Jewelry
- Invitation Suite (2 full sets with envelopes + stamps)
- Any other paper stationary you may have like program cards.
- Vow Book
- Any other sentimental keepsakes you would like to include
- We once had a bride bring her grandmother's hand mirror. This is completely optional - but if you have something sentimental you'd like styled with your details, we love including family heirlooms in our detail shots.
- Bonus: We'd love to have a few cuts of the florals you'll be using throughout your wedding day. If your florist will supply us a small bucket of extra pieces we can incorporate those in your detail shots.
print this
checklist
THE RINGS
Of course your hands and rings will be in focus during the ceremony and our portraits. If possible, try to have them and your engagement ring cleaned prior to your wedding day.
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.
Family Formals Making them run smoothly
In my pre-wedding questionnaire I will ask you for a list of specific groupings. I also ask that you fill out their names – because often it’s easier to listen to your actual name instead of „uncle of bride“.
For family portraits, I’ll place you in the center of each group. Often starting with the biggest group and then getting smaller and smaller. Then repeat for your spouses side.
In my experience, 2 things will make this process goe smoothly and faster:
- Your guests listen to YOU! So if you also keep an eye on everyone, they are more likely to play along.
- Let your guests know before that these group photos will be done directly after the ceremony.
If you want to start brainstorming groupings now, you’ll find my typical list below.
Family Formals Checklist
- Extended Family Partner 1
- Grandparents Partner 1
- Parents + Siblings Partner 1
- Siblings Partner 1
- Parents Partner 1
- Mom Partner 1
- Dad Partner 1
- Extended Family Partner 2
- Grandparents Partner 2
- Parents + Siblings Partner 2
- Siblings Partner 2
- Parents Partner 2
- Mom Partner 2
- Dad Partner 2
Please note that this list is just a starting point and that I’m happy to take any requested family portraits as long as time allows!
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 requests to ask guests to put down their phones, there’s a pretty good reason for it! You made a big investment in photography and I’m sure one of the last things you want on your wedding day is for my 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 me do the best possible job capturing your wedding, I recommend asking guests to unplug during the ceremony.
Additional tips
01
DON'T FORGET THE SNACKS
No one likes being hangry. Especially if it’s hot or adrenaline is running high, we don’t want anyone passing out. So think about a quick snack after the ceremony – that also occupies your guests while we are doing portraits.
02
PREP FOR THE HEAT
Summers are getting hotter and hotter. A cooler full of cold drinks and frozen washcloths or mini ventilators and sun umbrellas are a good idea to help keep everyone cool – especially if your men are wearing lots of layers.
03
EXTRA FLORALS
You can always ask your florist to give you a bag full of loose florals, which is perfect for these kind of romantic shots, where you are in a rain of pretty leaves.
04
First Look for Parents
If you decide to do a parent first look, make sure everyone is already dressed in their wedding attire.
05
Fluff time
It’s always a good idea to include some „fluff“ time, simply for walking vom A-B or getting to your next venue.
06
Be on time
Civil weddings are a bureaucratic act. Often you need to be there 15 minutes before your ceremony time, because there will be a last minute check of your IDs and those of your best woman and man. So have those documents handy.
07
Group shots after ceremony
Why do I say that so often? Because in my experience it is a) the best time to get everyone together, b) everyone is still looking fresh, c) the energy is high, d) after this, everyone can fully relax knowing they did their part!
08
Photo anyone?
Of course with smaller wedding parties it’s often possible to get nice portraits of your guests too – if the time allows.
09
I'm here to help
I’d love to help you plan your timeline. If you’d like my input, don’t hesitate to email or text!
Printed Albums THE PERFECT WAY TO REMEMBER YOUR WEDDING DAY
Nothing should exist solely in the digital space. Having something tactile in your hand and browse through is an amazing way to relive your wedding day.
As much as I wish to offer your online gallery forever, it’s simply not possible. I recommend downloading your images right away and then starting the process of getting a printed album.
You can either do it yourself or ask me to do it for you. Either I am creating a first version, putting together your images or you select the images you want yourself.
After your sign off, your album gets printed and delivered as soon as possible, so you can enjoy it snuggling on the sofa.
You can purchase an album anytime – if it’s not already included in your package.
All my albums are printed as matte, because I think gloss reflects too much light and distracts form the image.
A typical album takes 4 weeks to be delivered, starting from the selecting process to review to printing. It’s also possible to create copies for your parents and / or grandparents.
With the exception of printing errors, all albums are non-returnable. Albums may be ordered anytime before or after the wedding day. The Christmas deadline for beginning an order is November 1st.
THANK YOU!
I can’t wait to start planning with you and getting to know you! If you haven’t scheduled your engagement session yet, let’s get that in the books. Feel free to email me any time at hallo@miriamkaulbarsch.de or simply text me.
If you have any questions or would just like to chat, I’m here for you. I hope this guide helps make the process of planning your civil wedding much easier and less stressful. I can’t wait to see you soon! Thank you so much for taking the time to read through my guide!
