I’m often asked, ‘how do we manage our actual wedding day?’ And, ‘how do I make sure I get the best lighting conditions for my photos?’ The answer is simple. Get a run sheet.

Creating a Run Sheet

A run sheet is more than just a highly organized piece of paper. It’s an essential part of your planning process. It’s the perfect way to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding what’s happening when. So, here are our tips for creating a run sheet that’s going to add calmness and ease to your wedding day.

Run Sheet Tips

Be realistic and add in some wiggle room. By allowing a little extra time for each stage of your wedding, you’ll be sure that no one needs to panic or stress out.

Be detailed if you can. Get clear on what each person is responsible for. Whether that’s liaising with the kitchen or introducing the speeches, you’ll want to get super clear on your expectations, so everyone knows what to do and when.

Sunset Time

Look up the sunset times in advance. Check and double-check the time of sunset on your wedding day. Then schedule the 30 minutes before sunset as the time for portrait photos, if at all possible. This is the time when we see the ideal lighting conditions for photographs. Each photographer is different and may recommend something different but for us, our goal is not to keep you away from your part for hours, scheduling in an hour for photos mean we have that wiggle room and may only use 1/2 of it.

Ask Your Photographer

Liaise with your photographer in advance. Pick their brains, so you understand what will give you the best photos. Talk through all the options for all stages of your wedding. But don’t let every lighting condition overrule what you really want to do to celebrate your day.

Find a run sheet template online. There are loads of examples online, so do your research and find a run sheet that’s going to work for you and that you can easily modify. It does take some time to pull a run sheet together, but it’ll save you a whole heap of hassle on the day!