Dear Jasmine,
I'm wondering how you manage a bride that's one hour behind schedule? During my wedding this last Saturday, the bride was an hour late which cut into our bride and groom portraits. The day-of wedding coordinator proved not to be helpful, and that made me sad.
In hindsight, I wonder: Should I have carried on with couples portraits after the first look and done the family photos after the ceremony? I spent less time with the bride and groom and we split the family formals in half, some before and the rest after the ceremony. Also, did I make a mistake by politely and gracefully letting the make up artist know we were running behind schedule in front of the bride? I was so thorough about the time-line. I wrote out each detail that we would photograph during each time frame and shared the information with the bride, make up artist and coordinator in advance and politely gave 15-minute interval notice. During the portraits the bride apologized for running late, and let me know it was okay to her that we're missing time for portraits.
How can I use my time wisely, manage timeline changes, brides that are late to the party, and grumpy day-of coordinators ?
Yours truly,
Time Sensitive

Dear Time Sensitive,
Say no more…I've been exactly where you were. As wedding photographers, we have to understand that despite our best efforts, there are things beyond our control. Sure, we might draft sturdy wedding day timelines, but if a bride is an hour late, something's gotta give.
The key to remember is you did everything you could to ensure the wedding itinerary was perfect and the participants well informed. If they diverted from the timeline, the best you can do is stay in front of events as best as possible.
In order to make this happen, here are a few things to keep in mind:
     1. Ensure the bride makes the decisions. 
If the day is running late, ask the bride how she would like to proceed. Sure, you could've let the makeup artist know the day was running behind schedule in front of the bride, but why should the makeup artist care? She has work to do. I would have directly asked the bride if it was okay for me to redraft the timeline in her presence. If she said yes, I'd turn to the makeup artist and say, “We are running really behind and I need us to work together to ensure this wedding flows smoothly…if working at your peak, how fast can you finish?”
What I need is the makeup artist to stay accountable by her own standards and the bride to hear this discussion. Once we get on the same page, then we keep each other accountable to a new timeframe.
     2. Keep family portraits continuous on the wedding day. 
When the schedule is running behind on a wedding day, everything feels fragmented, but guests also feel the frazzledness. And, no, that's not technically a word. It's really important to stay strong and in control in front of family members all while consulting with the bride regarding your decision. I'd ask the bride for permission to move family photos until after the ceremony because breaking this photo segment into two portions of the day will likely take more time than doing it all at once. I'd explain the benefits to the bride and then allow her to make the final decision.
    3. Be a stress-reliever, not a stress-maker. 
Even when you don't feel like it, smile. Smiling is the easiest way to diffuse a stressful situation. As a wedding photographer, you want to be a beacon of professionalism and fix-it-ness. Sure, it's not your fault the wedding itinerary is behind, but if you can do your best and expedite everything that needs to be photographed, your clients will think the world of you. When a wedding runs late, you must work twice as fast in harder situations…and take it all with a smile.

Some of my strongest and most allegiant wedding recommendations come from brides who realized things went awry on their wedding day (as most things can), but we worked hard to ensure the cracks didn't show. And you can do the same, Time Sensitive. I know you can.
Stay Fabulous,
j*