Wondering when to book senior photos? I’m here to help! This is actually a question families can look forward to answering. After all, with all of the meetings, deadlines, and emotional “lasts” you face senior year, this is something fun to check off your to-do list. (And then you can look forward to a professional gallery of images that will live in your heart and your home for years to come!) So let’s get started. Let’s talk about when to book senior photos, when to schedule your shoot, and why waiting can seriously limit your options.

Before You Book Senior Photos

Before you book senior photos, there’s a few things you’ll need to do. First, determine your budget. I recommend doing this first, since your price point will dictate your photo package. And that’s where you start! Knowing your package details will determine how many outfits/locations to plan, how long of a shoot to prepare for, and the number of images/turnaround time for your gallery to be delivered.

Next, define your style. This means everything from your clothing and any props you want handy, to photo locations, and a senior photographer who can deliver your vision. My advice? Make it YOU! Do you love sunsets? A golden hour session at Garden of the Gods never misses. Extracurriculars? Be sure to bring your uniform, equipment, or instrument. Did you eat or study at the same handful of haunts throughout your 4 years? Pick one (or a few!) for a joy-filled senior session that captures the moments exactly as they happened. These are the looks, the people, and places that defined your years of education. The ones you’ll remember fondly every time you look at your images. Make sure you recognize the you in each one! Need some tips and outfit inspo? I’ve got you covered here on Instagram.

Then, check the calendar. Gone are the days of awkward class photos. Students are submitting their own yearbook photos senior year, but there’s often a deadline. Don’t let it catch you off guard! If you’re hoping to use senior photos for graduation announcements, grad party invites, family gifts, thank you notes, etc., I recommend working backward. When is the yearbook deadline? When are graduation events? How far in advance do people need to save the date? How long could printing and shipping take once you’ve designed announcements? Make a mental timeline, and be sure your photographer can deliver your images when you need them. Be sure to take those dates and turnaround times into consideration when choosing a date to book senior photos!

When to Book & When to Schedule

The best time to book senior photos is in the spring of junior year. You’ll want to schedule your date 3–4 months in advance, as popular photographers fill up by May/June for summer and fall sessions, since those are peak times for seniors and weddings. Most schools require yearbook submissions by October or November, making the summer before senior year the most flexible time, and your best bet for relaxed photos!

That’s why I recommend booking your senior photos in January-March of junior year, and shooting your photos in June, July, or August before your senior year begins. Why so early? This date range ensures better weather, better availability, and avoids conflicts with fall commitments, sports, and activities. The best way to guarantee relaxed, joy-filled photos? Scheduling your senior photo shoot in the months when you’re the most relaxed! Think sun-kissed, no homework, and no tests to study for or papers to write.

Of course, your senior photos should feel authentic to you! If you want your gallery to include cozy sweaters and gorgeous fall foliage, book by June for a September or October shoot. (Just double-check the yearbook deadline first!) If you want your images to give sundresses and springtime blooms, book by Christmas for a March/April photo session.

The bottom line? Don’t delay. Summer and fall weekends fill up fast! Between your busy schedule and your photographer’s event calendar, waiting to book can seriously limit your options. Are you a junior and ready to lock in your date? Let’s chat! Check out the details of my Senior Experience here, and then send me a message.  I’ll get back to you within 72 hours with everything you need to know about partnering with me for your senior year!

Creating a wedding timeline can be tricky. There are a lot of boxes to check, tons of moving parts, and plenty of people and places involved. But all of those things are exactly why you need a wedding timeline! Planning out a schedule for your big day is the only way to to synchronize vendors, avoid delays, coordinate the wedding party, and maximize your time. It reduces stress and keeps everyone on the same page. But with so many things to fit in, it’s easy to worry about the flow instead of going with it. No worries here, though. I’ve been doing this for more than a decade! Let’s talk about how to design a day that doesn’t feel rushed (and photographs beautifully)!

Timeline Tip No. 1: Build in Buffers

When you create your wedding timeline, I always suggest leaving 10-15 minute buffers between each event. Most obviously because it allows for some delays without getting off track, but there’s more to it than that. It’s more than a buffer. It’s breathing room! If everything is running smoothly, those 15 minutes give you a chance to pause and relax without feeling guilty or stressed about the time you’re taking. When you don’t need to run from one thing to the next, you can enjoy the day, fix the lipstick, have conversations, and take it all in. And if something does take longer than expected? You won’t panic. It’s all built into the plan.

Bonus Tips to Protect Your Buffers: First, do your “first look” early. Scheduling a first look allows you to take 95% of photos before the ceremony, letting you actually attend your cocktail hour with a huge portion of your shot and to-do lists out of the way. Morning ceremony? Take your photos the night before, or even on the day of your hair and makeup trial.

Next, be sure you’re not managing the wedding timeline all by yourself. Enlist a wedding planner, family member, or person in the wedding party to answer scheduling questions and check-in throughout the day to make sure everyone is still on track. It’s helpful if all your wedding day locations are close together to avoid unknowns like traffic, and it’s absolutely crucial that your timeline, expectations, and any changes made are communicated clearly throughout the planning process and the big day.

Wedding Timeline Tip No. 2: Create the Calm

As you’re scheduling things like bridal party portraits, hors d’oeuvres, and first dances, don’t forget to schedule things that keep things calm! Add light, predictable meals outside the reception to your day’s agenda to avoid getting lightheaded, nauseous, or “hangry.” Add moments of breath and hydration, whether that’s through a planned “getting ready” playlist, or simply making space for a cup of tea, or an episode or two of your favorite comfort show in the quiet moments before and between things.

Bonus Tips to Protect Your Calm: First, prep your details, like packing your dress, any changes of clothes, hair supplies, rings, invitation suite for photos, etc. the day or throughout the week before. The less you have to worry about on your wedding day the better! Delegate wedding day tasks like handling breakfast and lunch, making coffee runs, supplying bridal suite snacks and water bottles, and setting up personal decor. On its own, each task is easy and manageable. All together, these things go a long way in creating a relaxing day, and takes it off your plate so you can enjoy!

Last but not least, keep your prep spaces tidy, or ask someone to be in charge of behind-the-scenes organization. Keeping your getting-ready room neat not only makes for cleaner wedding prep photos, it creates a calming space for everyone throughout the day.

Timeline Tip No. 3: Prioritize What’s Important

Every couple has different priorities for their big day. Make sure you’ve identified and communicated yours, then make sure your wedding timeline reflects them. Are album-worthy photos a must? Make sure you schedule plenty of time for portraits so you’re not feeling (and looking!) rushed. Is sitting down and enjoying dinner at your reception important to you? Make sure that time is blocked out without interruption. Do you and your new spouse want a few minutes alone at any point? Build in 10-15 minutes immediately after the ceremony to breathe and enjoy being married, away from guests. Whatever is important to you, make sure it’s prioritized on your wedding timeline.

Bonus Tips for Prioritizing What’s Important: First, prioritize food. I can’t tell you how often people forget to eat on these big days, and it always catches up with you! Even if it doesn’t seem important to you right now, be sure to include at least two meals on your big day, along with plenty of snacks and water.

Second, prioritize your comfort. In a practical sense, like packing an extra pair of flats, slippers or sweats to change into if needed, but and in a mental sense. If you’re not comfortable around large groups of people for long periods of time, schedule yourself some escapes. Or if you want to be around people all day long, schedule some fun group activities. If you know you’ll need some time with your mom, sibling, Maid of Honor, etc., make sure you’re scheduled to do certain tasks together. Trust me, there will be so much going on, if you don’t plan it in advance, it might not happen! Having a plan and sticking to it is one of the best things you can do for yourself on your wedding day.