How to shoot wedding details quickly

One of my very favorite parts of the wedding day is gathering all the details and taking some time to photograph them to add to the storyline of the day in the album or for my blog posts. Typically I allow for 30-40 minutes of shooting, but many times I can be in a crunch. So what to do when you are in a pinch with time and how do you shoot those details quickly? Today I have some tips for you!

Plan ahead! Connect with the bride a week in advance and have her put together a bag that will contain her shoes, jewelry, stationary, hanky, veil, flowers, perfume, and any other details that she wants photographed. I typically will have a personal attendant or family member meet me at the location where the ladies are getting dressed to have her bring along the dress and rings.
Find a neutral location that is well lit. Windows can be your best friend when shooting details. I will typically grab a chair and use the dress or veil as a backdrop. Wood or concrete floors can also be awesome to use as the backdrop as can textured chairs or benches.
Have an assistant or family member help you. If that personal attendant or family member that brought you the details is still available, put her to use. Have her hold the dress, bring in flowers, pull out stationary and be another hand to help arrange details.
Start big, then go small! To ensure I get all the details that a bride asks for, I start with a photo of all the details together, and then do each object alone or with another item!
Don’t forget about the men! Shoes, watches, flasks, cigars, tie clips, socks, rings, boutonniere’s, etc can all be photographed and are just as important to the day!
Use the timer on your phone. Often I can get caught up in this part of the day because I love all the pretty little details! I typically allow for this time in my time line, but I still need to remind myself that the timeline must continue and by setting a timer on my phone, I am able to keep myself on time!

Do you have any tips and tricks you have learned along the way? I would love to hear them!!