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Newsletter
May 2010
Getting the Most Out of Your Wedding Photography—Some Tips for the Bride & Groom
- Discuss with your photographer if he or she needs to take pictures at the rehearsal and/or at the dinner which may follow.
- On your special day, be sure to allow enough travel time especially if it is not a local wedding. Things can get hectic on wedding days, so it is important to arrive early enough so that the photographer is able to take as many pictures as possible for you to ultimately choose from. Often 1-2 hours are needed if formal portraits are taken prior to the wedding ceremony. Plan on being at least 15-30 minutes early, and if there are people in your group who are chronically late, tell them to be there 30-45 minutes early.
- Remember that you will need plenty of time to get dressed especially if you plan to have photos taken prior to the wedding ceremony. Ladies should allow themselves 30-60 minutes, and guys 15-30 minutes.
- Make sure that you have discussed with the photographer before the wedding day when you wish to have your pictures taken. If you plan to do the formal portraits after the ceremony, it is a good idea to do the largest groups first as well as the bride’s family first so they can host the beginning of the reception as soon as possible. Also, if there are young children in the formal family portraits, it is wise to get these done right away as children will tend to get cranky, restless and dirty. Today, many couples often prefer the formal portraits to be taken prior to the wedding ceremony while everyone is still clean and fresh.
- If you will be having pictures taken outdoors, bring a bottle of water, and for the women in the bridal party, some loose face powder, especially if is hot. Ladies should check out their makeup both in natural light and indoors to be sure it is not too heavy. Any makeup should always look light, clean and natural.
- It is always a good idea to bring along a few safety pins and hair pins for those unexpected situations when these items can become very useful.
- Have one or two family members or friends assist the bridal party members in getting dressed. As mentioned above, getting dressed can take time, and having assistants who are familiar with what needs to be done is helpful. This will also enable the photographer to remain on his or her schedule and capture the pictures that need to be taken.
- Make sure the flowers are going to show up. Pre-arrange for them to be delivered by the florist or picked up so you do not have to worry about them on your wedding day. Be sure that the florist pre-labels the flowers so everyone gets the right flower. Designate a family member or friend to be responsible for the flowers and then to assist the bridal party members with putting them on.
- Discuss with the photographer ahead of time what kind of photos you want taken. Look at other people’s photos, peruse bridal magazines, or go online to get an idea of what kind of poses you like and then show your photographer. Most photographers will take the important traditional photos, but if there are any special groupings or individuals that you would like pictures of, be sure to let the photographer know.
- Assign a family member or friend who will be responsible to ‘roundup’ members of the bridal party when the photographer needs them. Too often precious time is spent trying to find people when photographs need to be taken.
- Family, friends and other guests should be informed to avoid taking pictures when the photographer is trying to do his or her formal portraits. This can be very distracting to the photographer since additional flashes going off at the same time could affect the portrait lighting, and also the people being photographed may not know who to look towards.
- If parents are separated or divorced, or if there is animosity between family members, make sure to let the photographer know ahead of time. This will enable the formal portraits to be taken with greater ease and less tension.
- Remember to let the photographer know the anticipated timeline for the reception and meal. Some receptions start with the couple being announced into the room and then they do their first dance. Others start with a welcome toast, a blessing, and then the buffet or dinner. Some couples may schedule the toasts after dinner before or after the cake cutting. Just be sure to inform the photographer in advance.
- Finally, try to relax and enjoy your special day. Your photographs will turn out much better if you are relaxed and happy. Allow your wedding photographer to do what he or she does best and you should be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy your celebration.
As always, please fee free to contact us anytime with your
photography questions or how we can better serve and meet your
photography needs.
-Ann and Tom Dingeman
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