Planning For Wedding Photography

"I am not sure where I am supposed to be." One bride fretfully cried. "How exactly am I supposed to get dressed? Do I step into my gown or does it go over my head?" Another bride asks while holding up a luxurious ball-gown. "My wedding is boring! Everyone is leaving!" Another bride says pointing to the group of folks walking out of her reception at just 10pm.

Choosing your wedding photographer is a very important decision; however, this article will not go into the finer details of how to make the choice. (Choosing Your Wedding Photographer). This article will dive into how to work with your photographer and the role a photographer plays at the wedding. 

We photographers are not just another vendor - we will be your best friend on the big day, as we will be spending the most time with you. We are also honored that you have chosen us to spend the day with you, as photography is not a job - it is the networking between creativity and relationships. We are there to calm any nerves, to help rescue any situations, and to help you keep the wedding a fantastic experience for everyone involved. Through applying the foundation and last minute gloss to the walking down the isle, we are there to guide you through the day almost as much as any wedding coordinator. 

Whether you are spending thousands on your photographer or hundreds, I would like to offer you the kindest words of advice for getting your self and your photographer ready for the big day. I assume at this point that many of you are still in the market for a photographer to hire for the big day. As a professional photographer in the Seattle Area, I have attended numerous weddings; so I know that the one person that you will spend the most time with on your wedding is the photographer. We are there to cater to your every need, so finding that special photographer who will not only give you advice on setting up beautiful shots, but also there to help bustle your dress, show you how to cut the cake so that you can follow long time traditions or make it truly your own, and how exactly a wedding will proceed.  

Weddings are emotional, hectic, and beautiful events; however, as the day passes there will be so many different parts of the wedding that you alone will never get to see. You might have spent hours picking out the flowers, wines, or party favors, but with all the time that you will spend meeting and greeting your family you might never have the chance to admire your work. As photographers, our job is to slow the day down for you. We capture all of the moments, so that in the future you can look back at your wedding and remember every second of the day. 

Many brides are so caught up with planning that they never really learn about how a wedding works. There are certainly the family traditions; however, I see so many brides get overly anxious because they are just not sure what they should be doing or whether other people are doing their jobs. First off, as a photographers it is our job to make sure that our end of the bargain is being upheld - everything is in order and everyone is where they are supposed to be. Perhaps not all photographers will take upon the duties of coordinating, but the successful photographers will tell you that in order to get beautiful images a relationship of trust must be formed over the course of just a few hours between a complete stranger and yourself, so take on a few extra tasks to take pressure off of the bride. Your job is to make her feel beautiful regardless of whether you are taking photographs or helping her transition. The bride and groom are the focus. So helping the bride figure out what she needs to be doing or reminding her that it is her day and her schedule.

One of the best ways that a photographer will be able to help you figure out the next events or the priorities for the day is to provide a rough schedule that will include the events of the day (ie: toasts are at 8pm, dancing will follow at 8:30pm ect.) Then whenever you, as the bride, are unsure about where to be you can simply as your photographer and receive an answer or the photographer will go to fetch someone to better advise the bride. 

Once you have figured out a schedule, the details of the day come into play. Going back to the "I don't know how to get into my gown" brings up an interesting point. Many brides are unsure of how to do thing the best way. I am not saying that any way is better than another, but having a second set of eyes to observe the situation and then provide gentle suggestions will be extremely helpful is creating a smooth day for everyone. Ladies, if you just had your hair and make-up done, step into your gown. If you take it over your head, make-up, hairspray, and bobby-pinns will wage war against your silk and satin. Stepping into your gown, provided the gown is created to be put on in either fashion, will help you feel a bit more comfortable.

Tip #1 Step into your gown to avoid ruining your perfect wedding 'do' or having make-up wiped onto your silks and satins. 

Once you are into your gown, make sure that everything is tucked in. There is nothing worst than allowing a bride to walk down the isle with hanger straps peaking out from under her arms. Another tip, that many brides have been thrilled to learn is how to get rid of the dreaded "back crack" or "back fat" as my brides have referred to the situation. As a photographer there is nothing more wonderful than being able to let a bride be her absolute beautiful self in front of the camera. There should be no personal flaw for her to worry about on her wedding day, so helping her avoid this common issue that arises from simply putting on a tight dress with the back arched will aid her in being herself. 

Tip #2: To avoid the "back crack" have either your mom or maid of honor slip two fingers into top of the gown next to the zipper. A finger should be on either side of the zipper. Then using a bit of force, slide your fingers out to the edges to smooth out the skin. This will give you a beautiful smooth back all day long for photographs. 

One of the biggest issues that I see brides go through is the "I planned this amazing day, why are people leaving" situation. Brides you have planned a wonderful and absolutely stunning day. You have spent countless months going through every detail; however, one of the things that planners forget is a timeline that fits your demographic. If you are having a wedding for 22 year olds the night will stay young for quite a while; however, if the couple has a majority of guests who are not the night owl type having 'traditional' events carry into the late hours can be a big mistake. The best weddings that I have been to have a DJ that will keep things moving so that you don't ever have to worry about your guests being bored or the grandparents leaving before toasts. 

Tip #3: Do your activities in sets, and move things along quickly. Let the lengthy part of the night be at the end.

By doing your activities in sets there isn't an awkward time for guests to become pre-occupied. My recommendation is that you do a grand entrance then go straight to the food line. Brides who don't eat can't survive a long day, so eat while you can even if you just take 10 minutes to yourself. While everyone else is finishing up dinner, go ahead and do your rounds and thank-yous. Have the DJ watch for you to reach the last table. When you have done so, the first table will have been sitting for quite some time, so they are ready for something new. When you reach the last table, have the DJ announce that you will be enjoying toasts in 5 minutes. This will give you time to get back to your table and have a few minutes to enjoy a quick break. The last toast signifies that you should either cut the cake or start dancing. I have seen both done; however, the best transition that I have seen is to go straight into cake cutting because you already have everyone sitting down and ready to watch. 

Tip #4: Take your time during the cake cutting. Many brides simply feed the groom a bite and call it a day. Reflect on what feeding each other signifies and perhaps allow yourselves to become a bit more playful at this time. The photographer should give you a few quick instructions on how to get the best shots. When cutting the cake, cut the cake together. Do it slowly so that your photographer can get the most flattering images. Secondly, feed each other at the same time. 

Once the cake cutting is over, go straight into your dance while the cater or family member cuts the cake. Then your guests are not waiting for cake without anything to do. After doing all of the family dances your guests can be seamlessly integrated into the dance floor, and the night of partying can begin. Be aware that anyone with an early bed-time will be heading out at this time so make sure that you are ready to say goodbye to grandparents and relatives from far away. 

By doing the order as above, you will not loose any guests nor will you cut any one event short. I have seen brides try to have first dances and then go into cake cutting or toasts, but by that time everyone is on the dance floor.

Brides, remember that when choosing your photographer, he or she will be seeing you at your best and worst as weddings can be a complete roller coaster. Just remember that you need to choose someone who will make you feel your best even when things are in chaos which is the general environment just before a ceremony. Find someone who makes you feel comfortable and who will not hesitate to go out of his or her way to make you feel like a million dollars. Brides who feel this way on their weddings have brilliant and stunning photographs.

Share this Post

Comments

Leave a comment

Your Reports Help Protect The MiNeeds Community

The Community depends on each member to help keep MiNeeds Community a safe and positive place.
Please do your part by using the form below:

Article:

Planning for Wedding Photography

Author:

MariahGentry

Type of Abuse: Spam or Advertising Insulting Others Invasion of Privacy Profanity, Vulgarity, Obscenity Other

Comments:

Submit

Cancel