Wedding Photographer: Booked
Wedding Planning: In the works
Wedding Day: Becoming closer and closer
After you’ve booked your wedding photographer and started your planning, there are 3 quick tips to keep in mind as your wedding date approaches. Often these are overlooked while planning a wedding, but can make a huge difference in your wedding day photos!
Plan for Portraits
How much time is enough for portraits before and / or after the wedding ceremony? As a wedding photographer, I do not want to keep you tied up with pictures for an hour+. I don’t want to take time away from you and your family + friends celebrating together. I’m not very selfish when it comes to requiring an huge block of time for wedding day portraits, but it’s also necessary to allot enough time to capture the photos you would like the most.
Depending upon the size of your family and the different family groups you’d like to be photographed, portraits after the ceremony can take up to 45 minutes. For each family grouping, plan on 3-5 minutes. Sometimes this means tracking down family members that wondered off to the cocktail hour or setting up a large group. Some of this time can be saved if photos are done before the ceremony, if time allows (and family members show up on time).
Pretty please do not rush through the couple portraits. This time is your time as well. I steal you away from everyone else so that you also can have time for just the two of you. Some couples choose to do a “first look” and portraits before the ceremony while others prefer to do them after. Whichever you prefer, set that time and keep it.
Planning for portraits:
- Make a list of family groupings (plan 3-5 min each)
- Share the list with your wedding planner so they can help gather family members
- Share the list with your wedding photographer so they can easily make sure each grouping is captured
- Let your bridal party know when and where to be for portraits
- Pretty please don’t rush through your couple portraits – make time for them!
Communicate with Your Wedding Photographer
Let’s chat well in advance of your wedding day. Let me know if mom and dad are divorced and on not-so-good terms so I don’t make them stand beside each other for portraits. Are you planning on carrying a family heirloom at your wedding? Will your old college roommates all be there? Is your bouquet made of roses from your grandmother’s garden? These are special moments that make up your wedding day – I want to make sure I capture those!
Enjoy Your Day
This may be the last tip, but it’s the most important tip. You’ve spent months (or more) planning your wedding, every detail covered and every decision made. There will be something that may not go 100% to the plan. That’s ok! You’ll still get married and there will be a celebration. Enjoy it. Every moment you have in this new chapter with your best friend, breathe it in. Smile. Laugh. Dance. EAT DINNER. Toast. Twirl in your dress. Enjoy the day – because it’s a very lovely day.
