Getting it all done:
At the end of your wedding day, one of the few things you have to remember your big day are the photos taken. It’s the photographer’s job to capture the events, people, and feeling of the day. Photographers know that they are being depended upon to capture all of those great moments, and to do my job to the best of my ability, I need some help from the bride and groom.
Below are some tips on how to help your photography experience run more smoothly and make your wedding day just a bit less stressful.
1. Photos take longer than you think…
People often don’t realize how much time photos take. Their wedding day arrives and in the craze of photo taking, they forget to get some of the shots they truly wanted. Most people think 1-2 hours will be enough time to cover all the photos that they need. Then on the day of, the wedding photos take twice as long because someone shows up late, someone else is having a wardrobe malfunction, and someone wants extra photos.
The most important shots are of the bride and groom. Plan AT LEAST 30 minutes to an hour for those shots alone. It’s best to have an hour or more (time goes by extremely fast on your wedding day) if at all possible. That allows for more shots, finding great locations, having fun together, and not feeling rushed. It’s your day, use it to get the photos you want!
Tip: If you simply don’t get enough time to get the shots you want, try a Trash the Dress session – which doesn’t actually require trashing the dress. A Trash the Dress session is time with the bride and groom some time after the wedding day where you both get all dolled up in your wedding attire again, and run around taking great photos wherever you want. You have more free time to do what you want. There’s no time limit, no guests waiting on you, and you don’t have to worry if you get a bit of dirt on your train!
2. Taking pictures before or after the ceremony…
I understand that it’s tradition for the groom not to see the bride until she’s coming down the aisle. Trust me, I struggled with this decision as a bride myself. Ultimately my desire to have great photos, and less stressful photos, outweighed my desire for a sense of mystery.
Again, photos take time. Couples photos take 30 minutes to an hour, wedding party photos take 30 minutes to an hour depending on the size of your party, and family photos usually take an hour or more depending on the size of your family. That’s IF everything goes smoothly, people are where they need to be at the right times, and you get the shot right away – shots with kids take even more time. You want to try doing that all in between the ceremony and the reception? Trust me, your guests, your photos, and your sanity will thank you for taking at least some photos prior to the ceremony.
3. But what about the groom seeing the bride?
The first time the groom sees the bride is fun and beautiful no matter if it’s walking down the aisle, or standing under a tree. Consider doing it earlier in the day with only the two of your present. This allows for a more intimate moment where both parties can fully take each other in without onlookers. It also allows more time for those moments to be captured in a beautiful image. But this day is about you, so ultimately do what YOU want to do.
4. The shot list and a handy helper…
If you want your group photos to run as smoothly as possible, there are two things that you can do. First, make a shot list. This is a list of possible combinations of people that you might want to have captured at your wedding. Especially for family photos. This allows me to know exactly who needs to be photographed and helps you, because your brain is going to be thinking about other things, not if you remembered to get a picture of long lost cousin Susan with your Mom yet.
Second, choose someone who either knows a majority of the people being photographed, or someone that is good at keeping things moving. This person will help me the day of the wedding by “wrangling” the various groupings. If that’s not an option, just make sure everyone you want photos of knows where to be and when. You don’t want to have to wonder all over the place to find Aunt Ruth, only to lose 30 minutes of shots in the process.
5. Timing outdoor photos…
The best time for outdoor photos is about an hour before sunset. This time gives the best and most flattering light for outdoor photos. Between noon and 4-5pm, the light casts harsh shadows and causes people to squint – not very pretty. If you just have to shoot outdoors during those times, try to find a more shaded area or a place where you can put the sun more at your back.
It’s also possible to plan for some photos during the reception if that’s when the sun is setting. Plan some down time where you can run off to get some fun shots. Again, it’s your day, use it how you want.
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