Hi there sweet brides! I have some tips for you today. :) Whether I’m the one you’ll be working with on your wedding day, or you’ve chosen a different photographer, these pointers will help you prepare for the PRETTIEST images you can hope to have captured! Some of them are meant for consideration in the midst of your planning, and some of them are ways you can help your photographer on the actual day OF. Let’s get to it, shall we?!
How brides can prepare ahead of time…
- Choose to get ready at a location with ample natural light. This means windows! No light can compare to natural light. Especially when it comes to shooting details like your dress and shoes, and moments like makeup application. And while we’re talking about getting ready locations – it’s a photographer’s DREAM come true when the groom’s party gets ready within the same vicinity as the bride and her girls. It cuts down on most, if not ALL, travel time, and really helps the day to flow smoothly with less hiccups.
- Make sure you know your ceremony venue’s stipulations for photographers. I really CAN’T stress this one enough. I’ve dealt with a church that didn’t want me to photograph a single thing during the ceremony. And the bride wasn’t aware! Thankfully, this oversight was realized a few weeks ahead of the wedding, and things got worked out with beautiful images as a result. But these situation DO happen. Most every church has very specific and STRICT rules for photographers. (Church’s DO have blacklists for photogs, so we CANNOT bend the rules.) Some won’t let us shoot from anywhere but the balcony, meaning we’re unable to capture your happy tears as you walk down the aisle. And some won’t let us move from ONE solitary spot, meaning all your images look pretty similar. Many church coordinators encourage a re-enactment of different moments once the ceremony is over, but do you really want to look back on that picture of communion and think, “Oh, that’s when we faked-chewed for the camera…?” Know your church’s rules. And pick your ceremony venue according to the types of images that are important to you…
- Be open to your photographer’s timeline suggestions. About a month prior to the big day, I begin working closely with brides to nail down a precise timeline that gives us good cushion while making the most efficient use of the coverage we’re contracted for. Most photographers follow the same model – because, if you think about it, photography is an all-day thing that really does dictate a wedding day schedule. We are here to help you! And to give you our best advice for allowing fabulous images to be made!
How brides can prepare the day of…
- Try to keep the getting-ready location free of clutter. Such clutter might include luggage and other bags, trash, miscellaneous papers, water bottles, that catered box of sandwiches, etc. We wouldn’t want these things to find their way into the background of your images, so a clean slate is the best way to go!
- Have your dress, shoes, and flowers set aside for the moment your photographers arrive. This is strictly a time saver! The very first things we photograph on a wedding day are the getting-ready details. Rather than us having to interrupt you as you’re getting primped and pampered, we LOVE having everything prepared for us in advance. We can then bang out those details in no time and move on to hair and makeup prep… It’s all about efficiency, baby!! We LOVE that stuff around here. :)
- Make sure all of your bridesmaids are ready before you are. Sounds contradictory, doesn’t it? But trust us, you want this to be the case! With all your girls dolled up and ready to go, pictures of them helping you into your dress will be THAT much more polished! And with careful scheduling ahead of time, you should have no problem ALL being ready for that next set of pictures!
- DON’T STOP KISSING! Hey… I totally understand the need to breathe every once in a while. But we’re talking about the ceremony kiss here! Give us photographers a chance of capturing that long-awaited first kiss in both portrait and landscape orientations. That means – MAKE IT LAST. I’m not saying you have to count to “1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi.” But certainly don’t be afraid to give us something longer than a peck. He’s your HUSBAND now. So don’t be shy. Go for it!! ;)
- Have dinner served to your photographers at the same time YOU are eating. Meals are required in most photographers’ contracts in order for us to refuel and get back to shooting ASAP! With that said, it’s veeery important that we eat during the beginning of dinner, since special dances, toasts, and cake cuttings often happen before dinner is technically over. We need to be able to eat first so we can be available – and recharged – to continue shooting these portions of the reception.
And there you have it. A post I had intended to be much shorter than it is… :) I hope it’s found somewhat helpful in preparing for some beautiful images! And if anyone has anything to add, PLEASE feel encouraged to write a tip or two in the comment section. I will be adding to this list in tiny bits and pieces as time goes by. XOXO!!
stephanie - So helpful! As a bride AND a photog. =)
Joanne P - So helpful, Alyse! It’s like you knew I was getting married in 9 days and decided to gift me with your wedding wisdom :) Thank You!! Thank You!! (and I am sure my photographer would thank you too!!) :)
Laura Barnes - Such a great post! As a wedding photographer, I completely agree with everything you listed. Church rules are a huge help to know before hand! Thanks fo sharing :)
Marivelle Baumgarten - Thank you for this post! I’m just getting started with my business so it’s so helpful when seasoned photographers offer such great words of wisdom! Thank you much :)
Noël - 9. Have fun!!!! :)
Jenn - Great tips, Great post, love it!
Kristin - I would to “church rules” hotels as well. We ran into a situation this weekend where we showed up and were never told we actually needed the hitwl’s permission to shoot in the bride’s room. It turned out fine but certainly not something I would have thought to check.