July 14, 2014
You hired your dream photographer and you want the absolute best images possible on the day of your wedding. You’ve seen hundreds of inspirational wedding images and you want your wedding to be just as beautiful. Maybe you’re wondering what else you can do to help your photographer make great photos.
Here are 10 valuable tips to help you take control of the situation and bring your wedding photo dreams to life!
1. Choose a ceremony site that would provide a great backdrop for photos. My favorites are outdoor spaces in front of beautiful wonders of nature (mountains, oceans, etc.) Plus outdoor venues provide gorgeous natural light! Dark churches that don’t allow flash can be a bit of challenge if you want light and airy photos. Find a space that’s unique and think to yourself, “How will this look in photographs?”
2. When planning your wedding, think outside the box. Find fun and creative ways to decorate your spaces, it will lead to fun detail shots. Think of creative ways to entertain guests. Your unique plans and decorations will help make your wedding interesting and keep guests smiling!
3. Hire professional vendors to help make your wedding beautiful and stress-free. Find reputable businesses that value your wedding as much as you do! Not only will all the details they provide be gorgeous and lovely to photograph but you will also be more relaxed knowing you won’t have to deal with all those little details. More relaxed = more smiling and laughing for photos! (:
4. Get sentimental. Find ways to incorporate feeling into your wedding. Wear your grandmother’s pearls. Have a moment with your father before he walks you down the aisle. Between all the running around, take the time to FEEL the day. That’s when the real moments will be photographed and I guarantee those photos will mean a lot to not only you but to your friends and family as well.
5. Layout a timeline for the wedding day, give ample time for bridal party photos. Check with your photographer on how much time he/she needs to give you all the photos you want and work with them to schedule which photos will be taken at what time. Once it’s laid out and on paper you can rest easy knowing that everyone is aware of when photos are happening. Keep in mind, if you’re traveling somewhere for photos, factor in traffic – it always seems to take longer to get somewhere than estimated.
6. Think about your “Getting Ready” space. Try to choose an interesting area with big, beautiful windows. The more window light coming in the more lovely and dreamy your photos will look. It’s hard to create that soft look if you are putting on your dress in a church basement with fluorescent lighting.
7. Form a connection with your photographer. Just like I discussed in my Finding Your Perfect Wedding Photographer article, it’s important to also connect with your photographer; they’ll have your best interest at heart. Once that trust is formed from your multiple consultations together, the rest will be a breeze. You’ll already know it won’t be up to you to figure out posing or lighting, your photographer will have that all covered. Plus you have to spend your whole day with your photographer, don’t you want to spend it with someone you actually like?
8. Tell your guests to leave their iPads at home. Nothing ruins a shot more than seeing a bunch of tablets and phones staring back at you. If guests want to grab some shots at the reception, great, but for all the significant moments let them know it’s important for them to be PRESENT for it. Share with them you’ve hired a professional to shoot your day so they can all just relax, enjoy, and have fun!
9. Educate your guests. Share with them who your photographer is so they can check out their website and keep an eye out for when your wedding photos will be posted. Let them know if you are doing an unplugged wedding or not. The more they know the happier everyone will be. (:
10. Save the SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS for the reception. It’s no fun trying to set up bridal party photos and someone is already too drunk to listen. This just makes everyone uncomfortable and will make taking photos less fun. Wait until all the important photos are taken before the drinks start flowing heavily. This day will last forever in your photographs, do you really want to remember how drunk your friends were?
Want more help? Check out these other amazing articles!
The Knot – Wedding Planning Photography Mistakes
Offbeat Bride – How to Avoid Hating your Wedding Photos
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