What every Bride should know about Wedding Photography
There's plenty of advice for the bride telling you what to do on your big day, but we've found that it can be hard to know who to trust and what information is best. This list aims to clear the clutter and give insight from a photographer's perspective.
01. Wedding photography is not a one-day job
As photographers, we not only work on your wedding day. We spend days after the wedding culling, curating and editing your wedding images.
During peak seasons, we tend to be stretched thin and might only be able to deliver the edited images towards the latter portion of the agreed delivery time.
02. You'll Need more than Journalistic Images
We love nothing more than capturing natural photos of your wedding day. Think of confetti shots or mingling with your guests and capturing candids.
You may need some direction come your wedding day. Photography is all about finding the light, and sometimes, we need to place you there.
No one wants posed photos, but it is essential to have a photographer who can direct you as a couple. A good photographer will be one that can find a balance between a great setup in amazing light while letting the couple have fun.
Also, consider the importance of family formals and leaving them for future generations.
A photographer with a balanced approach will serve you well on your wedding day.
03. We take a Dinner Break
We don't photograph during dinner as your guests don't want a picture of themselves eating.
We usually take a break ourselves during dinner and may leave the venue for a restaurant if no catering has been provided.
04. Guests and Their Phones
While most photographers would prefer no mobile phones at weddings, we understand that everyone carries a mobile phone.
We always suggest that before the ceremony, the officiant or minister should request that guests refrain from using their mobile phones during the ceremony so as not to spoil the bride's image when she walks down the aisle.
During formals, people tend to stand behind us, taking pictures with their mobile phones. It's distracting, and people tend to look at their mobile phones instead of ours.
05. Groups shots takes planning (and Saves Time)
To make the family formals a quick and hassle-free process, we suggest you make a list of family pictures.
Prioritise close family members and organise for them to come to one place. Have a family member help direct, organise groups, and ensure everyone is there.
Inform us if you have any deaths or divorces in your family: it will save us the embarrassment of not knowing later.
06. Communicate with Us
We love inspiration, but please don't ask us to copy your Pinterest board.
Feel free to send us a few images for inspiration, but do give us the freedom to create images that someone else will want to pin. It's your wedding, and its unique
The worst thing you can ask your photographer is to shoot or edit like someone else. Instead, hire the photographer you want then.
The camera will pick up many details, so feel free to give your input.
Send us a draft timeline before confirming times with your venue. We see a lot of weddings, and a well-planned timeline will give you a stress-free day.
07. Good Wedding Photo's take Time
15 Minutes is hardly enough time for couple photos.
Allow us some time to get the best of the two of you and make the best of the venue and your wedding day.
You will also need some more time if you have a videographer on the day.
Allocate at least 30 minutes for your couple shoot. If needed, you can split it into two sessions. Keep in mind that you hired a photographer to capture your wedding day and create unique couple images for you to cherish.
Allow us 30 minutes before you leave for the ceremony to do some bridal portraits and images with your girls and mom. This will save time after the service and allow more time with your guests.
Give the guys some love, and allow us time before the ceremony for getting ready and photos with the entourage.
08. Get ready in the best suite with the most light
Always get dressed in the room with the best light at your venue.
If you have more than one room available, consider doing make-up in a separate room to keep the bridal suite neat and tidy.
09. Your dress will get Dirty
We’ll make sure you walk down the aisle with a spotless dress but don’t miss a great image later in the day to keep it clean.
It’s time to throw caution to the wind and go for those shots in sunlight fields and meadows, even if it means getting your dress a little muddy or grass stained.
10. Light is More important than Location
It's easy to fall in love with a location, but that doesn't mean it's the right time to shoot there.
The lighting at your location depends on the time of day and the weather conditions. Sunlight can be harsh and unflattering, while soft sunlight can create stunning images with popping colours.
The best time to take your portraits is late in the day when the sun starts to set, and the shadows are long. Golden hour as it's known creates a beautiful, soft glow on you that looks incredibly flattering in photographs.
Harsh light creates unflattering shadows and squinty eyes, so its best not to shoot during midday.
11. Dance your First Dance
The first dance is a special moment, and we want to ensure we have the best opportunity to capture it.
If your bridal party swamp the dance floor too early, you may miss out on that one magic image that could be a treasure to you for the rest of your life.
12. Have fun and Enjoy the day
Even though wedding planning is stressful, the day is supposed to be one of the most exciting and magical days in a bride's life. The point of the day is not that you're getting married; you're celebrating a union with your new spouse.
Getting caught up in the details of how perfect you want everything to be will detract from the whole purpose of your wedding. Don't get bogged down by every little detail—let yourself be —and have fun!
It's essential to relax, take in every moment and enjoy the company of your new spouse. Remember that your wedding photographer is there to capture every smile and laugh by capturing each moment so you can relive them for years to come.
13. We don't Expect you to Pose
Since we're not big on posed setups, we'll take photos in a way that feels natural to you with just enough direction not to intrude. We won't put you in unnatural poses or awkward situations; instead, we'll try to capture those natural moments and interactions.
Since it's your day, we want to make sure you have fun with lots of touching and movement—we'll be sure to include all the details that matter most to you in the pictures!
As any good photographer will tell you, you don't need a posed setup to get great pictures. A lot of what makes them valuable is in the moment.
An E-shoot is the perfect way for us to get to know each other and establish a rapport before your big day. We'll be able to get some images on your save-the-dates, too!
14. We Deliver the Best Images
We shoot a mix of portraits and candids on your special day and then deliver all of the best ones. We deliver only a few photos of the same scene and try to capture every image I would have wanted if it were my wedding day.
If you miss a picture you remember taking the day, feel free to ask for it. We usually discard unflattering images.
15. Word-of-Mouth referrals and a Review means the world to us
We are always grateful for your kind words and your referrals! We always strive to provide the best experience possible,
and it's wonderful to hear that we're on the right track.
If there's anything we can do to improve, please let us know. We continually strive to improve.
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