Wedding Planning Tips
GETTING READY
Getting ready is the perfect time to get genuine pre-wedding photos. But sometimes the energy is hindered by the room. A cluttered, messy, dark room can really take away from the genuine moments and the beauty of the morning.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
I know there is a lot going on, but keeping clutter hidden and to a minimum makes a big difference. Store bags, suitcases, laundry, etc., in a different room, or the closet.
Window light is amazing light. If possible, get ready in a room with lots of window light, where we won’t need to use any artificial light. Having orange light mixed with the window light is less than ideal for the color in these photos. I will turn all lights off and rely only on window light whenever possible.
If you will have a hair/makeup artist, they will need as much light as possible. I suggest doing your hair/makeup near to the window, for both them and me.
Having your details (dress, shoes, jewelry, flowers, rings, invitations, tie, cufflinks, etc.) ready for me to shoot when I arrive helps me take care of this quickly and gives me more time to focus on the moments as everyone gets ready.
Don’t forget about the other half! Sometimes one partner gets stuck with the dark tiny room. Each person is equally important, and everyone’s photos will look way better in a well-lit room.
Typical hotel rooms often don’t provide the best light or setting for prep. If you can, I recommend looking into other options, like a well lit Airbnb or another space with natural-light for both of your getting readies Often these are cheaper and nicer than two hotel rooms.
If there is time, right after the dress is on and you’re ready to go, I will probably grab you for a few minutes to take some photos of you alone, probably by the window. There’s a lot of anticipation before you see each other, and I love these shots.
FIRST LOOK
A first look is when the couple sees each other for the first time before the walk down the aisle. It doesn’t have to be a big staged moment. It should be simple, genuine, and intimate.
I recommend doing a first look for three reasons:
It calms the nerves. There is nothing that can relax you more than finally seeing each other and enjoying a few moments alone before the official events begin.
It gives you time to take it all in. You can share what you’re feeling, you can hug, you can actually talk to each other — all things you can’t do when you’re at the front of the isle with everyone watching.
It makes the timeline easier to work with. If you can see each other before the ceremony, we can do all family portraits and wedding party photos beforehand too. Your family (and you) can go enjoy the cocktail hour right after the ceremony, and we can get to couple portraits right away. Which means you miss less of your cocktail hour!
With that said, it’s your day and if you don’t want a first look, thats no problem! We will simply figure out the best timeline for your specific day.
Also, a first look with parents is an awesome way to capture a great moment and takes almost no extra work.
GROUP PHOTOS
The best time for family and wedding party portraits is before the ceremony. Everyone is ready to go and no one will miss any cocktail hour or reception time. And if your family is already there, they can’t be late to your ceremony!
It’s possible to do them after the ceremony. Gathering everyone once they’ve gone to cocktail hour is a stressful and time consuming task, so make sure everyone knows where to be and when for photos.
If we’re taking just a handful of shots (parents, immediate family, bridal party) then about 20 minutes is plenty of time. I recommend keeping the list to under 10 groups to keep everyones spirits high.
You provide me with a family group list that I will use to make sure I shoot every group!
COUPLE PHOTOS
I recommend two portrait time slots for portraits of just you two together: right after the ceremony for about 20 minutes, and at sunset for about about 20 minutes.
After the ceremony because the pressure is off, and you’re ecstatic, giddy, in love, and ready to party. I’ve gotten some of the best, most genuine joyful moments at this time.
Before sunset because its when we get that amazing golden light. And right after the sun disappears we’ll get some of the great moody blue hour light too.
If your ceremony is later in the day, close to sunset, we will just merge these two into one, for about 30 minutes total.
The most important thing to ensure we get great photos is trust. If you trust me to create the photos you’ll love, I’ll be able to do my thing. It’s all about collaboration and trust.
CEREMONY LIGHTING
For outdoor ceremonies, light and sun are important factors in the photos. Spotty sun light and harsh uneven light are not ideal. If you’re having your ceremony close to midday, try to backlight yourselves. (Ideally setting up the ceremony so that the sun is evenly behind your officiant and you two.) There’s not much I can do photographically if one of you is in the shade, and the other squinting with the sun directly in your face.
You could also plan your ceremony later in the day, so the light is nicer, closer to sunset. Just be sure to leave enough time for any delays, as well as couple portraits around sunset.
If you are unsure, feel free to ask me about your ceremony spot or timing and I’d be happy to help!
UNPLUGGING
An unplugged ceremony is when you ask your guests to refrain from taking any photos with their phones, tablets, or cameras.
Asking your guests not to use cameras or cell phones allows all guests to really take in your ceremony, without fussing with cell phones and flashes.
If you don’t want to entirely unplug, I would at least recommend asking that guests take photos from their seat, without getting up into the aisles (or behind you two and the officiant). If anyone is in the aisles during any part of the ceremony it will definitely affect the photos I am able to take.
RECEPTION LIGHTING
Capturing the mood of your event is very important to me. This is why I rarely use flash for anything other than party and direct flash photos. For a romantic mood, market lights and candles are great, and if you use enough, they provide great light for photos. Just try to stay away from using only candles, or super dim lighting, which will make shooting difficult for me. If you’re unsure about your setup, just ask me and I’ll help!
While the colored flashing lights and lasers that your DJ provides might be fun for party time, they can destroy the romantic mood of your special dances. If you are having colorful lights, I ask that they be turned off for special dances. For party time, go crazy!
A FEW MORE THOUGHTS
Receiving lines: they can be very time consuming, especially for a medium/large wedding. They can also get very exhausting and take away from the burst of excitement right after the ceremony. One good option is to do your receiving line as people are exiting cocktail hour and heading into the dinner portion of the night. I would avoid an impromptu receiving line becoming a 20-40 minute ordeal right after your ceremony, and zap your wonderful, giddy energy, especially if it is not in the day’s schedule. Of course, this is your call and I’ll work around your schedule if you’d hate to miss doing a receiving line.
Food: It’s best for me to be served as soon as dinner begins so I can eat quickly and be done in time for any toasts or dances that might happen during, or at the end of dinner. Many caterers insist on serving vendors at the very end of the meal, once every guest is served. Please make sure you speak to your caterer about timing vendor meals so their timing doesn’t impact your photos. I usually wait all dinner for my meal, and once I am served, it’s time for speeches or dances. Talk to your caterer to ensure me eating my meal doesn’t result in missed toast or dance photos!
Timeline: As soon as you’ve got the time set for the ceremony, and an idea of how long it will be, let me know. I can then work with those times to create an ideal timeline for your specific day.
THANK YOU
Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions during your planning process. I’m here to help!
