How to Prepare for Your Wedding Day Photographs

Here are a few tips we’ve learned while dealing with newlyweds we’ve had the pleasure of photographing.

BEFORE THE WEDDING:

1.Research, find, and get to know a wedding photographer very early in your planning. Book and pay a deposit to make sure your date is reserved!

2.Schedule a couple of meetings with your photographer before the event. Bring along a few pictures that you’d really like to capture during your wedding.

3.Work out a manageable list who “must be” included in the formal wedding portraits. It’s surprising how many people want to be photographed with newlyweds and you don’t want to offend anyone.

4.A summer in the sun getting a perfect tan might leave strap marks on your shoulders.

5.Do visit a tanning salon for a last-minute session. Your skin may photograph with an orange cast!

6.Include a notice in your list of events – or signs near the entrance – asking guests to take photographs with their cellphones or iPads as you walk down the aisle. This is a beautiful moment that your photographer wants to capture and nothing spoils it more than a bunch of iPhones pointed at you at this very special moment.

7.Let your fiancé have his bachelor party, but on the night before the wedding.

WEDDING DAY:

1.Consider having your makeup and hair done early in the process. Most brides elect to have it done last. If you do it a bit early, it will give your photographer time alone with you taking glamour shots. Then, once all your bridesmaids are done, you can take the traditional photographs with them and your family. After all the formals have your makeup touched up and your hair fixed just perfect. You’ll emerge for the processional totally fresh.

2.Please don’t overdo a “few” drinks or tranquilizers to help “calm your nerves.” Yes, it’s an exciting adventure, but butterflies in your stomach are better than stumbling around with no recollection of your wedding.

3.Now this is important: Once you and your dad get ready to walk down the aisle simply relax. You’ve done everything you can: just let the photographers do their work. A good team will take over and you’ll barely see them. It’s now just you and your groom.

FORMALS:

1.You’ll need to balance between having your pictures taken with lots of relatives and joining your guests who are waiting to see you.

2.Having a trusted family member assigned to gather everyone is very helpful. Someone is always gone to the bathroom or making checking his email) and nobody knows where aunt Mary is. Your photographer should be taking photographs, not hunting down missing relatives.

3.You should attempt to limit family photos to 45 minutes. It takes time to photograph your parents, his parents, both your siblings, bridesmaids, grandparents, college friends, etc. It’s amazing how fast the list grows and before you know it, you’ve been away from your guests for an hour and they are getting restless. Help from your family coordinator will pay big dividends.

4.You also must leave time for you two to be photographed. That’s what this whole wedding is all about: you and your new husband. After the family formals, schedule time for both of you to refresh and repair before you are photographed. Perhaps you should consider joining your guests immediately after the formals for a short break and then head out for your newlywed photographs.

THE RECEPTION:

1.You can pretty much relax and enjoy being with your family and friends. The photographers will do what you’ve hired them to photograph.

2.However, your photographers will appreciate a little advance notice before you cut your wedding cake, throw your bouquet, or leave. They need to get into place and check their settings: a minute advance warning is very helpful.

I hope this proves helpful in making your wedding photography less stressful and so much better for everyone.

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Williams Photography of Fort Mill, South Carolina, LLC provides wedding photography services to couples in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Please get in touch with us if we can show you our portfolio of past weddings.

We can also arrange destination weddings upon request.