Suggestions

Every wedding is a unique & intimate affair with several decisions and choices to be made to compliment the couple’s overall style & tastes.  While making these decisions and organizing the wedding are all part of the fun, there are several tips and tricks to keep in mind when planning to make the day go smoother, less stressed, and allow for ideal photography coverage of the day.  Below is a compilation of tips, tricks & suggestions to keep in the back of your mind while planning – this is not to say every couple should follow these guidelines, however you may find some of these ideas useful to make the very best of your wedding day and wedding images!

Some simple suggestions to help you get the best photography on your wedding day:

• Time of day is important:  Consider the time of day when planning your ceremony & reception, keeping in mind that in the later months of the year (September-February) the sun goes down much earlier than the Spring & Summer months.  Those that have ceremonies later in the day where it will be dark afterward, should consider seeing each other and doing portraits before the ceremony for proper lighting conditions.  You’ll also want to consider that the best light of the day (the Golden Hour as they call it) falls approximately 1-2 hours before sundown, which is a fantastic time to be shooting portraits or creative images with the bride & groom!  Please feel free to ask us about the specifics of your wedding day and we can help give suggestions about an ideal timeline of the day based on the sunset time.
• Importance of being on time:  While we are on the subject of time, it’s important to try and arrive on time to things as much as possible.  Showing up fashionably late to your wedding won’t make you look as popular as you think it might, and your guests will not want to be kept waiting (especially if it’s hot).  While some things may go 5-10 minutes late out of your control, staying on time will ensure a much less stress day, plenty of time to get all your photos done, and enjoy as much or all of the cocktail hour as possible.  Time = low stress + amazing images :)
• Choosing a great getting ready location:  When considering a location to get ready in (hotel, house, etc), it’s important to consider whether the location will have nice natural light and more importantly can accommodate the space you need for you and your bridal party and any family members that will be present.  If you opt to get a hotel room, it’s worth the extra few bucks to make sure you have a nice and large bridal suite vs. just a normal room where there will be beds in the way and not much room to move about or get the dress on when the time comes.  Another important note while on the subject is to keep a close eye on the amount of clutter laying around as you would hate to have soda cans or other unnecessary clutter in the way of your favorite photos of getting the dress on, etc.
• Selecting the right photographer:  I suppose this suggestion could apply to all your vendors….  personality & professionalism should be your #1 priority when it comes to choosing your photographer.  Sure they should be good at what they do and provide a package within your budget that provides all the things that are important to you, however keep in mind you could potentially be dealing with this individual (or individuals) for up to 6 months after your wedding and you’d hate for this to be with someone you don’t particularly click with.  Even if you really like their work, but don’t feel all that comfortable around them, it may not be a smart choice.  The more relaxed & comfortable you feel on your wedding day, the better the images & better the experience – period.
• Choosing your bridal party:  Many couples can feel tremendous pressure to have an enormous bridal party in fear of offending or leaving anyone out.  While this is an understandable concern, your friends that don’t make the final cut will certainly understand and not hold it against you for the rest of your life.  Obviously who and how many you choose is completely up to you, however keeping a bridal party size to a maximum of 4-5 on each side can make a world of difference in terms of stress and efficiency when it comes time to organize portraits, etc.  Couples that choose to have 8-10 on each side can easily double the amount of time it can take to accomplish simple bridal party shots.  (I promise, we are not trying to weed out your friends and this is not to say that if you want a larger bridal party you shouldn’t)
• Receiving lines can be painful: … your parents had one, your grandparents had one, but here is a little secret…… they are no longer necessary or particularly in style anymore and can often take up to 30-40 minutes of valuable time immediately following the ceremony.  Your guests are important and you’ll want to take the time to say hello and thank them, however doing this during the cocktail hour/reception are a much more personal way to do this vs. having a receiving line if possible (not to mention your bridal party won’t have to stand through a gruesome 30 minutes of shaking hands of complete strangers).
• Enjoying the moment:  During the ceremony, take the time to look into the eyes often of the one you love and your soon to be future spouse and enjoy the moment rather than stare at the floor or look like you might be miserable.  Sure the ceremony can be scary to some but some of the best ceremony images are those of the bride sneaking peeks at the groom (or vice versa) and looking and/or smiling at each other often.  You are marrying the one you love more than anyone, don’t let a little stress keep you from showing them how much you love them while up at the alter.
• No running in the hallway:  You’ve waited your whole life to be walked down the aisle or walk back down the aisle with your new spouse and soul mate….. it’s not a race, take your time to enjoy the moment!  These are another round of important images and keep in mind they are often shot in low light conditions within the church or ceremony location.  If you walk at a normal slower pace, rather than walking out as fast as you can, you can not only enjoy this very special moment, but allow your photographer to capture some great images.
• Allowing proper time for portraits:  When you combine shooting family, bridal party & most importantly images of the bride & groom, it can anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the day and what location(s) may be involved.  You’ll want to consider making sure you have adequate time (not including drive time) to shoot these images either before or after the ceremony so that they can be done well and creatively.  While a photographer is there to document the day, having a great variety is creative images of the bride & groom should be a top priority.  If you are unsure about how to arrange this, please ask your photographer to help you with the timeline.
• Consider unique locations:  Every couple is unique… therefore, their images should also be as unique as possible.  Consider any locations and/or props that may be unique to your relationship and discuss them ahead of time.  Going to a unique location vs the normal spot (IE: shooting in Congress Park just because you are having the wedding at the Canfield Casino) to spice things up a bit if interested.  The use of other props such as vintage cars, horses, etc. can also bring some additional life into your photos if you have the option.  Again, these are great creative brainstorms to have with your photographer before the day.
• Ask to have your vendors fed first:  Sure, it sounds selfish or like we’re just really hungry and ready to chow down, but there is actually quite a bit of reason behind this one.  Many reception halls or catering companies feed the vendors (I’m mainly talking about photographers & videographers here) after everyone else has been served.  While vendors may not be as important as the guests, it’s important that they eat early so that they can get back out on the floor to capture those great moments, rather than miss something because they were in the back room eating while something important was going on.  The most organized reception sites understand this, but it’s a good idea to ask that vendors be fed first or very early so they can quickly eat and get back to work.
• You can’t have your cake and eat it too:  Shoving cake in someone’s face sounds like a lot of fun doesn’t it?  (of course it does)  As much as you’d like to do it, it’s pretty disrespectful to do and your guests or family may even look down upon it.  Enjoy the tradition of cutting the cake, but be respectful and you won’t have anything to regret the next day.  While we are on the subject of cake (now I’ve got a sweet tooth), you may wish to ask if the cake can be moved (if possible) to a more center location for more to watch, rather than in that crowded corner – this will also allow your photographer to get some better images of the event.
• Go with the flow:  Your wedding day is meant to be a celebration and an amazingly fun day in your life that you can forever look back on.  Brides & grooms that relax and enjoy the day rather than worrying about every little details end up enjoying the day more than those that stress about it.  Be flexible and go with the flow…. sure it’s a wedding, but who says you can’t let your guard down and half an awesome & fun day that you will forever remember!

Have additional suggestions you think would make a great addition to this list?  Send us a note with your suggestion or tip on the contact page!