Before the WEDDING DAY
Try to book an engagement session with your photographer so you can get to know each other, and be comfortable working together.
Make sure your photographer gets an idea of the story you wish to tell before you schedule your shoot. One couple may feel that a sweet fun session is more suited to their relationship story,
…yet another couple my want something a bit more classic and natural,
…or the couple’s taste in photos might lean toward urban/city styled images. Tell your photographer if you love black and white images.
Bringing your storyteller in on some of the details of your relationship may be the catalyst for building a session around some of the story. For example, if the two of you are building a life connected to a rich history of a generational family farm, why not create a shoot that utilizes elements that highlight the past, present, and future pieces of that story?
Tell your photographer as many details as possible to get the best images. Surprise wedding guests, gifts, songs – you want your photographer to know these things so that he/she can make your memories personal and unique. Some examples: The groom and his groomsmen are in a band and will probably be jamming the morning of the wedding; a brother just arrived home after a two-year military deployment; the bride plans to surprise her love with photos from a boudoir photo session that she did for him.
These are the precious moments that you hope a photographer captures.
Make plain for your photographer your expectations, needs and desires prior to your wedding. This helps your photographer anticipate shots.
Collaboration is important, so don’t be afraid to discuss locations, backgrounds and some poses you’d like to try. However, while it’s tempting to share your enthusiasm for wonderful pictures in the form of extensive shot requests and examples you have seen in magazines and on the internet, curtail your ideas to the few you love the most and share those with your photographer before the wedding day. Great photographers will not be able to capture every image you can think of, but they can deliver images you never dreamed of.
A good photographer can get the shots you want without endless hours of posed shots. Work with your photographer before the wedding to set aside the necessary time to do your pictures. Be sure to include travel time and a little extra time for inevitable surprises and delays. Most photographers should have a shot list of the most popular photos you can discuss prior to the wedding to find what you would like to do, and a really good photographer will create a schedule with you to assure proper time is alloted to give you what you want.
Wedding Day Tips
- If your wedding is later in the day, plan for clean food and drink for you and your party so that you feel your best during the wedding.
- The room you get dressed in will be a part of your photos, so keep things out of sight that you donʼt want in pictures.
- Designate a friend to be in charge of keeping the people who are scheduled for formal pics gathered and ready. Make sure everyone that you want in formal photos is aware and knows to stick around after the ceremony for instructions.
- During the ceremony, make the kiss a good one (a couple of seconds) so the photographer can catch it.
- If you plan anything special for the ceremony, such as a unity candle, sand ceremony, or communion, donʼt stand shoulder to shoulder, but open up so your guests and photographer can see you.
- Like the kiss, make your first dance a good one, as well. Donʼt cut it short or have your bridal party join you halfway through it.
- If you run into a hitch and are going to be late, immediately talk with your photographer about how to adjust your photography schedule to recover some of the time. It may mean you have to curtail some of the posed groups, do away with a third location, or do some of the formal groupings at the reception. Communicate, be on your toes, and be flexible.
- Ask for an internet link to the wedding images. When a photographer is taking posed or more traditional shots, sometimes guests attempt to capture the same images, potentially slowing the process. If you request an internet link to the wedding images from the photographer then you can send it to your guests later and save time on your wedding day.
Great wedding pictures reveal something special about the people in the photos. As a couple, the feelings you have for one another are unique and should shine through in your shots. When people have fun and are spontaneous, great pictures easily happen. Just go with it!
The wedding is your day, so relax, enjoy it, and let your photographer handle the rest.
Take a deep breath, take many deep breaths. Focus on the positive and delegate the little details. It’s entirely possible to have a blast at your wedding and, in the process, make great pictures!
Jacquetta Style 
