let’s deep dive in to the day to get the most out of your photos!
This might be long but trust me.…everything in this guide comes from experience and past disasters! so try read it all to get the best photography for your day.
So this guide is all about how to get the most out of your photos! but there is something i want to mention, Whilst the photo’s are super important to you. Please don’t lose focus on what the day is really about.
I get so many couples with so many visions, so many ideas, so many plans for when it comes to the photos and then on the day they care about none of this and just want to enjoy every minute of the day and this is exactly how it should be.
My goal on the day is to get you maximum photos in minimal time in total!
Before we dig in and I’ve got your attention!
i just wanted to give a special mention to some key points that are always overlooked or cause problems on the day! these deserve a special mention as they are frequently a problem at weddings.
1 – Details – in the morning ensure all your details ,shoes and bits you want photographing are all together as i wont know whats yours and whats someone elses.
2 – Prep time – I will need you for 10-15 minutes for some photos fully ready, so don’t aim to be ready seconds before you need to go. allow 10 minutes for some photos, 5 minutes for some first looks and just some leeway incase of any issues.
3 – Hotel venues – Where your venue is a hotel and people are staying over – key members may disappear back to room and relax for an hour or go check in. Make sure they know they are needed for photographs and not to disappear without at least checking if all the photos are done. All it takes is one bridesmaid to disappear to her room for half an hour and then the heavens to open and we’ve lost our chance. Just tell them to check in with me if they need to dash to the room! it makes all the difference – Timing is tight for photos and unpredictable british weather never helps.
4 – Bridal party – make sure they are available to help you through the day, fluffing the dress at the end of the aisle, coming along keeping the dress on point and carrying you a drink as we do your photos! (One bridesmaid is all we need but it makes all the difference!)
5 – The aisle entrance – I will always give you a brief of how slow to walk down the aisle, but i can’t stress how many times bridesmaids do the 100m sprint down that aisle in a panic or walk to the side of the aisle aiming for there seat as quickly as possible.
This is perhaps the most important thing for your me as your photographer – in 2 weeks time you will get a questionaire to fill out that asks for your family dynamics, family tree, family photos, timings and a list of what’s important to you . Be it a picture of you and a friend or you want to put emphaise on the certain details that you want capturing. The more information you give me the better i can cater to your expectations.
This questionaire is my bible on the day.
Please appreciate i dont know who your family is, how many siblings you have and what’s important to you without it.
In the nicest way possible – i’m not a mind reader and if you want certain photos then this form will help ensure nothing is missed. If the form isn’t filled in i cannot be held responsible for missing certain photos and i will do my upmost best to ensure anything you write down is captured.
Typically I will arrive around 2 hours before you are due to leave for the ceremony.
To keep you and your bridesmaids as comfortable as possible, I tend to dip in and out of the room to give you some space and take away some of the pressure of a camera in your face. During those moments away, I’ll get some beautiful detail shots of your dress, shoes, jewellery etc. If your bridal prep is at the venue I can use the time to photograph the setup before all the guests arrive, or grab some photos of your other half getting ready if they are in the same location.
For the best photos of the morning, here are some top tips from my experience:
To avoid accidentally causing damage i avoid removing bags, stickers or designer tags from any details/dresses/suits so try remove what you can in advance (tags can easily be edited out so you can leave these on if they have names written on them)
If you’ve purchased fancy hangers with names on them don’t forget to use them.
New shoes for bridesmaids? Double check you’ve removed all the stickers from the soles.
If you are doing a first look with the bridesmaids, I can arrange the shot once you are ready.
Doing a first look with dad? I will also arrange this – this will be the last thing we do before we leave as then he can whisk you away to the ceremony.
Don’t forget the registrar will need you at the venue 15 minutes before the ceremony.
Timing is everything in the morning. Having a make-up and hair schedule that allows some time before you need to leave will give us some great morning photographs before the storm! Most importantly, it will allow you to relax and start the day as you mean to go on, with some fun!
Assign a bridesmaid to do some regular time checks to keep you on track. Trust me, that last hour before you are due to leave is when times flashes before you and carnage descends.
You may want to do confetti down the aisle (venue dependent) or outside, whichever you choose to do is fine with me. If you don’t have a preference, I will work with the venue to figure out the best spot and then organise your guests to make it a fun photo!
The hardest and most time consuming part of the formal family shots is locating people for the family photos, and so over time ive done things slightly different to speed this up.
What i usually suggest is after the conffeti photo is asking all key family to hang back and not go anywhere (And yes this means not going back inside to grab there welcome drinks!) but i find by doing this and keeping everyone there and drastically speeds up the time the family photos take and i can usually have them done in under 15-20 minutes.
By letting people go grab a drink or dispersing somewhere it makes it incredibly difficult to get them back and then my time becomes more about running around looking for people then taking the photos and all this is happening whilst people are stood waiting for a photo to be taken.
My interests are all about trying to get you back to your wedding as fast as possible at this point and not having all your key family waiting around for any longer then they need to be.
We all know the family photos are the least fun of the photos, but they are also the most important photos you will cherish so let’s get through them quickly as we can! 🙂
Please keep your list tight and to what’s important to you as well, the most common combinations are the close immediate family such as parents,siblings and grand parents and some extended family.
If you want to in to deep/extended family that is also fine but be aware it will eat in to your drinks reception time considerably. the shots that become the most time consuming are the extended family such as cousins/aunties/uncles/great auntie/uncles but this is just a heads up. dont be put off… if you want them then lets do them!
Important bits! -When providing me your list(Which you will do on the questionnaire you will get in 2 weeks)
Please appreciate i dont know who people are – so do not write things such as “Bride+Groom + Brides dads family” or “Bride+the smiths” – i need the actual names of people to call up otherwise you will need to provide someone who knows both sides of the family to locate people for me. (or provide someone to help me round people up)
A big time-saving tip, enlisting a bridesmaid and a groomsmen to call out the various family and friends for each photo combination is a massive help!
Once these photos are done – if we’re ahead or on schedule, I usually say let’s leave you alone now to enjoy your drinks reception! If all goes to plan, you will have a good 30-45 minutes before I need to grab you for your own personal photos.
I often like to do some bits with the bridesmaids and groomsmen too during the day! Some fun stuff!! For this i usually try grab you all at some point after all the important photos are done .
Wether you are wanting to launch the groom 50 ft in the air, smoke cigars a vogue style bridesmaid/grooms men shot! what ever floats your boat!
Smoke canons are becoming more popular! i can supply these for you if you like but they are chargeable at £13 per smoke grenade(If i provide them then i use Enola Gaye which are more reliable how ever you are welcome to purchase your own off amazon but i can’t assure you of there quality)
Please be advised of the risks
** They can burn or stain your dress if not used correctly ***
I tend to run through how to use them before we do anything with who ever is holding them to minimize any issues.
Whilst i have never had this issue its important to know the risks, typically i always avoid the bride holding one for these reasons!
You will only pay for what we use, in the event they are not used you will be refunded
I do not stock these continually so please purchase them with at least 3 weeks notice.
Check the venue is O.k with them as well, some have restrictions on the use of them.
How many do i need? – Typically 4 or 5 will do for a good set – i would avoid buying one per groosmen/bridesmaids its not really necessary (And adds to the risks)
If you are wanting to hold them your self then 2 is enough for a picture of you and your partner(if you dare risk it that is)
What would prevent us using them? Venue restrictions, wind, rain, or if you are just not feeling it on the day – and a refund is provided back to you.
Will the photo look good? – Most of the time yes! i’ve never had a problem but i need to put it out there… it may not work out! but regardless – get someone to film it, it’s good fun and something to talk about!
I like to keep the couple shots fun, relaxed and natural, so I can get through these quite quickly. Ideally these would take 15-20 minutes to get a nice selection of photos. Anything less than 10 minutes can be rushed and limited but its your day after all you just tell me what you want. We can take as little or as long as you like. Depending on what is most important to you on the day.
I always tell couples to let me know if they’ve had enough and I’m happy to take your lead and cut it short – I’m not there to dictate your day. However, I’m also mindful of how strict on time the venues tend to be, and don’t want photos to delay the food etc., so if you feel me being pushy, I promise it’s just to make sure we get all the photos you want in the time we have!
If you have any insecurities now is the time to tell me so i can try hide them as best as possible for you! be it jaw lines, teeth, arms, anything that worries you i will pose you in a way so you love your photos! but it’s important you tell me so i know.
Another top tip – having a bridesmaid or groomsmen (or one of each!) with us as helpers, they can keep you hydrated with drinks, join us for a laugh, and even help with fluffing the dress for the perfect shots. Here is another example where your bridal party can really earn their titles!
Then once we are done, we will return to the venue where the host will be ready to announce you into your wedding breakfast.
It all comes down to you as a couple, i try my best to keep things fun and light hearted – those smiles and laughter between you are what make the best photos.
I appreciate photos are a little scary! but the more fun you are the better the photos (and by fun i don’t expect you jumping in to a lake) but more just having fun with each other and keeping those smiles golden.
If you have any insecurities then let me know, the more you tell me the more i can try and make good on the day! (and if you have a “good side” tell me on the day!)
If the weather is nice and you are a little merry later on i will always ask if you want to go for more photos! the real smiles and personalities shine more later in the day.
Now all the important photos are done the rest of my day will be capturing the candid moments of your guests and any speeches. You can now really enjoy your day.
Sometimes, if any bad weather interrupted the photos during the drinks reception, I may offer to grab some quick shots of you both between a course. It’s often a nice break away for the two of you to spend 5 or 10 minutes together away from the crowd. But it’s completely up to you, it’s your day after all!
Before the food comes, I tend to hop around all the tables and grab some shots of your friends and family as it’s always lovely as a guest to be included in the album. I do this throughout the day to capture as many people as possible.
Through out the day i will always get as many candids as i can but there can be moments where ive exhausted things for the time being and may just sit away for 10 minutes. this isn’t me being lazy but i don’t want to consistently be walking around with a camera when the guests are trying to relax.
If your wedding has 80+ guests there will always be something to capture, but for the smaller weddings there is less need to be on alert all the time.
But please grab me if you want anything and i will hop pack in to action.
Once the food starts to hit the table that’s my cue to put my feet up for 45 minutes for a well earned rest! however this well earned rest is usually spent backing up all your precious memories!
People don’t want a photographer around them with a mouth full of chicken so i use this time for my break, i am on high alert listening for when them speeches are about to start and i try to be never to far away.
If you are supplying a meal….
If your are providing a meal then it is greatly appreciated, usually suppliers eat the food hidden away in the bar or some where quiet, (its nice to just have a bit of peace for 30 minutes) –
If no meal is available just mark it on the questionaire so i’m aware and can nip out for food during the break. be advised that if this is the case i will be away a little longer to locate some where to eat. in particular when the venue is in the middle of no where this may take a little longer.
As we all know, British weather is unfortunately unreliable…
In the event of rain, I can often manage the formal family shots inside during the drinks reception. There are always options of areas that work.
For your couple shots, sometimes it’s best to brave it (within reason!) as we can still get some amazing photos if you can push yourselves. I always have an umbrella on hand!
If that’s really not an option at that point of the day though, I’m always on the lookout for that 10 minutes dry spell – there is almost always a small gap between downpours and if you’re up for it, it’s often just a case of dashing outside between your courses to get some shots. Plus, for summer weddings, we have daylight until 8/9pm so we have options later in the day after the wedding breakfast.
Alternatively, if the weather won’t play ball at any point of the day, we will make the most of the inside of the venue. Luckily wedding venues are often beautiful inside and out!
For some people, photos in that beautiful light of sunset are very high up on the wish list.
Something to remember though, the window for the perfect golden hour can be as small as 15-20 minutes, depending on the time of year. Plus cloud cover has a big influence on it too!
If these photos are important to you, when I come to get you for them, please appreciate it’s probably a ‘now or never’ situation with the tiny timeframe we’d have.
If a sparkler shot is on your wish list, then a good time to do these is after the meal and before the drinks kick in too much.
Having these to late on often leads to them not happening at all as most the guests are drunk and by this point your in a world of not caring and dancing the night away so i usually suggest trying to do these no later then just before the first dance.
This photo can be a bit chaotic, trying to get 30-40 sparklers all lit at the same time is a challenge, but it’s all good fun and definitely worth it.
(Just a heads up! some venues specifiy you need to provide a sand bucket and wont allow you to do them with out one – just check with the venue)
Side note – lately i have seen people putting on tags to the sparklers with a match – don’t bother with these they will all need to come off before i hand the sparklers out anyway to ensure they are all lit quickly so your guests won’t even see them.
All that is needed is a few lighters and i get people to light them off each other – Buy the long sparklers if anything so that they last longer – the short ones go out in 20 seconds which isn’t enough time .
These are personally my favourite, but of course may not be to everyone’s taste.
I’ll come double check with you if this is something you want to do. If so, I’ll go get everything ready before I pull you away. I need about 10-15 minutes to set things up outside.
These photos only take about 5 minutes of your time so they are well worth doing in my opinion!
To get the most out the first dance – I recommend you spend a little time sticking to the middle, rotating around. Then if you’re feeling it, milk it and go for a few twirls and spins! Shortly after, everyone will join you on the dancefloor – these can make some incredible evening photos.
I don’t tend to set a firm end time, but I definitely don’t just dash off after the first dance. When I leave completely depends on the vibe of your party but typically i am with you till just before the evening buffet comes out.
I will always make sure I come find you to say goodbye and wish you well for the rest of your night. I will also double check if there any other photos we haven’t captured yet that you’d like before I go.
Depending on the time of year, you can expect to have your photos back to you within 2-4 weeks. If it’s going to be any longer I will keep you updated.
If you want some previews or sneak-peeks, feel free to ask the morning after and I’ll get some over to you but this is subject to my availability as i may have another wedding the day after.
And that’s a wrap!
Hopefully this guide gives you plenty of info and tips to set your mind at ease, and make the most out of your big day!
Let’s enjoy the big day together!
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