Ideas, Tips and Advice on Wedding Photography
How many weddings have you been to? How many weddings have you photographed the Bride and Groom for the entire day? Do you think over the years your wedding photographer has seen a lot and knows what will work, what won't, and what you should watch out for? Of course they do. Here you'll find a wide variety of tips, advice and ideas that can make your day go from good to great!
Let the Wedding happen
Remember that no matter what happens on the wedding day, there will be a plethora of uncontrolled variables. My role is to take the unexpected happenings and run with them! A good wedding shoot in which the photographer was able to adapt to each scenario and still capture the beautiful moments of the day.
- A Southern Rose Images
Louisiana Wedding Photographer
"It's the day you have been waiting for, be sure to escape your family and friends even the photographers just for a few minutes.
Embrace each other and let each other know how happy you really are!"
- Back2Back Photography Inc
Massachusetts Photographer
"Above all, remember that this day is about the person you're committing to spend the rest of your life with. It's not about the flowers, the cake, the bridesmaids, the event. It's about your love and relationship with that handsome guy who won your heart.
Do what YOU want to do for your wedding! Never do anything because someone else wants you to.
Stop and look around every few minutes at your wedding. Take it all in. It goes by so fast.
To photographers and brides...RELAX! Something will probably go wrong at some point. It doesn't really matter!"
- Taken by Sarah
North Carolina Wedding Photographer
"Bring a snack to the wedding on which you can nibble. Running around, posing, and working out last minute details is taxing - be prepared!"
- DayMeetsNight Photography
Chapel Hill, North Carolina Wedding Photographer
"It's the day you have dreamed of since you we're a little girl. Remember to slip away from your family and guests with your new husband even if it's just for a few minutes. You'll be surprised how many couples love this idea."
- Back2Back Photography
Somerset, Massachusetts Wedding Photographer
"Some brides come to the studio prior to the wedding, usually on the day that have their hair done as a trial. Then they can have their enlarged photograph displayed at their wedding of the bride in their bridal gown."
- McQphotography
Anthem, AZ Wedding Photographer
"Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life, don't let the weather get you down. Bright sunny skies are not always a good thing, but a cloudy day or after a storm the sky will provide a very dramatic look. Dramatic skies and the use of umbrellas can make for wonderful photographs."
- Back2Back Photography
Somerset, MA Wedding Photographer
"When selecting wedding packages, remember to lock in the prices of potential add-ons like coffee table books and albums in your contract. You may want to purchase other items at a later date. Most photographers will lock the prices of extras for a period of around 90 days."
- Donald Pope Photography
Dover, DE Wedding Photographer
"This may sound silly, but you might want to look online and watch a couple of videos of people cutting their wedding cake. It is amazing how many weddings we've shot where the couple approaches the cake, freezes, and then asks the wedding photographer what they should do.
You don't have to practice cutting the cake, just make sure you've thought through what you are going to do before the reception.
"
- Kurz Studio Photography
Florida Wedding Photographer
"Make sure to let family and friends attending the wedding know that the photographer is paid for their time and is first in line to take pictures. I have had a problem when right after I take a picture, others would come over and take the same one. That takes a lot of time away from getting the professional pictures both you as the photographer wants as well as the bride and groom."
- Snapshots By Jolene
Meridian, Idaho Wedding Photographer
"Brides: Assume that something will go wrong, but you'll work around it and have fun. Allow nothing short of a medical emergency to impact the happiest day of your life. If everything goes according to or better than planned, you'll be that much happier."
- Mattasai.com
Locust Grove, Virginia Wedding Photographer
"With all the time and trouble you put into your wedding you want to make sure you personalize it as much as possible. One way to do that is by including photographs of the wedding couple at the reception. We've all been to receptions that have dozens of tables each designated by a table number. Instead of using table numbers use photographs of the bride and groom that they have taken during their time together before the wedding. If they have traveled together and have photographs from many locations you can use those locations to "name" each table. The place cards that the guests pick up when they arrive at the reception would include the name of their table. Instead of going straight to a numbered table the guests would then need to browse through all of the tables to find their own. This also gets people talking to other people instead of just the people sitting at their table.
"
- Will of Forever Images LLC
Michigan City, Indiana Wedding Photographer
"To make your wedding favors more unique, think about incorporating your engagement photograph into them. We include the engagement photograph as part of the wedding package so when the wedding couple come in to have the photographs taken they leave with a CD of the image files. This makes it simple to incorporate these photographs into the wedding favors as well as the invitations or save-the-date cards. I have seen some very charming and inovative ways to use the photographs. We had one bride that printed the photograph and wedding information on a mailing label and then apply the label to the small champagne bottles she was give as a wedding favor. I have had several couples create a Cd of the wedding music and use their engagement photograph as the cover. A couple of years ago we had a couple where the groom was a big hockey fan. Their favor was a hockey puck with the engagement photograph one one side. In a recent meeting we had with a couple getting married next year we decided to do a baseball card (the groom plays for a AA team). The options are only limited by your imagination.
"
- Will of Forever Images LLC
Michigan City, Indiana Wedding Photographer
"What to do AFTER the Wedding! Rather than have your dress cleaned and boxed up, wear it one more time for a "Trash the Wedding Dress" photo shoot.
You wear your dress in an environment that is completely out of place and don't worry about getting it dirty because that's the fun of it!"
- Joan of Shaw Productions Inc
Las Vegas Nevada Wedding Photographer
"Ask the owners of your ceremony and reception sites about the requirements for your photographer to carry liability insurance. You don't want to find out at the last minute that your photographer is not allowed to take your wedding pictures on the premises because they don't have liability insurance to cover an unfortunate event!"
- Farrah of Farrah's Photography
Maryville Tennessee Wedding Photographer
"Engagement or Couple Sessions:
a Great way to get ready for your Wedding day shoot.. Its an ideal way to connect with your photographer and brainstorming ideas.
Trash the Dress Sessions:
AWESOME, these are just absolutely awesome. We do just about everything and anything in your wedding dress. No worries about getting your outfits dirty or being late for the reception. Its relaxed, fun and experimental! A MUST. Talk to your photographer as an add on to your package."
- Adele of Picksee Photography
South Carolina Wedding Photographer
"We encourage all bride & grooms to book an engagement day with us.You might be asking yourself , 'what are engagement days', let me answer that question. Engagement Days are when the future Bride & Groom, accompanied by a photographer, (hopefully one from JP Brandano Photography) take a trip to some destination in which they feel connected and celebrate their engagement. The place can be a busy downtown area or a place by the sea. It may even be the place where the groom proposed or where the couple's first date took place. It is a romantic and fun day with many memories and we strive to capture them. The days are important for another reason. It gives the Bride & Groom a chance to see how the photographers work. It helps build a relationship of trust between the photographers and the couple which helps the couple feel more comfortable so the wedding day photographs look more relaxed & natural. For some grooms this is really important as the grooms are usually not as comfortable in front of the camera as the brides. So give an engagement day session a try We think you will find it a worthwhile day."
- JP Brandano Photography
Londonderry, NH Wedding Photographer
"When having a destination wedding far away, a good idea is to ask photographers about what are good places to have the ceremony and reception at, because if experienced, they can be an enormous source of information about many different venues, beaches, hotels and also for other services like; videography, cakes,music, etc. Remember that photographers often have many years in the wedding and event industry and know most if not all of the great places and vendors at a given area.
"
- Joseph of Joseph LaMotta Photography San Juan, PR Wedding Photographer
"Use the engagement photograph for the invitation or save-the-date card. Using a black and white photograph will save on printing costs."
- Will of Forever Images, Michigan City, IN Wedding Photographer
"Brides and Grooms: Have someone bring you something to eat when you are getting ready. The likelihood that you are actually going to get to sit down at eat more than 5 bites at your reception is slim. A sandwich or a salad is filling but not stuffing - so you will not be starving...or uncomfortable for pictures. But please, try to eat something!"
- Nick of Nick Corona Photography, Norco CA Wedding Photographer
"Tears and tissues. Tissues are a mess so instead try this: Place a cotton handkerchief in the grooms' pocket, the bride has no where to put one. This way if she tears up the groom can take out the hankie offer it to her or dab the tears himself. It will be a beautiful moment for everyone. You may need to practice this so he doesn't ruin her makeup. And who knows, plenty of grooms tear up too. This is more elegant than the back of his hand."
- Charlotte of Charlotte Bell Photography, Austin TX Wedding Photographer
"Pay attention to details at your wedding; things like plastic table cloths never look as good as cloth. Even for brides on a budget, there are hundreds of DIY favors, decorations, etc. that can really make the difference in how your wedding looks and feels."
- Melody of Twilight Images, Richmond VA Wedding Photographer
"A really fun Bride or Grooms gift to their bridesmaids and groomsmen are custom sunglasses. In their wedding colors or even monogrammed, they also make for some great photo op's day of the wedding!"
- Jaylene of Sacred Image Photography
Hockley, TX Wedding Photographer
"Always bring extras! Whatever you may need on wedding day such as make-up, cameras, batteries, memory cards; bring two!"
- Erin of Images For All Time
Monterey CA Wedding Photographer
"Having gone to so many weddings, there are many tips that photographers learn. It is good to ask your photographer for advice on many things. We have tons of ideas that can make it much more interesting and much better for the pictures. I suggested once that a bride make a scrap book of all her pictures with a scrapbook that has no plastic. Then pass it around the reception for the guests to make brief tips and tricks to make the marriage work, or even a quick cute story about the bride or groom. Then you bring that book with you to the honeymoon, and when there are quiet time you read it together. They appreciated this idea and will cherish it forever. Another thing you can do is have the photographer print up business cards or postcards with your image on it. Then when your friends and family want to view your wedding pictures, then they can find the website and information for ordering from the photographer. There are many other ideas that will be very helpful if you ask your photographer for advice. Thanks, Laura Kelley"
- Laura of Laura Kelley Photography
Lake Charles, LA
"We find that when the bridal party takes some time to get to know each other before the day of the wedding; the images relay a warmer, happier event."
- Erik of Synchronized Elegance Imaging, Inc.
San Bruno CA
"A lot of brides that we have spoken to are offering disposable cameras during the reception. But we have also heard from a number of brides who have had their guests take them home with them. One idea is a gift basket and enter their names for a drawing when they turn in their camera after taking photos. Another idea was to have one person in charge of getting the camera's rounded up before everyone leaves."
- Denise of Hope Haven Photography Stanwood WA
"For the guys: Be sure to check your tuxes before you leave the tux shop to make sure they are the right size, fit well, don't have any tears, stains or loose buttons and that you have all the pieces to each of the tuxes."
- Peggy of Azur Photography
Leavenworth, KS
"Tip #1: You don't need to pay florist prices to have a bouquet made for your
bridal portrait sitting. You'd be surprised at the results when you have
your favorite fresh flowers and some ribbon! Just be sure to cut stems
about 8 inches from blooms to allow room to wrap ribbon and hold bouquet.
Tip#2: Baby wipes will work wonders for "quick fixes" with spots on your
wedding dress. Just be sure to rub gently." - Kellie of Kellie Kano Photography Greensboro NC
"For bridal dressing areas that lack natural window light, one might
consider hanging a few dainty white christmas lights over a plant or doorway
for effect!"
Cindi K McDaniel's Studio EnVogue
Dothan, AL
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