9 Things to do before your wedding day
1- Think about assigning a coordinator on your big day. Make someone your point person in other words:
Remember, there will be always unexpected occurrences at the wedding. If you have children or there are elderly family members, make sure there is a person to take help out with them so you have time to participate in the important events and pose for your photos.
2- Smiling is very important
Not looking happy and smiling due to small irritations can ruin not only your wedding day but your photos as well. This is the best day of your life and you most likely have been dreaming about it since you were a little girl. Your pictures will look much better if you forget about all the little things that may and will go wrong on your wedding day and just enjoy the moment with your future husband, family and friends. I have observed that brides who are giggly and smiley and actively trying to be pleasant have more genuine and exciting pictures than brides who try to pose perfectly but who have a gloom & doom attitude, and also try to micro manage her wedding day.
3- Make Your Getting Ready Room Comfortable:
Bringing too many people in your getting ready room might sounds like a great idea and lots of fun. but it actually makes the room overcrowded and hard to work in. The photographer needs to be able to move around and capture the moments from different angles and points of view. If the room is overcrowded, this is almost impossible with all the bridesmaids and other people in the room shielding the bride from all vantage points. If you have to invite everyone, then consider booking an over sized room so there is a space for everyone, and room for the photographer to move around and take artistic images. Overcrowding and artistic, free-flowing pictures don’t go hand to hand. Finally, the bride and groom NEED TO EAT AND DRINK SOMETHING BEFORE THE CEREMONY
4- Tame The LED and DJ Lights Urge:
LED and DJ lights are cool and fun but they also color everyone’s faces and clothing. Photography is about capturing the light so all these lights over your dress and face will be captured and in your reception photos. There is no magic wand to take them away in post-processing. If you plan to get your reception completely dark and have lots of LED and DJ lights, be prepared to have these all over your face and dress on your wedding pictures.
5- You, combined with Adequate Time with the Photographer Results in Great Pictures:
Allocate time to your photographer as you do for your guests, fun and party. When a photographer asks you: “There is beautiful light right now. Can I borrow you and your groom for 15 minutes? It will be well worth it!”, trust him or her and find time away from your party. Photographers world rather have multiple 15-20 minute blocks of time spread out throughout the day (especially some time around dusk when the light is soft and pleasing) than a one large block of 2 hours at 12PM or 2PM for example in one location.
6- Necessary Wedding Portrait Time Periods
Without First Look: After ceremony
- 15-20 minutes for formal family photos
- 15-20 minutes for wedding party photos
- 45-60 minutes for the bride and groom photos
With First Look: Doing a “first look” can help you feel more calm.
You see each other before the ceremony and spend some intimate time together while you have your portraits taken.
This is the desirable option when the bride and groom have seen each other already before the wedding ceremony because the time allocation is much more flexible and relaxing. During the First Look, I photograph the bride and groom's pictures when the groom sees the bride for the very first time in her wedding dress, his and her first reaction, and subsequent interactions. During the First Look, I also take bride and groom portraits when they are still filled with energy at the beginning of the wedding day. The period before the ceremony is also the best time to capture images of the wedding party before the ceremony. The period during the cocktail hour then is spent on family group photos and wedding party photos during the cocktail hour.
When groups are involved, and many people are being directed to be in one place or the other at simultaneously for an extended time period, this is often frustrating for everyone. I will be focusing on posing everyone, directing and capturing the best images from the group, and don’t have the ability and time to search for family members and bring them to the family photo locations.
Therefore, it is extremely important for the couple to appoint a dedicated wedding coordinator or family member to bring and organize everyone for the formal family group photos.
Assigning someone with this responsibility will save everyone time and effort, and make the entire photo shoot far less stressful by keeping the wedding day on schedule. I have a set of formal pictures I usually plan to take for each wedding, but if the bride expects to have other photos, a written list is the best way to ensure that no pose is missed.
I always take multiple photos of the same group to ensure we have everyone looking at the camera, not blinking, and showing a nice, radiant smile.
7- Connecting with your photographer:
Tell your photographer what you want in advance. I cannot stress enough how important good communication between the bride and groom and the wedding photographer is prior to and during the wedding day. Let your photographer know about your favorite photographs or if you have a certain pose in mind. You can call me anytime with this information.
8- During the important moments :
Remember, I am documenting everything. When you are doing something important you should try to look for me and give me a smile. This will look great in your album.
There are things to keep in mind such as slowing down when kissing so I have time to capture multiple images of this moment. Also, remember that when the bride, bridesmaids, and groomsmen are walking down the aisle, it looks much better in the photographs if they smile and look forward instead of at their feet or away from the camera. When in doubt, always try to look at me and give me a smile.
9 - Practice :
Most of the brides & grooms have never had their photos taken by a professional photographer. Posing needs practice before the wedding day so look at your old photos to see which poses of yours are your favorites and practice posing in the mirror. On your wedding day remember to relax and smile!