Plan in time for a "photo walk". Its that 30 minutes or so after your formals, but before your reception starts. We need this alone time with you and your new husband to create some of those relaxed romantic portraits that everyone loves. Its from this session that 90% of our enlargements are made. Its where your thank you card shot will come from...this is the number one way to ensure great images. Give us the time to take them. So, please, plan it out in your schedule.
Consider including a "first glance" session. While tradition often insists that the bride and groom don't see each other prior to the ceremony on their wedding day, "first glance" sessions are becoming increasingly popular. These sessions are a short, private meeting between the bride and groom before the ceremony. It gives the groom the chance to truly enjoy how beautiful his bride looks in her wedding attire and often results in even the toughest guys tearing up a bit. The session also frequently result in some of the most emotional and meaningful images of the day. During a typical "first glance" session the photographer will be on hand for the initial meeting, then stay a bit longer, finally departing to give the couple a few special moments alone.
Schedule an engagement portrait session. You're probably wondering what this has to do with wedding day images. Truth be told, an engagement session not only results in some great images that you might want to use to build a custom guest sign-in book, it also allows you to get comfortable in front of the camera. It also gives both you and the photographer a chance to learn how to work together. When the big day comes around you'll be more at ease while having your photos made.
Allow a realistic time frame for getting hair and make-up done. When you factor in all the bridesmaids and the moms, along with yourself, hair and make-up can be a huge time killer. If you run late leaving the salon, you'll be running behind and playing catch-up the entire day. Nothing causes more stress at a wedding than being off schedule. Depending on the coverage you've selected you may want your photographer on hand for at least part of the hair and make-up session. If not at the salon, you'll definitely want them on hand early enough to capture some of the hair and make-up touch-ups prior to the ceremony. Getting ready shots really help with the storytelling aspect of your wedding album.
Don't get carried away with your make-up. Your photos will look best if you have a fairly clean, fresh, and natural appearance. This is especially true for ladies that don't normally wear make-up. You probably want to avoid suntanning the day before your wedding as well. And most importantly, be careful if you use a spray-on-tan. It can make you look orange in your photos and is virtually impossible to "fix" in photoshop without making everyone else look like pastie-white ghouls.
Try to be on time. When weddings get far off schedule stress levels climb. Very few weddings run exactly on time, but they can be pretty close. A little pre-planning is all it takes. However, if things do run a little slow don't get too stressed out about it. Everything will work out fine.
Plan sufficient time for group portraits. Weddings are one of those special times when entire families come together. Not surprisingly, everyone wants to take advantage of the opportunity to make some family portraits. So, you need to plan accordingly. If you're not careful, these sessions can eat up way too much time and put you off schedule. As a general rule rule, plan on about five minutes for each grouping that you would like photographed. Keep in mind that the photographer has no idea who everyone is. Be sure to put someone who knows all, or at least most of the primary people, in charge of getting the groups together. That way the photographer can concentrate on what they do best, making great images and arranging the groups, rather than trying to gather everyone together for the portraits.
Drink in moderation. You don't want to get so drunk that you can't remember your day, or, even worse, you look drunk in your photos. Have fun and enjoy a few drinks if you want, but be sure to eat throughout the day to help keep up your energy levels and because it will help you "hold" your alcohol.
Relax and have fun. It's your day. It's your party. Don't obsess over seeing every guest at your reception to the point of missing it all yourself. Also, don't be afraid to delegate tasks throughout the day. After all, that's what bridesmaids are for. It's their job to "attend" to the bride. After all, that's what bridesmaids are for. It's their job to "attend" to the bride. The less you have to worry about and the more you relax and enjoy the day, the better your photos will look.
During your first dance LOOK AT ONE ANOTHER! This is the moment you've been waiting for. Relax and enjoy each other. Forget about the photographer, the videographer, the guests. The same idea of applies to other special dances...father/daughter...mother/son. These are special moments too. Don't hesitate to look at Mom or Dad.
Coordinate key events with the photographer and Master of Ceremony. If you're planning any special events such as a bouquet toss, cake cutting, garter toss, etc., make sure your photographer gets a "heads-up" in advance. They'll need to be sure they have a fresh memory card before the event or want to put in some fresh batteries. Also give the photographer a chance to provide some input about positioning and timing. You want these images to be great. Timing and position is everything for these photographs.
Plan an exit strategy. It allows you to bring your special event to a nice, emotional close. This will allow you to leave in a timely fashion and let your guests know they're no longer obligated to stay. Best of all, it will make for some stellar images and add to the storytelling potential of your album!
Happy Planning!
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