Here’s a dozen practical tips for wedding photography.
In no particular order...
1. Being natural. A worry couples sometimes have is how to get photos that look natural. Well, one method is ask your photographer to concentrate more on "prompts" than "poses". For example, if the photographer says, "Groom, try to kiss the bride on the nose. Bride, try to avoid being kissed", then there will be a lot of laughs, a lot of smiles, and the resulting photos will look a lot more natural than, "Groom, please dip the bride".
In acting, actors love to have physical tasks to do during a scene. It takes them out of their heads, makes them less self-conscious.
2. Big group shot. If you'd like a photo of everyone who attended, do this right after the ceremony, before people wander off.
Having the church/venue in the background is the logical shot.
Alternatively, in the altar area. But you may need to check whether you're allowed to take photos inside the church after the ceremony. Some churches lock their doors fast, and others have back-to-back weddings.
3. The kiss. Make it last longer than a quick, surprise peck, or the photographer might miss it.
4. Photobooth. Now, I personally think a photobooth or photo wall at the reception is fantastic. Maybe 50% of the receptions I go to have one. It gives the guests something to do, and people show their fun and silly sides.
If you don't have the budget for a photobooth, it might be worth setting up your own wall -- just somewhere to take photos with phones.
Or ask your photographer if he/she happens to have a nice backdrop in their kit that they could bring to the reception.
5. "Unplugged" or "plugged". Should you get your MC to announce a ban on guests taking photo or video?
Well, it's a nightmare for photographers if they're set up to capture an amazing shot of bride walking down aisle, and a guest jumps in front and blocks them. And, yep, this has happened to me countless times.
But I should say: very few weddings I go to are unplugged; and photographers/videographers know what to do. They've been burned enough times that they're good at anticipating problems or quickly adjusting.
In favour of plugged -- the bottom line is that you end up with more photos from your wedding. Plus, the guests have fun taking them.
See if you can set up a QR code system, so that guests can upload their photos to a website. Your photographer may have the ability to set such a gallery up for you.
6. Family photos after ceremony. Sometimes this can be chaos!
To get through it efficiently, have a list beforehand of all the groupings you want (eg couple + groom's family, couple + bride's family, etc). Then put a bridesmaid or groomsman in charge of rounding people up and ticking off the list.
Factor in 30 minutes after the ceremony for congratulations and family photos before the bridal party and couple photoshoot.
7. Photoshoot timing. In general, you get the best photos during "golden hour" -- one hour before sunset. The light is warm and golden; it's soft (so it's more flattering on faces); and it's not creating shadows in eyes (in contrast with the midday sun).
After sunset, you've still got about 30 minutes before it gets too dark, but the lighting after sunset is even (whereas it can be nice to have that bit of contrast that the pre-sunset sun gives you).
8. Photoshoot location. I'd recommend picking a location between church and reception, so you spend less time travelling.
I don't think you should try for more than two locations.
If possible, pick a location that gives you a variety of possible looks or backgrounds. For instance, maybe you've got green foliage one direction and a view of the ocean in another.
9. Permits. Definitely make sure that no permits are required (or that you obtain any permits beforehand).
If you rock up to a place like Auburn Botanical Gardens without a permit, they'll ruthlessly stop you mid-shoot and kick you out.
10. Wet weather. You definitely need a wet weather backup for ceremony -- and probably for photoshoot also.
Some couples will pay $100, $150 and hire a just-in-case backup location for the photoshoot.
Alternative plan is just to take photos inside the church or at the venue.
Very few couples are brave enough to take photos in the rain -- or, at least, not for extended periods.
At night time, backlighting can make raindrops clearly visible, and the effect can be dramatic for photos. But in the daytime, rain photos often turn out a bit grey and muted, and with some ugly glare from puddles. But it just depends!
11. Summer weddings. Think about supplying guests (and photographers) with water and umbrellas. Trust me.
I’ve never seen photographers faint from the heat, but I have seen their cameras break down.
12. Lastly, if you're running late for the ceremony, don't panic!
It's your day. You're allowed to make people wait.
And make sure you get at least a few nice portrait shots before the ceremony. These could be among the most cherished photos you'll ever have taken in your life. So, if you're running late, but it takes 5, 10 extra minutes to get some amazing photos, it's worth it.
To be honest, it's very unusual for a bride to arrive at the ceremony on time. At least ten minutes delay is normal.
40 minutes+ delay is pushing it, but it happens.
Any questions?
Feel free to get in touch if you have anything photo-related (or video-related) on your mind. I'm happy to answer questions, talk through options, or just point you in the right direction.
Thanks for reading, and all the best for your wedding day!
