Happy Wedding Wednesday!
Photos by Stephanie is a Boyd Farm Wedding Photographer and will {Capture} Raw Emotion between Soulmates.
Help us capture your day
First off, let me congratulate you on this awesome milestone! Now that you’re engaged, you will start the planning process: looking into venues, figuring out your wedding date, finding your dress, picking your bridesmaids, a flower girl, and a ring bearer. Remember, this is your day and you’ll have memories of your beautiful day for the rest of your life and you want those memories preserved in photos, that will last for generations.
PHOTOS ARE IMPORTANT
I’m done about 30 weddings a year, since I opened at the end of 2015, below are my observations for when I talk to my beautiful clients about all the points I stress.
RESEARCH PHOTOGRAPHERS
Seriously, now that digital cameras have gotten cheaper, everyone is calling themselves a photographer. You may love the idea of either a free or really inexpensive photographer for an already expensive wedding. However, it’s easier to contest the quality of service provided by a stranger than a friend. Plus it will save a friendship. Since, if you don’t like the quality of service you never will have to work that stranger again. I thankfully haven’t been there yet — knock on wood — but should that ever arise it’s nice to know you still have their friendship.
Once you choose your wedding venue, ask them if they have a relationship with any photographers. These photographers likely know how all the events of wedding progress at the specific venue and everything should be fairly handed off to you. Furthermore, you always want to look at a portfolio of their work and talk to them personally.
The contact at the venue might refer their friend who just got a camera rather than a proper wedding photographer. You’ll be really, really, bummed on the day of your beautiful wedding if the “recommended photographer” is not prepared, clueless, and you get some crappy photos a few weeks later.
By seeing the photographers work and talking to them, you should be able to get a good feel for them. Ask about the photographers’ relationship with the venue, how many weddings they’ve photographed there, and if there is anything that would make their job easier.
Just because they’re the venues “recommended photographer”, doesn’t mean they can request special accommodations from your wedding venue. The wedding photographer may suggest what you need to include but it’s ultimately on you to decide.
Bring The Photographer Along
If you have your own wedding photographer in mind for the beautiful wedding day, invite them along when you visit your chosen wedding venue. You make a few trips out to the wedding venue to look at options and layouts so invite the photographer along for one of those visits. I personally like to go out to a venue a few months beforehand with the bride while plans are finalized. This lets me voice my opinion and propose changes before anything is firm. I have done weddings where the first time I saw the venue was during the rehearsal and even on the day of the wedding. However, I’ve certainly enjoyed the results of the photos better when I have an introduction to the venue way in advance; it lets me see what I’ll be dealing with.
I did a wedding once where additional lights were an extra charge. The bride and groom weren’t going to pay for those lights but after I pointed it out, and a few sample photos, they were convinced to go with the additional lighting. I could have compensated with a flash but the fact was their Sweetheart table was in the dark, which would have made the toasts difficult to see by the guests; they would have been able to hear people talking but seeing them would have been hard.
You’re showing the photographer the venue far enough in advance because you want them to be prepared. Maybe you can’t afford the light package from the venue, or maybe the venue doesn’t have any additional lights. As a photographer, knowing that months in advance is amazing. We’ll be able to use the money you’re paying us towards renting better equipment.
The Rehearsal
This is another great event, to encourage your wedding photographer too. You don’t need to invite them to the rehearsal dinner. This gives your wedding photographer the layout of your actual wedding day. What’s happening and when, who walks in from where, etc. I will usually take sample shots as each ceremony run thru unfolds.
Don’t be afraid to ask your wedding photographer to see the test images. When I first started, I did a wedding, where I told the bride that the bridal party was walking in to fast. Everyone was happy to adjust their walkout time. If you want certain photographs for a certain event so they can be captured the moment in a particular way, do be afraid to ask. This is why there is a wedding rehearsal.
Seating
Photos look really bad if there’s no one sitting in the aisle seats. Have a family member, the venue coordinator, the wedding planner, or someone asks all guests to move to the middle. The venue will look fuller when the wedding photographer is shooting down the aisle. This isn’t a huge problem and when guests stand up, such as when you’re walking in and walking out, the seating tends to look a little emptier anyways.
Remember to Relax
Something always goes wrong, don’t worry. I think on my feet. Take things in stride, I understand you want everything to go perfect but a lot of amazing memories usually are from the unplanned moments. I had a wedding, were the florist never showed, but instead of getting upset, the bride and groom improvised by picking some wildflowers. It was amazing.
Group Photos
Please, make it clear to all of your wedding guests that group photos are for specific guests only. It’s really hard to work thru the shot list to get all the photos of your family members, friends, and bridal party in 100 different combinations if guests come up with their own photos too. It takes time away and will prolong other activities if a guest wants to include themselves in the group portrait images. It also makes it difficult, with some many cameras pointed at you, that you will not know which way to look. So it’s easier if I’m the only one taking your beautiful wedding images. I try to rearrange to shot list so the elderly are in and out ASAP, however I don’t know the health and abilities of your family. Great Grandfather Gene is perfectly capable of walking around while Aunt Betty can’t sit nor stand a brunch in a short amount of time. I order the group shot list as best so there is less shuffling going go. It’s ideal to do your group photos where the ceremony was held, while the guests move to the reception but some venues have the ceremony and reception in the same general area; you can ask that those who are getting their photo taken to stay behind but some of the bridal party and family members will wander away and mingle with guests.
The Cost
You should budget about 10% of your wedding budget for photography. Of course, that’s not a steadfast rule. I’d definitely consider wedding photograph the second most important part of the wedding right after the dress. After the last song is played, your flowers have died, guests have gone home. The only thing you will have is your memories and your beautiful wedding photographs.
Get a Contract
This is super important. The wedding photography contract is there to protect you as it does the photographer. Always look over the contract in advance. If you’ve got a couple photographers you are trying to decide between taking a look at their contracts. A good contract should make expectations clear.
If I;m hospitalized, my contract allows me to send a substitute photographer at no expense to the client. If the client declines the substitute photographer, then they are reimbursed minus their non-refundable retainer. Plus I have fields in my contract for the venue locations, date and time. My start and end time. As well as contact information for the couple and contact person. Plus the amount they are paying me.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Happy Planning!
If you are looking for a Boyd Farm Wedding Photographer who can {Capture} your unique love story, we would love to chat! By clicking the contact us button above and inquiring today.